A broad reform push aims to position China as a leader in future industries while improving job prospects for new graduates, aligning higher education with national development goals.

The overhaul emphasizes training in tech-focused and emerging fields to address a graduate jobs crisis and better prepare students for the evolving economy.

Universities are trimming arts, humanities, foreign languages, and management offerings while expanding AI and other tech-driven programs.

Experts caution that simply swapping majors won’t solve job creation, advocating for more diverse course options to build distinctive, long-term employability.

The reforms reflect pressure on universities to adapt to rapid economic shifts, with record graduate numbers but limited employment opportunities for many degrees.

Nine universities have added embodied intelligence majors to align with national priorities in next-gen AI, as demand for AI roles surges across platforms.

Program consolidation and retooling are evident, such as the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology halting product design admissions and the Communication University of China merging cinematography into a broader track.

The government is pursuing a retraining push to upskill 1 million youths in AI, advanced manufacturing, the low-altitude economy, and new energy vehicles, with some cities offering one-year classroom programs followed by internships amid student skepticism.

Analysts note many cut programs were recently created and argue for a more flexible, student-centered approach to education and career planning.

Between 2021 and 2025, China is reallocating university offerings—about 12,200 degrees scrapped or suspended and 10,200 new ones introduced—affecting over 30% of programmes.

Authorities indicate that more than 30% of degree programmes underwent adjustments during the 2021–2025 reform window, signaling sweeping changes across universities.

The reshuffle involves removing roughly 12,200 obsolete undergraduate degrees and launching around 10,200 new ones.