Top Chinese universities open new schools in response to rural vitalization drive
Students at the agricultural college of Zhejiang A&F University examine crops growing on the rooftop of the teaching building on March 6, 2017. Photo: VCG Since last December, six Chinese universities have announced decisions to establish agricultural schools or institutions, marking a renaissance for the traditional discipline. (by Global Times) Peking University, Nanjing University, Zhongshan University, the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hohai University and Zhengzhou University have all established agricultural schools. Most of China's comprehensive universities stopped offering programs in agriculture in the 1950s, and the discipline is only taught in specialized universities and colleges. Experts say the recent efforts by universities to reestablish agricultural schools is academia's response to the government's plan to vitalize rural areas, and shows China's emphasis on and investment in modern agriculture. Amid a nationwide restru...