分类： education

China has launched its first-ever nationwide pilot program designed to integrate traditional professional higher education with specialized standardization training, a landmark move that addresses a critical talent gap in the country’s key industrial and public service sectors.

The joint initiative was rolled out this week by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Education, which officially released the finalized list of approved pilot projects on Tuesday. Across 30 provincial-level administrative regions, 253 higher education institutions have been selected to host 281 individual pilot projects, covering a broad spectrum of strategically important domestic sectors ranging from high-tech growth fields to public livelihood-focused industries. Key sectors included in the program are artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, the fast-expanding low-altitude economy, food quality and safety regulation, and the modern service industry.

Unlike standalone academic programs, this pilot scheme heavily emphasizes industry-academia collaboration to ensure training aligns with real-world market demands. Official data shows more than 80 percent of all approved pilot projects have partnered with external stakeholders including manufacturing enterprises, specialized research institutions, and other standardization-focused entities, bringing a total of 373 third-party organizations into the collaborative training framework.

Authorities project that over the course of the program, the participating institutions will graduate nearly 40,000 professionals who combine solid foundational expertise in their core field with comprehensive proficiency in standardization knowledge and practices. This output is expected to meaningfully ease the widespread, urgent shortage of cross-skilled talent that has held back growth in many of China’s key emerging and regulated industries.

The pilot program operates through three distinct, targeted training models tailored to different student career goals and institutional capacities. The first is a public education model, which requires participating institutions to offer a minimum of three public elective courses focused on standardization, amounting to no fewer than three academic credits, and deliver these courses to at least 400 enrolled students within a two-year timeline. This model is designed to build broad foundational awareness of standardization theories and practices among students from all academic backgrounds, cultivating a large pool of entry-level professionals with core standardization literacy.

The second track is the professional education model, which requires institutions to deliver at least four standardization-linked specialized courses, including a minimum of two compulsory courses, for a total of no fewer than six academic credits. As an alternative, institutions may develop one or more “mini-major” tracks focused on standardization-related applications, requiring at least six courses totaling a minimum of 10 academic credits. This model focuses on teaching students how standardization frameworks are implemented in real industrial contexts, equipping them to apply standardization methodologies to solve practical professional challenges in their respective fields.

The third, most advanced track is the multi-degree model, which supports participating institutions to establish full second bachelor’s degree programs in standardization-related fields. The requirement for this model is to enroll at least 20 students across a maximum four-year implementation period. This track is designed to cultivate high-level talent that combines deep expertise in a core professional field with cutting-edge, specialized standardization knowledge to meet advanced industry demand.

One of China’s leading institutions for global language and cross-cultural education is pushing forward with ambitious plans to grow its international student population, building on explosive two-year growth that has already cemented its top national ranking. In an exclusive conversation with China Daily, Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) President Duan Peng outlined the institution’s rapid progress and long-term growth targets.

Between 2023 and 2025, BLCU’s total international student enrollment jumped 350% to hit 12,000, data shared by Duan shows. Over that same two-year window, the number of international students pursuing full academic degrees at the university increased even faster, rising fivefold from 2023 levels. These gains have pushed BLCU to the leading position among all Chinese higher education institutions, holding the top rank nationally for both total international student enrollment and the size of its degree-seeking international student cohort.

Looking ahead, the university is aiming for continued expansion through the end of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period, which runs from 2026 to 2030. By the conclusion of that planning cycle, Duan said BLCU expects to grow its total international student population to 16,000, a further 33% increase from 2025’s record enrollment. The expansion aligns with broader national efforts to position Chinese higher education as a leading global destination for international study, strengthen people-to-people cultural ties between China and the rest of the world, and boost Beijing’s standing as an international education hub.

As a university long focused on promoting Chinese language learning globally and fostering cross-cultural exchange, BLCU’s enrollment growth reflects rising international demand for access to Chinese higher education and academic opportunities, university observers note. The planned expansion is also expected to deepen the institution’s role as a bridge connecting Chinese scholars and students with global peers, supporting broader academic collaboration and cultural exchange initiatives.

April 16, 2026, marks a key milestone for one of China’s newest innovative higher education institutions: City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) (CityUHK (Dongguan)) celebrates its second anniversary since its official establishment.

