Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Hangzhou announces on Dec 28 to set up the College of Zhejiang River Chief. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

East China's Zhejiang province announced the setting up of "river chief" college at Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Hangzhou on Dec 28. 

Being the first of its kind in China, the college is a new exploration into the education of river chiefs and is expected to provide intellectual support for Zhejiang's water movement by organizing training courses, exchange platforms and practical activities for officials in the field. 

Currently, there are approximately 60,000 river chiefs at various levels across Zhejiang. The provincial government has divided every river, lake and stream in the region into different sections, and assigned two to three river chiefs to monitor each section, in order to make sure the water quality is improved and maintained. The responsibilities of the river chiefs include water resource protection, pollution prevention and control, and ecological restoration. 

The college will employ 19 teachers to provide lessons and 13 part-time experts to give suggestions and advices for the college's development. The experts include knowledgeable professors and people with rich practical experiences. 

Fu Ningping, Party secretary of Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power said the college will probe into different teaching methods and strive to serve the whole country's water management. 

The college will welcome the first group of river chiefs in the beginning of 2018.

Two river chiefs in Jingning county of Lishui take water samples from a local river. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]