BEIJING, Sept. 1 -- China's top academic institutions on Thursday released the list of candidates for selection as new academicians, the highest academic honorary title in the country's science and technology fields.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has 583 candidates for the title, while the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) has 655.

The selection program, which started on May 31, will this year add 79 and no more than 90 new academicians to the registry for CAS and CAE, respectively.

The honorary title selection process will tilt toward researchers who work in key fields and basic disciplines, and emerging disciplines and interdisciplines that are urgently needed by the country.

Scientists who have made outstanding contributions to national defense and security, as well as undertook major national research tasks and scientific and technological infrastructure construction projects, will also be preferred.