XI’AN — More than 30 universities have made plans to help rural areas revitalize, and 13 universities have established schools to study rural vitalization, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) June 12.

The ministry issued a five-year (2018-2022) action plan in January, which requires higher education institutions to have better ability to support rural areas through innovation and train a number of professionals who understand agriculture, love the countryside and are deeply connected to farmers.

A total of 39 universities have established more than 300 experimental stations, over 500 academicians and expert workstations and 1,400 agricultural promotion demonstration zones and special industrial bases, providing services for over 1,700 enterprises related to agriculture, said Lei Chaozi, director of the Department of Science and Technology of the MOE, at a press conference.

To fully implement the action plan, the MOE will step up supportive policies, strengthen practical education and contribute efforts to win the battle against poverty.

The spending on disciplines related to rural vitalization in higher education institutions will increase, and more support will be given to talents and innovative groups focusing on scientific research and technology application that will help rural areas revitalize, according to Lei.

The MOE will speed up the construction of top agriculture universities and disciplines, as well as promote integration of talent training, scientific innovation, and social services.

A number of professionals, experts and doctoral students will be dispatched into poverty-stricken areas to help build new industries and improve the industry chain, according to the ministry.