The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) granted awards in Beijing Friday to 50 researchers who wrote outstanding doctoral thesises. The country's top academy also issued CAS President's awards to excellent postgraduate students.

CAS President Lu Yongxiang encouraged all the postgraduate students to make more contributions to the country's research advancement.

Twenty of the 119 students were awarded the top prize. The rest received a second prize.

Since 1989 when the CAS established the President's awards, 237students have received the top prize, while 2,233 ones got the second prize.

More than 33,000 postgraduate students, 43 percent of whom applying for doctoral degrees, are now studying at CAS institutes or the Chinese University of Science and Technology, a prestigious school affiliated to the CAS.

Since 1978, the CAS has trained more than 60,000 graduates with master's or doctor's degrees.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2004)