Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the completion of a significant adjustment in higher education disciplines and majors in China, aiming to align with national strategic needs by optimizing approximately 20% of academic programs by 2025 [1][2]. Group 1: Adjustments in Academic Programs - Over the past two years, Chinese universities have added 1,064 doctoral programs and 2,258 master's programs, while 27 doctoral and 285 master's programs were removed [1]. - A total of 3,715 new undergraduate programs were established, alongside the cancellation or suspension of 6,638 programs [1]. - In vocational education, 12,000 new programs were introduced, with over 8,200 programs being canceled [1]. Group 2: Focus on Strategic Needs - The adjustments are centered around building strong academic programs that meet national strategic and regional development needs, particularly in emerging fields such as new engineering, medicine, agriculture, and humanities [2]. - New disciplines such as artificial intelligence and integrated circuits have been introduced, with 290 reform pilot task proposals submitted by 97 universities across 18 provinces [2]. - The initiative includes the establishment of 29 new undergraduate programs in areas like international cruise management and health care [2]. Group 3: Importance of Dynamic Adjustments - Academic disciplines are crucial to the higher education system and play a significant role in moral education and technological innovation [3]. - The dynamic adjustment of academic programs is necessary to meet the evolving demands of the economy and industry, addressing the shortage of skilled talent in key areas [3]. - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology emphasizes the need for adjustments to enhance the integration of education and technology [3]. Group 4: Future Directions in Academic Development - Universities are encouraged to innovate and integrate resources to tackle new challenges in emerging fields [4]. - The focus is on unconventional talent cultivation and strategic academic layout to enhance industry-education integration [4]. - Quality remains a top priority in setting new academic programs, ensuring they align with national strategic needs and have a solid foundation [5]. Group 5: Mechanisms for Continuous Improvement - The Ministry of Education is working on a data platform to address mismatches in talent supply and demand, focusing on quantity, structure, and capability alignment [5]. - The upcoming action plan for 2025-2027 aims to enhance the alignment of academic programs with national strategic needs and technological development [5].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the need for reform in engineering education to align with the demands of the modern industrial landscape, particularly in the context of artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary knowledge integration [2][3]. Group 1: Current Challenges in Engineering Education - Over 80% of academic disciplines in Chinese universities are products of the first three industrial revolutions, leading to issues such as demand mismatch, outdated content, and insufficient capabilities [2]. - Traditional engineering education focuses too much on specialization, resulting in narrow knowledge bases and inadequate humanistic and innovative skills, which are essential in the AI era [2]. - The fragmentation of knowledge due to overly detailed specialization dilutes educational resources and weakens knowledge integration [3]. Group 2: Reform Initiatives in Engineering Education - Various universities are reforming their engineering talent cultivation models by enhancing new engineering layouts and breaking traditional academic structures [3][6]. - Shanghai Jiao Tong University has established four new colleges focused on electrical engineering, automation, computer science, and information engineering to support AI-driven technological revolutions [7]. - Peking University has restructured its departments to focus on cutting-edge fields like integrated circuits and intelligent technologies, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration [7]. Group 3: Curriculum Design Based on Industry Needs - Courses like "Engineering Finite Element and Numerical Calculation" are being adjusted to meet actual industry demands, emphasizing practical innovation capabilities [8]. - The integration of real-world engineering problems into the curriculum is crucial for developing students' engineering thinking and practical skills [8]. - Stanford University emphasizes the importance of AI and machine learning across all engineering disciplines, requiring students to complete a significant number of math and science credits [8]. Group 4: Professional Adjustments in Engineering Disciplines - The Ministry of Education's reform plan aims to optimize and adjust 20% of academic programs by 2025, leading to a wave of changes in undergraduate programs [10][16]. - Since the reform plan was announced, 3,229 new undergraduate programs have been established, while 2,534 have been discontinued, with engineering disciplines seeing the most significant adjustments [11]. - The engineering field has added 1,395 new programs, primarily in computer science, electronic information, and mechanical engineering, while also seeing a high number of program discontinuations [14]. Group 5: Future Directions for Professional Optimization - The focus of professional adjustment should start from engineering disciplines, addressing common pain points and promoting systemic knowledge integration [15]. - Future professional adjustments will emphasize the construction of new engineering, medical, agricultural, and liberal arts disciplines, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration [16]. - The government aims to enhance the responsiveness of professional settings to high-quality development needs, ensuring alignment with national strategies and market demands [17].

Group 1: Education Planning and Trends - The year 2025 marks the end of the "14th Five-Year" education plan and is crucial for planning the "15th Five-Year" education development, with a mission to optimize and adjust about 20% of higher education disciplines and majors[1] - During the "14th Five-Year" period, education funding has steadily increased, with gross enrollment rates in higher education reaching 60.8% by 2024, indicating significant progress in expanding coverage and improving quality[9] - The current high school entrance examination reflects the strategic direction of the "15th Five-Year" plan, showcasing three emerging trends in education[14] Group 2: Emerging Trends in Higher Education - The first trend is the expansion of undergraduate programs, with a potential increase in graduate admissions, despite a decline in the number of applicants for the first time in eight years[15] - The second trend involves optimizing university majors, with a notable increase in demand for engineering and interdisciplinary talents, as evidenced by the addition of 29 new undergraduate majors, primarily in engineering (34.5%), arts (27.6%), and medicine (13.8%)[17] - The third trend focuses on enhancing international competitiveness by expanding the "Double First-Class" initiative, which emphasizes the development of engineering and science disciplines to support technological self-reliance[27] Group 3: Risks and Challenges - There are risks related to inaccurate or incomplete data and information regarding the "15th Five-Year" plan and the "Education Strong Nation" initiative[29] - The potential for insufficient policy implementation related to the "Education Strong Nation" initiative poses a risk to achieving the outlined goals[29] - There is a risk that the direction of educational reforms during the "15th Five-Year" period may not align with expectations based on recent trends and policy documents[29]