The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced last month the 2023 accreditation and approval results for undergraduate programs offered by regular higher education institutions (HEIs) across the country. A total of 1456 programs were accredited and 217 programs were approved. The latter group included 160 nationally controlled programs and 57 new programs not listed in the MOE’s catalogue of undergraduate education. In addition, adjustments involving degree-granting categories or length of study were made to 46 programs. The newly accredited, approved, and adjusted programs will be included in the undergraduate enrollment plans of relevant HEIs for 2024.
The MOE has been actively promoting the optimization and reform of undergraduate programs by guiding and supporting HEIs in offering new programs in line with national strategic needs and regional development priorities. In this round of accreditation and approval, 24 new undergraduate majors were introduced. These majors included high-power semiconductor science and engineering, biological breeding technology, electronic information materials, intelligent visual engineering, intelligent marine equipment, Chinese classical studies, health science and technology, sports and health preservation, and football, among others.
The MOE simultaneously released the latest version of the Undergraduate Program Catalogue for Regular HEIs, comprising 93 program categories and 816 specific programs. The new catalogue shows that—in response to changes in economic and social development and the distribution of various programs—adjustments were made to the scope of nationally controlled programs, with several programs, including resource survey engineering, nursing, and midwifery, incorporated into the nationally controlled programs.
This round of accreditation and approval involved the addition and/or adjustment of 1719 programs, while universities applied to cancel 1670 programs. In total, 3389 programs were affected by additions, cancellations, or adjustments, the highest number in recent years. The MOE will continue to promote dynamic program adjustments, aiming to cultivate urgently needed talent and better serve national strategies.
Last March, the MOE, in collaboration with four other state agencies, issued Optimization and Reform Scheme for Undergraduate Education Disciplines and Programs. The scheme has been implemented over the past year with tailored measures at the provincial and university levels. Currently, 23 provinces, regions, or municipalities, along with 94 HEIs directly affiliated with central government departments, have formulated their own implementation plans. Taking into account local circumstances, these 23 provincial-level areas have identified 520 urgently needed majors and 223 majors with relatively low employment rates, providing important references for program optimization by local HEIs. Meanwhile, the MOE has issued warnings for programs that have ceased enrollment for five years or more. It has also piloted an early application system for establishing new majors and promoted the establishment of a sound mechanism for regular and pre-studies on program design in HEIs in order to enhance foresight and precision.
