Yao Jianping is the artistic director of the Zhenhu Embroidery Research Institute in Suzhou New District and a deputy to the National People's Congress. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

Yao Jianping, artistic director of the Zhenhu Embroidery Research Institute in Suzhou New District and a deputy to the National People's Congress, suggested at the second session of the 14th NPC to include inheritance of intangible cultural heritage items in the higher education system.

Yao believes that compared to traditional family-based and apprentice-based inheritance practices, universities have significant advantages in training inheritors of ICH items. They can address the problem of low educational attainment among current inheritors, improve the overall cultural literacy and social recognition of inheritors, and attract more young people.

She noted that universities have actively explored talent cultivation in the field of intangible cultural heritage, but the project types and engagement rate remain limited, and the training model is not systematic or comprehensive.

Yao suggested leveraging disciplines and majors closely related to ICH items at universities to establish "inheritance classes". The teachers of these classes can consist of relevant college teachers and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage items, who will determine the teaching content and training system based on the characteristics and development needs of the items.