China launches micro-majors in AI and other key areas to boost employment

Chinese universities are focusing on developing micro-majors and vocational training courses across a variety of urgently needed fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), with more than 1,000 high-quality educational courses launched online. This is part of an effort to boost employment during the graduation season.

For graduates in majors with relatively low social demand, China's Ministry of Education is accelerating an effort to help them optimize their knowledge and skill structure to match the demand of enterprises, China National Radio (CNR) reported on Wednesday

Universities have built micro-majors and vocational training courses around 60 key directions in 12 urgently needed fields such as artificial intelligence and low-altitude economy, according to the ministry. Universities nationwide have set up 2,654 micro-majors for graduates of 2025, with 74,000 students graduating from these programs.

On the online education platform Smart Education of China, 138 top-tier courses in 33 practical and in-demand majors, along with application-oriented micro-majors and other high-quality educational resources, totaling 1,455, have been launched.

According to China Youth Daily, micro-majors refer to a set of core courses offered by universities around a specific academic field, characterized by being small and refined, interdisciplinary, and flexible. Although no degree conferred, students can receive a certificate upon completing the course. 

Research shows that the employment rate of graduates from micro-majors has significantly improved at a number of provincially-administered universities. Over 80 percent of graduates participating in micro-major studies said that their personal skills were further enhanced through learning, effectively making them more marketable in the job market for the future, CNR reported.

During the graduation season, the ministry is guiding local education and human resources departments to ensure that graduates who have not yet found a job can enjoy public employment services. This includes participating in vocational training and job internships. The ministry also supports new graduates who have not yet found a job to pursue a second bachelor's degree.