emirates7 - The swift advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming China's higher education sector, with universities rapidly adjusting to align with national priorities and industry needs.
As reported by China Daily, AI education has expanded dramatically since 2018, when 35 universities in China first launched undergraduate AI programmes. Today, over 626 institutions nationwide offer degrees related to AI.
This growth follows China's State Council's 2017 rollout of a three-phase AI development plan, which placed AI innovation at the forefront of national and local agendas. A key milestone came in 2022 when the Ministry of Education officially recognised intelligent science and technology as a primary interdisciplinary discipline, giving further structure and legitimacy to AI-focused studies.
A notable example of this trend is the School of Artificial Intelligence at Changsha University of Science and Technology in Hunan province. Established in January, the school combines programmes in automation, robotics, and AI to cultivate cross-disciplinary expertise.
Job prospects are a major incentive driving this educational shift. At Changsha University, 90% of AI and automation graduates have found employment—well above the average across departments.
Similarly, Beijing Jiaotong University is incorporating AI into its traditional engineering programmes. According to Liu Yueming, vice-dean of the School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, new fields such as intelligent vehicle and robotics engineering have evolved from existing courses to address the rising demand for smart manufacturing and rail transit systems.
As reported by China Daily, AI education has expanded dramatically since 2018, when 35 universities in China first launched undergraduate AI programmes. Today, over 626 institutions nationwide offer degrees related to AI.
This growth follows China's State Council's 2017 rollout of a three-phase AI development plan, which placed AI innovation at the forefront of national and local agendas. A key milestone came in 2022 when the Ministry of Education officially recognised intelligent science and technology as a primary interdisciplinary discipline, giving further structure and legitimacy to AI-focused studies.
A notable example of this trend is the School of Artificial Intelligence at Changsha University of Science and Technology in Hunan province. Established in January, the school combines programmes in automation, robotics, and AI to cultivate cross-disciplinary expertise.
Job prospects are a major incentive driving this educational shift. At Changsha University, 90% of AI and automation graduates have found employment—well above the average across departments.
Similarly, Beijing Jiaotong University is incorporating AI into its traditional engineering programmes. According to Liu Yueming, vice-dean of the School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, new fields such as intelligent vehicle and robotics engineering have evolved from existing courses to address the rising demand for smart manufacturing and rail transit systems.