China is stepping up university-enterprise cooperation to reinforce talent cultivation and employment in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, China Central Television (CCTV) said on Wednesday. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has released a notice asking universities and local governments to collect AI application projects from enterprises, industrial associations, and organizations to fill the gap between industry needs and talent supply in universities.
The program aims to match higher education with the developing needs of the fast-expanding AI industry through the creation of practical, interdisciplinary, and in-demand AI practitioners. The aggregated projects will be centered on three areas: directed talent training, employment internship platforms, and labor development based on collaboration between academia and industry. Priority will be given to areas including AI algorithms, machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, intelligent robotics, and AI tool applications.
The effort is designed to deepen students' knowledge of AI-related professions, improve their vocational skills and employability, and assist employers in finding the best talent, advancing technologies, and promoting innovation. The action fits into a key objective in the 2025 Government Work Report, which prioritizes the integration of education with scientific and technological innovation to serve Chinese modernization.
Employers are also encouraged to sign up and offer project proposals via the MOE's employment and education collaboration platform by the end of April. The ministry will subsequently promote such projects and broker introductions between universities and businesses to initiate collaborative efforts as quickly as possible. Since its initiation in 2021, the collaboration project has already connected more than 2,400 employers with over 2,000 universities, which has benefited over 6.2 million students.
China's top universities are also stepping up efforts to nurture talent in emerging sectors and high-tech industries. Peking University, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have laid out plans to increase enrollment, prioritizing national strategic needs and cross-disciplinary AI talent development.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University will introduce 150 undergraduate seats in 2025 with expanded enrollment in AI, integrated circuits, biomedicine, healthcare, and new energy. China Agricultural University will introduce 500 seats with expanded areas in food security, bio-manufacturing, AI, equipment manufacturing, green energy, and food safety.
Together, these measures show China's resolve to creating a strong pipeline of AI talent, driving innovation, and establishing the nation's leadership in cutting-edge technology sectors on the world stage.
