Universities have conferred doctoral degrees on 240,000 people in China over the past 30 years, officials said on Monday.

The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (cabinet) also told a conference that 1.87 million master's degrees have been awarded, as well as 14.15 million bachelor's degrees.

State Councilor Liu Yandong said the post-graduate students nurtured by China have become a leading force in different sectors.

She urged the improvement of the academic degree system to improve the country's base of human resources.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2008)