This post was originally published on this site.
AI Photo: VCG
China is promoting university-enterprise collaboration on employment and education projects in artificial intelligence (AI) application, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday, in another important effort to boost AI-related talent training and employment.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) recently released a notice, calling for universities and local authorities throughout China to collect a range of AI application projects from businesses, organizations and industry groups, according to the CCTV report.
The collected projects should focus on three key areas: targeted talent training, employment and internship base building, and workforce development through university-enterprise partnerships. The emphasis is on addressing talent needs in fields like AI algorithms, machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, intelligent robotics and the application of AI tools, according to the notice.
This move is designed to support universities in adapting to changing talent demands and employment trends fueled by the rapid rise of AI. It also aims to help employers nurture and attract practical, interdisciplinary and highly sought-after AI professionals, better aligning industry needs with the talent pool from universities, according to CCTV.
The move also aligns with a major task for 2025 set out in this year’s Government Work Report, which calls for “making integrated progress in education, scientific and technological innovation and talent cultivation, so as to consolidate the foundational and strategic underpinning for Chinese modernization.”
As AI innovations like DeepSeek and intelligent connected vehicles rose to the spotlight, China’s push to digitize traditional industries has reached a pivotal stage, with applications being rolled out fast across sectors and driving a surge in talent demand, Cong Yi, a professor at the Tianjin School of Administration, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
“Lots of companies in traditional industries that are pushing for digital upgrades are running into talent shortages and looking for ways to connect with skilled workers. The MOE’s latest initiative is well-timed to address such an urgent need,” Cong noted.
Employers can register and submit project proposals on the MOE’s employment and education collaboration platform until the end of April, according to the notice. The ministry will promote these projects and facilitate connections between universities and enterprises to kickstart collaborative initiatives as soon as possible.
Since its launch in 2021, the MOE’s employment and education collaboration project has linked more than 2,400 employers with more than 2,000 universities, benefiting more than 6.2 million students through joint talent training programs.
Cong highlighted universities’ ongoing efforts to meet the market’s needs. Since 2019, many leading universities have doubled down on “new engineering” and “new science” disciplines by gradually tweaking their curricula to produce more graduates ready to thrive in the digital age, he said.
“This strong alignment between talent pipelines and industry needs is set to accelerate China’s digital transformation and technological innovation while injecting fresh momentum into the job market,” Cong added.
China’s major universities have been stepping up efforts to cultivate talent in emerging and high-tech industries. Top universities, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, recently announced plans to expand enrollment in related areas.
These new enrollments will focus on areas of national strategic importance, foundational disciplines and emerging frontier technologies, with a special focus on interdisciplinary AI talent to support national strategic needs and social development.
For example, Shanghai Jiao Tong University will add 150 undergraduate enrollments in 2025, expanding enrollment in disciplines such as AI, integrated circuits, biomedicine, healthcare and new energy.
China Agricultural University will add 500 undergraduate seats in 2025, prioritizing key areas such as food security, bio-manufacturing, AI and equipment manufacturing, green energy, and food safety and human health.