Shanxi province will focus on developing some 60 high-level provincial secondary vocational schools and promoting the rise of local universities, according to notices recently issued by Shanxi's provincial authorities.

The development program of high-level provincial secondary vocational schools plans to give priority to supporting schools with strong service capabilities, distinctive characteristics and considerable funding support from local governments or school sponsors. The plan calls for building these schools into education facilities with strong basic capabilities, high operational qualities and deep school-enterprise partnerships within three years.

Under the program, Shanxi will integrate innovative secondary vocational education with industrial development and expand school-enterprise cooperation channels and fields. The province will also establish long-term cooperation mechanisms and give full play to the leading role of high-level provincial secondary vocational schools.

All provincial secondary vocational schools can apply for the program before March 5. 

According to the circular issued by the Shanxi Provincial Government, in the next five years, Shanxi will further enhance the comprehensive strengths of Shanxi University, Taiyuan University of Technology and North University of China. The goal is to elevate these three universities into the top 100 in the country. The program also calls for improving the influence, competitiveness and distinctive features of Shanxi Agricultural University, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics and Shanxi Normal University.

The province will further develop crucial disciplines, laboratories and innovation teams at its universities. 

It will add 15 doctoral and 30 master's degree conferring institutions and ensure that at least one institution can provide professional doctoral degrees in engineering.

Shanxi will aim to have 25 key laboratories or basic research innovation platforms at – or above – the level of national ministries and commissions and cultivate more than 10 new national-level innovative professionals. It will also introduce at least 15 national-level creative professionals represented by academicians and more than 3,000 potential talents represented by young doctors.