By Jeremiah Nutsugah
China Civil Affairs University has launched a new marriage program aimed at promoting and developing marriage-related culture, as the country strives to address declining birth rates.
The undergraduate program, which began in September at the Beijing institution, seeks to “cultivate professionals to develop marriage-related industries and culture”.
According to Vice President Zhao Honggang, the program will recruit 70 undergraduates from 12 provinces in 2024.
The curriculum will cover topics such as:
• Family Counseling: Providing guidance on marital relationships
• High-End Wedding Planning: Developing skills for luxury wedding services
• Matchmaking Products: Creating innovative solutions for matchmaking agencies.
Graduates will have career opportunities in:
• Industry associations
• Matchmaking agencies
• Wedding service companies
• Marriage and family counseling organizations
China’s population decline, primarily due to falling birth rates, prompted this initiative. Despite relaxed family planning policies, marriage rates continue to plummet.
A recent data showed that the Chinese who got married in the first half of this year fell to its lowest level since 2013 as more young people deferred nuptials amid a slowing economy and a rise in living costs, reported Reuters.