China has launched a transformative three-year action plan to reshape its higher education system, aligning academic disciplines with national priorities and emerging industries. The initiative, running through 2027, aims to rebalance majors, enhance foundational subjects, and foster interdisciplinary innovation.
The plan emphasizes the urgent development of fields like artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, and low-altitude technology. It also introduces a national big data platform to monitor talent supply and demand, currently in trial with six functional modules. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Education has added over 3,000 graduate programs while eliminating thousands of outdated majors. Vocational colleges have undergone similar restructuring, reflecting a nationwide push for relevance and quality.
Universities like Beihang and Fudan are pioneering new models. Yan Xiaojun, vice-president of Beihang University, explained that their low-altitude technology program “draws faculty from six schools and seven disciplines,” addressing the complex needs of unmanned aircraft and transportation. He added, “Beyond combining disciplines, the university is developing entirely new teaching systems. ”Fudan University has launched programs in quantum technology, neuroengineering, and brain-computer interfaces.
A spokesperson said, “Every degree program has revised its training plan, and all courses have been updated.” The university now offers flexible, project-based learning and dual doctoral-master’s degrees. Wang Chunchun of the China National Institute of Education Sciences emphasized that reform requires collaboration across society.
“It requires the joint efforts of multiple stakeholders, including industry, government, society, students and parents,” he said. Businesses are encouraged to support internships and curriculum design, while students and families are urged to adopt lifelong learning mindsets. This sweeping reform marks a strategic shift toward cultivating innovative talent capable of driving China’s future development.
China Overhauls Higher Education to Fuel Innovation and Meet Industry Demands
