China has announced a comprehensive strategy to enhance and expand its higher education system over the next five years, as outlined in the recently adopted 15th Five-Year Plan (2025-2030) for economic and social development. The plan, approved during a key plenum of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasizes increasing enrollment in high-quality undergraduate programs and improving educational equity. This initiative builds on the achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, during which China’s higher education gross enrollment rate reached 60.8%, with 55 million students graduating from colleges and universities. Zhang Nanxing, director of the Institute for Higher Education at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences, highlighted that the new measures provide a clear strategic direction for reforming higher education and cultivating talent. Zeng Tianshan, deputy director of the Institute for Curriculum and Textbook under the Ministry of Education, emphasized that the plan will extend high-quality educational resources to broader demographics, fostering innovation and addressing societal needs. Universities are expected to align their programs with national strategies, enhancing the relevance and adaptability of talent development to support economic and social progress.