To chronicle the young campus’s remarkable two-year trajectory of expansion and innovation, a China Daily Website team arranged a unique on-site journey, pairing Douglas Dueno, an American expert contributing to the outlet, with Ivy Su, a member of the university’s very first cohort of graduates. Together, the pair walked across the modern campus to explore the foundations that have driven the institution’s fast rise.

Their tour covered the full range of cutting-edge infrastructure and student-centered amenities that set CityUHK (Dongguan) apart. They stopped at the university’s advanced research laboratories, which are equipped with top-tier instrumentation to support cross-disciplinary innovation, before moving on to the modern, resource-rich library built to facilitate both student learning and academic collaboration. The tour also highlighted the institution’s immersive all-English teaching model designed to prepare students for global career paths, spacious two-person student dormitories that prioritize comfortable campus living, and expansive, well-maintained sports facilities that support student wellness and extracurricular engagement.

As the young institution enters its third year of operation, its leadership has laid out clear long-term goals: to continue expanding academic and research capacity, sustain its momentum of rapid, high-quality growth, and evolve into a world-class higher education institution recognized for uncompromising excellence in research, teaching, and talent development. Audiences can view the full recorded campus tour via China Daily’s original video feature to learn more about the university’s vision and progress.

On Friday, the Guangzhou Affiliated School of Jinan University (JNU) for Hong Kong & Macao Students (ASJ Guangzhou) officially launched its purpose-built new Poly campus in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, marking a key milestone in expanding science, technology and innovation-focused education across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Nestled in Guangzhou’s rapidly developing Pazhou area, a major national hub for digital economy innovation, the new campus is strategically positioned to tap into the region’s thriving tech ecosystem. It is designed to build a fully integrated K-12 science and innovation education framework that bridges secondary education, higher learning and industry practice.

A core highlight of the new campus is a suite of specialized innovation labs dedicated to cutting-edge technological fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital art. These hands-on learning spaces were developed in partnership with two of China’s leading technology firms: global telecommunications and tech giant Huawei, and Aridge, the innovation arm of leading Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer Xpeng Motors. These collaborations allow students to gain access to industry-grade equipment, up-to-date technical knowledge and real-world project experience that cannot be delivered through traditional classroom curricula.

In an interview following the campus opening ceremony, ASJ Guangzhou Chief Principal Tam Yat Yuk explained the core mission driving the new campus development. “This initiative aims to connect the entire educational pathway from technology-focused high schools to universities and leading enterprises, fostering a comprehensive, end-to-end talent development pipeline,” Tam said. The integrated model is designed to nurture young talent with strong foundational technical skills and practical problem-solving abilities tailored to the GBA’s growing demand for skilled innovation workforce.

Founded in 2021, ASJ Guangzhou originally focused on serving the educational needs of children from Hong Kong and Macao. According to Tam, starting from the 2026 autumn semester, the school will expand its enrollment eligibility to include children of overseas Chinese, foreign nationals, and returned overseas Chinese talents, expanding its role as an inclusive educational hub connecting China with the global Chinese diaspora and international communities.

Located at the core of the GBA, one of China’s most economically dynamic and innovation-driven regions, the new campus is expected to strengthen educational connectivity between the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and global communities, while supporting the GBA’s long-term goal of building a global innovation and technology hub.

On April 9, 2026, the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) launched an ambitious five-year strategic blueprint on its Shanghai campus, designed to deepen cross-continental connections between China, Europe, and the broader global community through innovative, globally focused management education.

Founded as a collaborative venture between the Chinese government and the European Union in 1994, CEIBS has built its global reputation on its distinctive core positioning: “China Depth, Global Breadth”. Unlike many standalone business schools, it operates a multi-campus global footprint that extends beyond major Chinese hubs including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen to international locations in Zurich, Switzerland, and Accra, Ghana, giving it an unmatched on-the-ground presence across two continents and emerging markets.

Over the past five years, CEIBS has cemented its status as a world-leading business education institution, with a track record of consistent top-tier rankings. The Financial Times has ranked its Global Executive Master of Business Administration (Global EMBA) program among the top two programs globally for six consecutive years, while its full-time MBA program has held the number one ranking in Asia for a full decade. Beyond rankings, CEIBS’ business case studies have been accessed more than two million times by over 1,100 academic institutions across more than 80 countries. Its global alumni network now counts more than 34,000 members across over 90 countries and regions, with 85 percent of graduates holding senior leadership positions. Notably, 480 alumni serve as chairmen, presidents or chief executive officers at 437 listed companies in China, CEIBS President Wang Hong confirmed.

