Flexible programs build diverse talent pool

A new academic trend is gaining ground in universities across China. Students are increasingly spending their evenings and weekends pursuing micro-majors, which are short-duration educational programs designed to empower them with practical skills needed in the job market.

Such programs constitute a key step in enhancing graduate employability and align the higher education system with the country's economic needs, the Ministry of Education said.

In a recent guideline aimed at improving public welfare, the central government called on universities to deepen the integration of industry and education by developing micro-major programs that target skills in high demand.