China introduces new university majors to meet strategic development needs

File: CollegeRank.net

According to China Daily, China has introduced a range of new university majors as part of its efforts to align higher education with the country's strategic and industrial development goals. The new programs will be available to many of the 12.9 million students taking this year's national college entrance examination, known as the gaokao.

According to an updated catalog released by the Ministry of Education, universities across the country have launched new undergraduate majors including embodied intelligence, low-altitude economy and management, and marine intelligence and unmanned technologies.

Education experts say the move reflects China's ongoing efforts to improve the structure of higher education and prepare students for emerging industries. The country's 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026-2030 places a strong emphasis on expanding high-quality education in science, engineering, agriculture, and medicine.

Education Minister Huai Jinpeng previously said China will continue adjusting academic disciplines to better match technological innovation, industrial development, and national priorities. He also highlighted the importance of developing talent in key fields such as artificial intelligence and integrated circuits.

Among the newly approved programs is a major in semiconductor processes and equipment at Sichuan University, the first undergraduate program of its kind in China. University officials say the program is designed to strengthen the country's semiconductor industry by training specialists for the entire integrated circuit supply chain.

The updated catalog also includes 15 interdisciplinary majors as demand grows for graduates with skills across multiple fields. These include embodied intelligence and brain-computer science and technology.

Harbin Institute of Technology is among the universities approved to offer the embodied intelligence major. According to university representatives, the program will equip students with engineering knowledge, systems thinking, and interdisciplinary innovation skills needed for next-generation intelligent technologies.

Several new majors focus on improving quality of life and public services. These include tai chi studies to promote public health, smart landscape design to improve urban and rural environments, and art therapy to support mental health services.

China's Ministry of Education has in recent years introduced a fast-track approval mechanism for strategically important and urgently needed majors, allowing qualified universities to launch new programs more quickly.

Some universities are also tailoring programs to local economic needs. In Heilongjiang Province, colleges have introduced a major in ice-and-snow dance performance to support the region's growing winter economy. At Anhui University, nearly 80 percent of undergraduate programs are directly linked to the province's emerging industries.

Experts say the ultimate goal of these reforms is to improve the quality of talent development and ensure graduates are better prepared for future economic and technological challenges. They also encourage universities to strengthen cooperation with industry, update curricula, and make more efficient use of educational resources.