China's Double First‑Class Universities Expand Enrollment, Adding Tens of Thousands of AI Students

Under the 15th Five‑Year Plan, China's "double first‑class" universities will expand undergraduate enrollment by more than 100,000 students, with about 20,000 new spots introduced this year. Universities such as Southeast University (+600), Xi'an University of Electronic Science and Technology (+400), and Xi'an Jiaotong University (+360) are among those increasing their intake. New majors focus heavily on artificial intelligence and related fields; nine universities, including Beihang University and Harbin Institute of Technology, received approval to launch embodied intelligence programmes, while others added future robotics, engineering Internet, robotics, computer science, big data and AI curricula.

Experts warn that the rapid proliferation of AI‑focused programmes may create a "new 'tian‑keng'"—a field with abundant graduates but limited job prospects. Concerns cite uneven teaching quality and a surplus of students whose skills may not meet market demands.