Looking ahead to the 2026–2030 strategic period, Wang outlined eight core pillars that will guide the school’s growth: reinforcing its position as a global top-tier business school, embedding meaningful social responsibility into all its programs, expanding its tenured world-class faculty body, developing targeted signature research themes aligned with global business needs, optimizing its academic program portfolio, deepening institutional and people-to-people engagement between China and Europe, accelerating full-scale artificial intelligence (AI) integration across all operations, and expanding support for its global alumni network.

As China enters its own 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), the country’s economic and industrial landscape demands a new generation of business leadership, Wang explained. “What the country needs most is no longer simply experts in a single field, but rather versatile management professionals capable of bridging science and technology, industry, capital, organizations, and global norms. Our mission is exactly to cultivate such talents who understand both China and the world, technology and business, as well as who drive growth while taking on responsibility,” Wang said.

Frank Bournois, CEIBS’ European Co-President, emphasized that amid growing global geopolitical complexity and widespread economic uncertainty, CEIBS’ decades-long role as a pioneering bridge between China and Europe remains one of its most enduring and valuable competitive advantages. To adapt to shifting global business needs, the school will update its program portfolio to integrate emerging critical topics such as AI, deepen industry collaboration through dedicated engagement platforms, and increase the share of international students in both its MBA and Global EMBA programs to more than 30 percent per cohort.

Bournois noted that CEIBS’ cross-continental bridging role is both long-term and continuously evolving to match a changing world. “While external conditions may fluctuate, the demand for globally minded leaders with cross-cultural capabilities will only grow, reinforcing the school’s mission to connect Europe, China, and the wider world through management education,” he added.

A key innovation of the new strategic plan is the rollout of a groundbreaking “AI + HI (human intelligence)” dual-driven educational model, which is set to reshape the future of global business education. The model will drive a full-scale upgrade of the school’s teaching methods, research output, and campus operations, with the end goal of building a new smart, personalized, and high-quality ecosystem for global business education that leverages the strengths of both artificial and human insight.

A landmark cross-border educational exchange event unfolded this week in southwest China’s Chongqing, where the Chongqing Vocational Institute of Engineering welcomed a 30-member delegation of students and faculty from Russia’s Moscow State University of Technology (STANKIN) for a friendly China-Russia robotics competition on April 8. Held on a Tuesday afternoon at the institute’s China-Russia International School of Intelligent Manufacturing, the event blended competitive challenge with collaborative learning, far exceeding the scope of a traditional contest. Beyond the robotics matches, the full schedule included expert academic lectures, hands-on technical practice workshops, and guided site visits to local industry and research facilities. Through these multi-format activities, the visiting Russian delegation gained first-hand, in-depth insights into the rapid development of intelligent manufacturing in Chongqing, as well as the region’s dynamic industry-university cooperation model focused on advancing industrial robotics innovation. This robotics competition stands as a core component of a seven-day joint study tour co-organized by the two higher education institutions. Launched on April 7, the tour is designed to mark the China-Russia Year of Education, a bilateral initiative that aims to strengthen people-to-people bonds and deepen educational collaboration between the two nations. By bringing young engineering and technology talent together around a shared interest in robotics and intelligent manufacturing, the program highlights the steady deepening of educational partnerships between China and Russia, opening new doors for future joint research, student exchanges, and technological cooperation between academic institutions on both sides.

Higher education institutions across Beijing are reimagining the traditional spring break by launching comprehensive experiential learning programs that combine academic enrichment with practical skill development. Rather than treating the break as merely a vacation period, universities are designing structured activities including study tours, professional internships, and thematic educational events to encourage productive use of student downtime.

Beijing Information Science & Technology University has announced an extensive program schedule for its April 6-12 break, featuring 104 distinct initiatives spanning cultural heritage preservation, innovation workshops, community engagement projects, and international exchange opportunities. The university anticipates participation from over 6,500 students across these diverse offerings.

