China Cuts 12,200 University Programs, Replaces Many With AI Degrees
China Cuts 12,200 University Programs, Replaces Many With AI Degrees
Publish Date: 2026-06-23 08:12:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
High youth unemployment, evident in annual job fairs packed with university graduates seeking work, has prompted China to eliminate “obsolete” degree programs that do not lead directly to employment.
CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
China is making one of the most sweeping higher education reforms in its modern history, eliminating thousands of university degree programs considered to be outdated while rapidly expanding programs centered on artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
Between 2021 and 2025, Chinese universities ended or suspended 12,200 undergraduate degree programs and introduced about 10,200 new ones, according to Ministry of Education data cited by Xinhua, China’s official state news agency. More than 30% of undergraduate programs across the country were affected by the restructuring.
China’s youth employment challenges are likely to have helped drive this change. In March, the urban unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds who were not students rose to 16.9%, up from 16.1% in February. Unemployment also increased among 25- to 29-year-olds, rising to 7.7% from 7.2%, while the rate for workers aged 30 to 59 edged up to 4.3% from 4.2%.
University Degrees Realigned With National Strategy
The reductions have fallen disproportionately on programs in the humanities, arts, foreign languages and some management disciplines. According to the South China Morning Post, the programs that were cut were in fields viewed as “obsolete.”
At the same time, institutions have been encouraged to expand offerings in artificial intelligence, robotics, semiconductor engineering, AI-driven advanced manufacturing and other fields aligned with China’s industrial priorities.
The initiative reflects two powerful forces reshaping China’s higher education system.
The first is the country’s determination to become a global leader in advanced technologies. Artificial intelligence has become a national strategic priority, with Beijing investing heavily in…
