China Cuts 12,000 University Programmes Due to AI, Here Are the Degrees Still in Demand

China is currently undertaking a massive restructuring of its higher education sector. This move is part of a national strategy to align university curricula with modern economic needs, particularly in response to the accelerating era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and future technology industries.

In recent years, China’s higher education sector has faced significant pressure. A surge in the number of graduates has not been matched by the availability of relevant job opportunities, leading to a job crisis among the younger generation.

This situation has prompted the government and universities to implement curriculum reforms. According to the South China Morning Post, between 2021 and 2025, higher education institutions in China have reportedly withdrawn or suspended 12,200 undergraduate degree programmes, while simultaneously introducing 10,200 new ones.

Data from the local Ministry of Education shows that more than 30 per cent of university programmes in the country have undergone major adjustments. This move is not merely a reduction, but a transformation of the educational direction.

Many of the newly opened programmes are tailored to national economic development targets. One example is the introduction of ‘embodied intelligence’ majors at nine universities, designed to accelerate the integration of next-generation AI into the real economic sector.

The report also mentions that China is working to accelerate the development of high-tech sectors, or ‘future industries’. This focus reflects Beijing’s ambition to become a global leader in technological innovation, ranging from AI and robotics to smart industrial systems.

This major shift is inseparable from labour market pressures. Many university graduates in China previously struggled to find employment because their chosen majors were deemed no longer relevant to the needs of modern industry.

As a result, the government is encouraging universities to be more adaptive to rapid economic changes. Furthermore, this reform is part of China’s long-term strategy to reduce dependence on traditional sectors and transition towards a high-tech-based economy.

This phenomenon demonstrates how higher education is no longer an isolated sector but is deeply connected to the direction of national economic policy. Universities in China are being required not only to produce graduates but also to serve as engines for national innovation.