University President Guo Fu emphasized the institution’s supportive approach: “We encourage students to utilize this period according to their individual interests and goals—whether through structured programs like internships and study tours, or through self-directed activities such as reading and cultural enrichment.”

The movement extends across multiple prestigious institutions including Renmin University of China, Beijing Union University, and Beijing Language and Culture University. These schools have developed programs ranging from social research projects and volunteer initiatives to career-focused internships and ideological education excursions. Some institutions, including Communication University of China and China Women’s University, have designated the period as “Spring Reading Week,” while others are scheduling practice-oriented programs for later in April.

At the primary and secondary education levels, while no citywide mandate has been implemented, several schools in Haidian, Dongcheng, and Shijingshan districts are piloting educational tours coinciding with the upcoming Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day on April 5). These initiatives aim to blend academic curriculum with cultural immersion and social experience, creating holistic learning opportunities beyond classroom walls.

Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (BiUH), China’s first fully independent foreign-operated university campus, is set to welcome 800 new students from 25 provinces and regions across the country this academic year. The announcement came during the institution’s 2026 Campus Open Day held in Danzhou on March 28, which attracted numerous prospective students and parents from Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and other regions.

Established by Germany’s Hochschule Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI), BiUH represents a groundbreaking model in China’s higher education landscape as the first foreign university permitted to operate independently without local partnership requirements. The institution commenced operations in 2023 with its inaugural student cohort.

University President Ingeborg Schramm-Wölk emphasized the institution’s unique role as an educational bridge between China and Germany. ‘This event not only provides an important opportunity to showcase our educational achievements but also serves as a platform for dialogue, exchange, and mutual understanding,’ Schramm-Wölk stated. The university’s educational philosophy centers on integrating theoretical knowledge with practical application, aiming to develop high-quality professionals with international perspectives and innovative capabilities.

BiUH currently offers seven undergraduate programs: Computer Science and Technology, Digital Technologies, Industrial Engineering, Logistics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, and Business Administration. The establishment aligns with China’s broader strategic development plans for Hainan, which began with its designation as a pilot free trade zone in 2018. Subsequent plans unveiled in 2020 envision transforming Hainan into a globally influential free trade port by mid-century, including provisions for overseas universities in STEM, agriculture, and medicine fields to operate independently.

The provincial education department reports that Hainan has established partnerships with 48 domestic and international universities to date, including two independently operated foreign campuses and 26 Sino-foreign cooperative educational institutions and programs.

Beijing’s educational landscape is undergoing a transformative shift as primary and secondary schools across the capital implement the groundbreaking ‘banchao’ initiative—a comprehensive sports competition program designed to integrate physical education into daily academic life. This citywide movement, aligned with Beijing’s health-first educational strategy, anticipates hosting approximately 400,000 sporting events annually with participation exceeding 10 million students.

The Beijing Hepingjie No 1 Middle School Group, comprising 11 campuses throughout Chaoyang district, exemplifies this commitment with 8,300 students engaged in competitions extending through December. President Yang Yan emphasized the institution’s dedication to promoting over 20 distinct sports disciplines through their 38 specialized clubs covering soccer, basketball, volleyball, and handball.

‘Banchao represents more than mere physical training or health enhancement,’ Yang explained. ‘We’re pioneering an educational model that integrates athletic development with academic curricula, currently testing innovative approaches including our sports-psychology fusion program.’

Diverse implementation strategies emerge across Beijing’s educational institutions. Jiangfu Experimental School plans April parent-student running competitions in the scenic Jiangfu Park, while the primary school attached to Chaoyang’s education science academy offers platforms in softball, soccer, table tennis, and basketball. Principal Wang Yi noted these programs enable ‘skill acquisition, interest development, team spirit cultivation, character building, and physical fitness improvement.’

The initiative receives enthusiastic student endorsement. Thirteen-year-old Li Yiren expressed how soccer competitions have provided pathway to advanced tournaments and career aspirations: ‘These games bring me joy and opportunity—I hope to eventually perform on international stages.’

Muntizar Mammitimin, a senior high student from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at Hepingjie No 1 School’s Lianpayuan campus, organized a 16-member soccer club, believing the events ‘strengthen emotional bonds between Xinjiang and local teachers and students.’

The program’s tiered structure identifies and nurtures exceptional talents through club activities while providing personalized development pathways, representing a significant advancement in holistic education methodology.

