China has approved and added 21 new categories of majors for undergraduate programs, as the country moves to restructure undergraduate majors to enable universities and colleges to better serve national strategies and regional economic, social and industrial development.

The new entries, released by the country's education ministry, include 26 majors, covering biometrics, future robotics, education for children with autism, and barrier-free management, among others.

Officially included in the national list of majors for undergraduate programs in China, they are expected to bolster some key industries and cultivate talent in urgent need.

The quality and structure of majors at institutions of higher education have direct bearing on supporting and serving economic and social development.

By 2025, China will optimize and adjust the composition of about 20 percent of the disciplines and majors at its higher education institutions, replacing outdated ones with new ones that keep abreast of new technologies, emerging sectors and new business modes, according to a reform plan released last month.

Xizang Minzu University, for instance, has added a new major in international journalism and communication.

"By setting up this major, we hope to foster more professionals in relevant fields who are able to tell the stories of Tibet, and better present China's stance and viewpoints to the world," said Jin Shi, deputy head of the School of Journalism and Communication of the university.

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data were highlighted in the major adjustment, aiming to keep pace and respond to the demands for economic and social development.

Among them is a new major called biological breeding science, which was set up out of an aspiration of "promoting the building of a nation with a strong breeding industry".

"The new major incorporates multiple studies in crop science, husbandry, biologics, genetics and information science. It will help tackle the technical bottlenecks hindering China's breeding industry and thus safeguard food security," said Chai Yourong, a researcher at the College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of Southwest University.

Two new majors have attracted attention as they benefit vulnerable groups and advance social welfare — the major of education for children with autism, and the major of barrier-free management.

"The incidence rate of autism among children is prominently rising, leading to wide public concern for special education for this group," said Li La, dean of the special education school of Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, which applied to set up the major in July last year.

Li said that compared with rehabilitation, education is a better option for children with autism. However, there used to be no specific majors designed to cultivate professionals in this field.

A report on autism education showed that in 2019, there were more than 10 million people with an autism-spectrum disorder in China, among whom about 2 million were children aged under 12.

Thanks to the new major, China will see fresh professionals flowing into special needs education. "Professional education services will to a great extent promote children's development and ease parents' burdens," said Li.

A blogger known for autism-related topics named "Yaya Papa", who has an autistic child, said the major means a lot for China. "It can help popularize knowledge about autism in a more science-based way, build a diversified education system and standardize the rehabilitation training programs."

Xinhua