China Overhauls Higher Education, Scraps 12,000 Outdated Degree Programmes

China is undertaking a massive overhaul of its higher education system, scrapping thousands of university degree programmes considered outdated in the face of rapid technological advancement, including artificial intelligence. The move comes as universities face pressure from a surplus of graduates whose degrees are seen as insufficient for securing employment. According to data from the Ministry of Education, higher education institutions have cancelled or suspended 12,200 undergraduate programmes, while introducing 10,200 new ones. This means 30% of universities in China have adjusted their offerings to keep pace with the times. Disciplines such as arts, humanities, foreign languages, and management are among those being cut. Meanwhile, nine universities have added new programmes related to embodied intelligence, aligning with the government’s push to accelerate next-generation AI within the real economy.