China unveils new mechanism to align higher education with national priorities

In a significant reform to align higher education with pressing national priorities, China has launched a new mechanism for the rapid establishment of doctoral and master's degree programs in critical strategic fields, according to a release from the Ministry of Education on Thursday.

The academic degrees committee of the State Council, China's Cabinet, has introduced an "ultra-fast layout" approval process designed to respond in real-time to the country's soaring demand for high-level talent in science, technology, and emerging industries.

This reform is a direct response to the intensified new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. With innovation activity booming, there is a rapidly growing need for top-tier professionals to support national strategies and key economic and social development sectors, the release said.

The new mechanism allows for the immediate initiation and expedited approval of degree-granting programs tailored to specific needs. For example, a pilot program demonstrating this new approach was launched in June. To implement the central government's plan on promoting high-quality development of the low-altitude economy, authorities swiftly authorized 24 universities with independent degree-audit qualifications to establish relevant degree programs.

The committee has outlined a comprehensive framework to institutionalize this "ultra-fast" process. The mechanism will feature close inter-departmental coordination to target strategic emerging industries, future industries, and modern services.

Furthermore, to enhance the compatibility between talent supply and demand, expert panels will be tasked with proposing new discipline names and application criteria outside the standard graduate education discipline catalog.

Parallel to this, the government is progressively expanding the roster of universities granted "autonomous review" status, a key policy since 2017 to expand institutional autonomy. Currently, 38 universities hold this status, which has already led to the approval of 441 new doctoral programs and 454 master's programs. These institutions have played a pioneering role in programs related to integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals, the digital economy, and low-altitude technology.

Going forward, the expansion will be implemented in a classified manner. This tiered approach aims to guide universities toward developing distinctive strengths and optimizing their discipline structures, preventing low-quality homogenization.