Work to start on nuclear university

The nation's first nuclear industry university will be set up in Tianjin and is likely to break ground later this year, "if related projects such as land selection and relevant procedures go smoothly", according to an insider to didn't want to be named.

The city government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China National Nuclear Corp late last week.

The new school - China Nuclear Industry University - will offer occupational training, master's and doctoral degrees, international academic exchanges and core technique research and development, according to the agreement.

The government didn't release the location or funding sources of the university.

Wan Gang, president of the China Institute of Atomic Energy under China National Nuclear Corp, said the country has a critical need to foster and accumulate nuclear industry professionals.

Wan said the new university will be backed by two existing training organs of the corporation - an institute of management training and an institute for graduate students.

He said that in 2016 the company recruited 2,300 graduates for all its branches in the country, but only 20 percent of them majored in nuclear industry fields.

Under the company's personnel development plan, China's universities can only provide half the new graduates the company needs.

He Zixing, vice-general manager of the company, said the university will quickly develop its curriculum and faculty as it builds a campus.

Earlier this month, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, announced the creation of an institute for the nuclear industry backed by the company.