Chinese universities are radically overhauling their curricula: humanities are giving way to AI and robotics.
China's higher education system is undergoing a tectonic shift. In response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, the country's leading universities are massively suspending enrollment in traditional humanities and language majors, opening doors to programs in AI, robotics, and "embodied intelligence."
An analysis of data from 70 higher education institutions conducted by MyCOS revealed a large-scale restructuring: enrollment has been suspended in 525 bachelor's programs. It is important to note that this statistic is incomplete, as some universities did not disclose information. The leader in the number of suspensions was marketing — it was "frozen" at 16 universities. It is followed by public administration (11 programs), logistics (10), and Internet of Things engineering (9). In the language field, cuts affected Japanese (8 programs), German (5), and translation studies (5).
According to Tencent News data, within the 14th Five-Year Plan, universities opened 10,200 new enrollment points for bachelor's degrees, but at the same time canceled or suspended 12,200. This is not just a reduction, but a targeted shift from extensive growth to optimizing the structure of educational programs according to market demands.
Focus on Future Technologies
In April, China's Ministry of Education gave the green light to nine universities to enroll students in the field of "embodied intelligence" — the Chinese term for physical AI systems, such as autonomous machines and humanoid robots. In total, the ministry approved 38 entirely new specialties for the upcoming academic year. This is a direct signal of where state educational policy is heading.
Notably, the adjustment affected not only "pure" humanities. Even among engineering disciplines, serious changes occurred: enrollment was suspended in 32 computer programs, 23 mechanical programs, and 22 in electronics and information technology. This suggests that universities are re-evaluating even technical fields, aiming for greater specialization and integration with AI.
It is important to understand: suspending enrollment does not mean the final closure of programs. As Tencent News explains, universities may temporarily stop admissions due to curriculum reform, resource reallocation, or a transition to consolidated enrollment. Subsequently, these programs return, but in an updated — digital, "intelligent," or interdisciplinary — format.
This process is a logical continuation of the AI+ Education plan launched in April, which provides for the integration of artificial intelligence at all stages of education — from primary school to lifelong adult learning.
My analysis: China is demonstrating not just a reaction to trends, but a strategic, state-level management of the education system. This is an experiment unprecedented in scale, which could radically change the labor market in the next 5-10 years. For the crypto industry, this is a signal: China is betting on hardware and the physical implementation of AI, which could lead to new waves of demand for computing power and, consequently, for energy resources and specialized mining equipment.