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

China is undertaking a massive overhaul of its higher education system as part of a national strategy to modernise curricula in response to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and future technology industries. In recent years, the country’s higher education sector has faced mounting pressure as a surge in graduates has not been matched by the availability of relevant jobs, triggering a youth employment crisis. This has prompted both the government and universities to push for curriculum reform. According to the South China Morning Post, between 2021 and 2025, Chinese higher education institutions have suspended or eliminated 12,200 undergraduate degree programmes while simultaneously introducing 10,200 new ones. Data from the Ministry of Education indicates that more than 30 per cent of university programmes nationwide have undergone significant adjustments. The move is not merely a reduction but a transformation of educational direction. Many of the newly launched programmes are aligned with national economic development targets. For instance, a course in ‘embodied intelligence’ has been opened at nine universities, designed to accelerate the integration of next-generation artificial intelligence into the real economy. The report also notes that China is striving to fast-track the development of high-tech or ‘future industries’. This focus underscores Beijing’s ambition to become a global leader in technological innovation, spanning AI, robotics, and smart industrial systems. The sweeping changes are driven by labour market pressures. Many university graduates previously struggled to find employment because their degrees were deemed no longer relevant to the needs of modern industry. Consequently, the government is urging campuses to become more adaptive to rapid economic shifts. The reform is also part of China’s long-term strategy to reduce dependency on traditional sectors and transition towards a high-tech-based economy. This phenomenon illustrates how higher education is no longer an isolated sphere but is deeply intertwined with the direction of national economic policy. Chinese universities are now expected not only to produce graduates but also to serve as engines of national innovation.