BEIJING — China will boost its geroscience research and develop more geroscience-related academic disciplines to respond to its ageing population, according to a symposium on Dec 15.

The country will explore the establishment of a new discipline cluster of geroscience, as announced at the symposium on geroscience discipline development, which was jointly held by the China Research Center on Aging (CRCA) and a research department under the Development Research Center of the State Council.

“The Ministry of Education will encourage appropriate universities and colleges to set up majors and courses on elderly care such as in the psychology of aging, gerontological nursing and palliative care,” said Liu Ying, an official with the ministry.

The ministry will provide assistance to vocational colleges to train elderly care service personnel that are in short supply, Liu added.

China has world’s largest aged population, also growing at the fastest speed. By 2050, it is estimated that one in every three Chinese will be a senior aged over 60.

The CRCA is working with other institutions to establish exchange platforms for geroscience research and a system for research result releasing.

“Our current research on ageing lacks concrete and specific data,” said Wang Jianjun, an official with the National Health Commission, who stressed that an information network should be set up quickly.

The symposium also announced that a national gerosciene congress was scheduled for next year.