Core Points - The Ministry of Education has shifted the discipline and major adjustment cycle from once every ten years to annual updates, with over 20% of disciplines adjusted in the past two years, highlighting the dynamic nature of higher education in response to market demands [1][3][4] - The adjustment aims to better align higher education with national strategic needs and the evolving requirements of technological and industrial changes [2][3] - New majors such as Intelligent Molecular Engineering and Carbon Neutral Science and Engineering have been added, reflecting the influence of national strategy and market demand [3][4] Group 1 - The adjustment cycle for academic disciplines has been significantly shortened to allow for quicker responses to national strategic needs and technological advancements [2] - In the past decade, nearly 19,966 new undergraduate majors have been registered, with an average annual adjustment rate of about 5% for the total number of majors, indicating unprecedented adjustment intensity and frequency [4] - The new adjustment model requires a "pre-approval" principle, ensuring that new majors are backed by thorough research and expert evaluations before being established [5][6] Group 2 - The quality of talent cultivation is a critical concern as the speed of discipline updates increases, necessitating strict quality control measures for newly established majors [5][6] - Experts emphasize the importance of maintaining traditional disciplines while integrating new majors, advocating for a balanced approach that leverages existing strengths to support new developments [7][8] - Institutions are encouraged to develop new majors that align with their traditional strengths and emerging technologies, ensuring that new programs are not merely trends but are built on solid foundations [8][9]

Core Insights - The Ministry of Education has updated the "Directory of Undergraduate Majors in General Higher Education (2025)", adding 29 new majors to better align with national strategic needs and high-quality development [1] Group 1: New Majors - The new directory includes 93 categories and 845 types of majors, reflecting a comprehensive response to national strategy, market demand, and technological advancements [1] - Newly added majors include Regional Studies, Carbon Neutral Science and Engineering, Marine Science and Technology, and Health and Medical Security, which are aligned with national strategic needs [1] - To address technological frontiers, new majors such as Intelligent Molecular Engineering, Medical Devices and Equipment Engineering, and Spatiotemporal Information Engineering have been introduced [1] Group 2: Market Demand Adaptation - The updated directory also includes majors that respond to market demands, such as International Cruise Management and Aviation Sports [1] - A focus on artificial intelligence's role in economic and social development is evident with the introduction of majors like Artificial Intelligence Education, Intelligent Audiovisual Engineering, and Digital Drama [1]