The MOE convened a high-level conference in Beijing on July 9 to mark the 15th anniversary of its “Initiative for Cultivating Top Talent in Basic Disciplines.” The gathering, officially known as the National Strategic Action Conference on Cultivating High-Caliber Talent in Basic Disciplines, underscored the nation’s commitment to fostering innovation and technological excellence.

Vice Minister of Education Wu Yan addressed the conference, emphasizing the importance of implementing President Xi Jinping’s directives on nurturing innovative talent. The initiative, launched in 2009, has established 288 specialized training centers across 77 leading research universities and has attracted over 30,000 outstanding students to research in basic science.

Wu lauded the initiative’s success in developing a uniquely Chinese model for cultivating top-tier talent, citing its focus on instilling a sense of national mission, promoting innovation, and fostering international collaboration. The initiative has been credited with significantly boosting China’s capacity to independently cultivate world-class researchers and scientists.

The conference outlined plans to enhance the initiative, including: expanding talent recruitment channels; innovating educational approaches; strengthening partnerships between scientific and educational institutions; establishing specialized training centers; developing long-term support mechanisms; and exploring AI-driven educational pathways.

The conference, hosted by Tsinghua University, featured keynote presentations from prominent experts, including Professor Yao Qizhi of Tsinghua. Attendees included representatives from major Chinese scientific academies and universities as well as students participating in the initiative.