The prestigious Sichuan University in southwest China has launched a worldwide hunt for leading social scientists to improve its social sciences department, the university announced Monday.

The action, the first of its kind taken by Sichuan University, is expected to bring new energy to the study of social sciences, which fell behind the studies in other fields in China, the university said.

The social scientists will be in charge of three new national study projects, "Religion and Society," "Cultural Heritage and Cultural Interaction" and "South Asia and China's Tibetan-Inhabited Areas." The positions will have annual salaries of 500,000 yuan (60,900 US dollars), the university said.

The presiding scientists for each project will also be responsible for hiring researchers and financial management.

Founded in 1896, Sichuan University is located in Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan. It is one of the top universities in China and the largest in the country's western part.

Source: Xinhua