The International Forum on ICH Education and Formation as a Scholarly Discipline was held from Dec. 5 to 6 in Beijing.

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has become an important part of the development of cultural activities and industries when promoting national cultural soft power. Chen Li, vice president of Beijing Normal University, said that ICH is a source of cultural diversity, and is also an important carrier of cultural identity, national identity, and social cohesion. Universities should consider the development of an ICH curriculum a cultural imperative.

Wang Chenyang, a first-level inspector of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that cultivation of ICH instructors should be intensified. Vocational colleges should offer courses on ICH protection.

Disciplinary construction is conducive to the sustainable development of ICH. Feng Jicai, deputy head of the group leading the evaluation of the national ICH list, said that at present, more importance should be attached to the scientific protection of ICH. Disciplinary construction and talent cultivation are the basis of scientific protection.

According to Wan Jianzhong, vice chairman of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, universities can play a unique role in such fields as formulating ICH policies, cultivating relevant talent, and organizing ICH activities.

Lisa Marie Gilman, a professor from the English department of George Mason University in the US, suggested university training systems begin to combine academic research with practice to enhance students’ ability to apply their professional knowledge to specific work.