China’s universities scrapped or suspended 12,200 degree programmes between 2021 and 2025, cutting arts, humanities and languages courses branded “obsolete” while adding AI and tech-focused majors. The overhaul touched 30 per cent of programmes as Beijing battles a graduate jobs crisis, with youth unemployment above 16 per cent and a record 12.7 million students graduating this summer. Critics question whether swapping majors fixes deeper problems.
