China adds 29 new majors to higher education catalog

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Education has introduced 29 new majors to advanced education institutions in response to the evolving needs of national strategies and the pursuit of high-quality development.

The ministry on Tuesday announced updates to the catalog of undergraduate majors in general colleges and universities, adding majors such as carbon neutrality science and engineering and international cruise management.

Among the new additions serving strategic areas of national interest are majors such as marine science and technology and health and medical security.

In recognition of technological trends, majors including smart molecular engineering, medical device and equipment engineering, and spatiotemporal information engineering have been included.

To cater to emerging market trends, the catalog now includes majors such as international cruise management and aviation sports.

Reflecting the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern society, the ministry has introduced majors such as AI education, smart audio-visual engineering, and digital drama.

To facilitate a more agile response to national strategies, the ministry has implemented a new mechanism allowing swift adjustments to the curriculum in response to newly prioritized strategic areas.

Addressing the rapid development needs of the low-altitude economy, six universities, including Beihang University, have been guided to add a major in low-altitude technology and engineering.