BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Despite the razor-thin odds for their children, millions of parents in China couldn't resist the excitement over the news that prestigious schools like Peking University will offer 150 additional spots each for undergraduates in 2025.
The news broke during the annual gathering of national lawmakers in Beijing from March 5 to 11, which concluded on Tuesday with the approval of the 2025 government work report.
The report pledged to "take solid steps to expand quality undergraduate education, accelerate the development of world-class universities and academic disciplines, and refine the mechanisms for discipline adjustment and talent training models."
Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planning body, announced on March 6 that 20,000 additional students will be enrolled into competitive undergraduate programs this year, on top of last year's 16,000 new spots.
The last time colleges in China expanded their undergraduate enrollment was at the turn of the century. There are approximately 39 million undergraduates and 4 million postgraduate students in universities and colleges in China.
SCI-TECH TAKES CENTER STAGE
Science and technology are expected to be the linchpins of this expansion in enrollment.
Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng underscored the need to seize the opportunities unleashed by the ongoing technological revolution, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI).
He pledged efforts to cultivate more talent in foundational fields such as mathematics and computer science, as well as in emerging and interdisciplinary domains.
Zheng, head of the top economic planning body, affirmed China's ambition to nurture a robust pool of scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, craftsmen, and skilled workers to boost productivity.
To align with this vision, Tsinghua University will launch a liberal studies academy in September, welcoming the 150 additional students with the goal of molding "talent who can blend AI with multiple disciplines." Shanghai Jiao Tong University will allocate its newly added 150 spots with a focus on fields such as AI, integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy.
Historically, technological revolutions -- whether the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century or the 20th-century breakthroughs in atomic energy and computer science -- have proved to be game-changers in reshaping the world.
With this vision, China is doubling down on innovation to fuel economic growth, with the goal of becoming a global leader in education, science and technology, and talent by 2035. Education is seen as the guiding force and foundation in this dynamic trio.
More notably, recent breakthroughs in AI, robotics, and biopharma have ignited national pride and strengthened public support for educational reforms in China.
A striking example came during the Spring Festival in January when a red banner was displayed in a village in south China's Guangdong Province, the hometown of DeepSeek's founder Liang Wenfeng. The banner read, "Welcome home, Wenfeng, the pride of the town."
As the birthplace of Confucius, one of the greatest thinkers and educators in history, China has upheld a millennia-old tradition of reverence for learning.
Experts also linked the expansion of undergraduate enrollment to an expected peak in college applicants around 2033. The number of applicants for higher education in China has surpassed 10 million for six consecutive years, reaching 13.42 million in 2024.
"The expansion could make quality college education accessible to more students," said Ding Jianning, head of Yangzhou University.
QUALITY IS KEY
Ding Kuiling, president of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, described the latest enrollment increase as modest in scale, noting that it prioritizes quality and structural shift over sheer numbers.
Ding Jianning said that while some new disciplines will be introduced, outdated ones may fade in the process, as the new always replaces the old.
Shandong University exemplified this shift in February. The 124-year-old institution axed 10 undergrad majors, suspended another 27 like financial engineering and world history, and unveiled new programs such as engineering software to align with national strategies.
The Ministry of Education plans to overhaul approximately 20 percent of degree and diploma programs in colleges between 2023 and 2025.
A Beijing mother, surnamed Guo, has a daughter with a deep passion for medicine. She is one of the millions of high school seniors nationwide preparing for the college entrance exam this summer.
Both welcomed the expansion of top-tier university programs. "I'm closely following the developments in new medicine," her daughter said, referring to the fusion of medicine and robotics, AI, and big data -- a dynamic blend of sciences, humanities, and engineering.
"Even a modest expansion lifts my chances of achieving my dream," said the 18-year-old.
Experts believe the expansion in quality undergraduate programs would sharpen students' skills and give them a competitive edge in the future job market.
"It is supposed to create more schools on par with Tsinghua University and Peking University, rather than diluting existing resources," said Li Xing, Party chief of Ningxia University.
GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT
China's technological strides in recent years have been impressive, marked by breakthroughs in quantum technology, jumbo jets, and heavy-duty gas turbines, to name just a few.
Zheng, head of the top economic planning body, noted that the country is swiftly climbing the industrial value chain. He projected that China's annual economic output will surge by 30 trillion yuan (around 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars) between 2021 and 2025 -- equivalent to a year's GDP for a developed country.
To sustain the momentum, the central budget will pump 398 billion yuan into science and technology in 2025 -- a 10 percent jump from last year -- prioritizing basic and applied basic research and national strategic projects, according to the Ministry of Finance.
As parents embrace 150 new opportunities at prestigious universities, China's classrooms have the potential to redraw the global tech landscape, blending the wisdom of Confucius with the transformative power of AI for a bold future. ■
