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Shanghai, China's major economic powerhouse, is planning to build a university town in Yangpu District, in a major step toward rejuvenating the city's economic development through science and education.

According to Yuan Yuebin, deputy director of the district, some 17 universities and colleges including Fudan, Tongji and the No.2 Medical University of the PLA are currently located in the 60-plus square kilometer district.

More than 100,000 university students and a teaching and scientific research faculty topping 200,000 already lived in the district, he added.

The areas occupied by Yangpu's existing universities and colleges would double and a university town combining teaching and living quarters as well as industrial development parks would take shape in the next five years, the official said.

The initial five projects for the university town will be launched around Fudan, Tongji and the Shanghai University of Science and Engineering. They involve construction of a one-square-kilometer public recreation center, new campus, pedestrian ways, and educational facilities covering an area of one million square meters, and an industrial center of one million square meters.

To attract enough development funding, public bids would be invited for investment from enterprises both at home and abroad, the official said.

At present, building was underway on a series of projects such as the main university blocks for teaching and study, the official added.