China has initiated a groundbreaking higher education pilot program designed to cultivate top-tier interdisciplinary talent by enabling doctoral candidates to concurrently pursue a master’s degree in a distinct field. This strategic national initiative, unveiled by the State Council Academic Degrees Committee, directly addresses the escalating demand for scholars capable of solving complex, cross-boundary challenges in science, technology, and critical industries.

The program mandates a rigorous framework. Participating universities must leverage their most advantaged disciplines and established interdisciplinary platforms. Both degree-granting disciplines are generally required to hold doctoral conferring authority, with the primary PhD discipline expected to rank among the nation’s elite. Each institution must develop meticulous implementation plans, subject to evaluation by a panel of no fewer than seven experts.

A core tenet of the curriculum is fulfilling the essential requirements of both degrees while deliberately integrating multidisciplinary knowledge and significantly enhancing interdisciplinary research capabilities. Crucially, the master’s research must intersect with and substantively support the doctoral research. To facilitate this, universities are encouraged to utilize interdisciplinary centers for student guidance and management.

Incorporating a robust quality assurance mechanism, the program features a structured exit pathway. Students failing to meet doctoral requirements or choosing to withdraw may still qualify for the master’s degree if eligible. Those unable to fulfill the dual master’s criteria can receive formal recognition for completed coursework.

Targeting current doctoral students through a secondary selection process, the program identifies individuals demonstrating exceptional capacity and foundational aptitude for an additional rigorous master’s. Participants retain their original doctoral enrollment status. Separate theses or practical achievements are mandatory for each degree, with the master’s degree conferred concurrently with or subsequent to the doctorate.

Oversight is stringent. Universities must conduct comprehensive mid-term evaluations in the third year and final assessments in the fifth year, publicly disclosing the results. The national committee will dynamically monitor quality nationwide, possessing the authority to impose sanctions or revoke degree-granting rights for underperforming institutions.

An official from the Ministry of Education emphasized the program’s ‘small and refined’ approach, with a limited number of projects to be established in a well-organized manner, anchored by interdisciplinary platforms, innovation teams, and research projects.

Shandong University stands as an early adopter, establishing its interdisciplinary center in March 2024. The center comprises 40 cross-disciplinary supervisory teams focusing on 23 major interdisciplinary problem areas. ‘The purpose is to break down barriers between schools and design entirely new interdisciplinary training programs,’ stated Professor Han Bo, executive vice-dean of the university’s graduate school. From its inaugural cohort of 125 doctoral candidates, 10 students voluntarily entered the dual-degree pilot.

Professor Han acknowledged the significant academic pressure, noting students must complete two theses, and confirmed the program is tailored for exceptional talent, unlikely to become a mass trend. He powerfully argued for its necessity: ‘Many scientific problems require interdisciplinary solutions… The current disciplinary divisions are man-made, but real-world problems know no boundaries.’

The program’s impact is evidenced by its participants. Fan Xuhan, a geotechnical engineering PhD candidate simultaneously pursuing a master’s in materials science, applies his dual knowledge to developing anti-corrosion coatings for extreme environments in deep-sea mining and offshore energy projects. ‘I feel energetic and wanted to challenge myself to learn richer knowledge,’ he said.

Similarly, Chang Mengyuan, a clinical medicine doctoral candidate working toward a master’s in artificial intelligence, sees the fusion as inevitable. ‘Medical-engineering integration is the trend,’ she stated. Her AI work brings her lymphoma research closer to clinical practice, aiming to build a large model system for diagnosis, subtype classification, and treatment decision support. While intense, she finds the two programs ‘complementary and synergistic,’ and believes such training will significantly boost employability across medical institutions, research academies, and health-tech companies.

As China’s doctoral student population grows—reaching 676,300 enrolled and 97,200 graduates in 2024—the structural need for such interdisciplinary talent becomes increasingly acute. Experts like Chen Zhiwen, editor-in-chief of EOL, hail the pilot as a significant institutional push that transforms encouragement into actionable university responsibility, helping align resources and drive systemic reform. Success, experts concur, hinges on selecting the right students—those genuinely driven by interest or research needs—coupled with stringent selection, rigorous quality monitoring, and clear exit mechanisms to ensure the program’s lofty goals are achieved.