In this era of rapid technological development, China's science and engineering education is catching up with an unprecedented transformation.
When we were still using flip phones to dial-up to surf the Internet, the United States has begun to rise in technology, especially in the field of mathematics, which has been leading the world since 1960. Now, China has decided not to be a bystander.
A blockbuster project called Project 101 is the latest proof of that determination. This plan symbolizes China's comprehensive layout on the global technology stage.
Yau Chengtong, a mathematics authority who joined Tsinghua after retiring from Harvard, publicly stated that the level of mathematics education in China has not yet reached the level of the United States in the 40s of the 20th century. These words are a wake-up call that has aroused the attention of countless educators and policymakers. As a result, China has rapidly adjusted its education direction, strengthened science and engineering education, and narrowed the gap with the world's major powers.
The launch of the "101 Project" was officially announced on April 19 at an achievement exchange meeting held in Beijing. The program covers almost all science and engineering fields, from basic disciplines such as computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry to biological sciences. More than 80 top experts and more than 50 academicians participated in the discussion at the meeting, and many of these people are familiar names such as Tian Gang, Gao Yuanning, and Shi Yigong.
The importance of this project lies in its far-reaching significance. By redesigning the undergraduate curriculum to emphasize practical application rather than theoretical learning, China aims to cultivate a pool of talents who can innovate independently in the frontier fields of science and technology. It is also a strategy for China to respond to international pressure, especially technological blockades.
China's scientific and technological progress has been seriously challenged by the U.S.'s technological restrictions on China in the fields of artificial intelligence, chips, and other cutting-edge technologies.
The United States even raised tariffs on China's new energy vehicles from 25% to 100%, a move that increased external pressure on China's technological development. Under such circumstances, it is an urgent task for China to strengthen science and engineering education and enhance domestic scientific and technological strength.
This is a huge opportunity for those involved in the 101 Plan. The 77 universities mentioned in the plan, from 985 and 211 to the so-called "double non" and "four non" universities, are likely to be completely subverted because of this plan.
These schools will receive unprecedented resources and support to improve laboratory facilities, expand academic resources, and hire more high-level overseas professors, all in order to take China's science and engineering education to a new level.
The program also places special emphasis on the importance of interdisciplinary and international cooperation. The plan mentions that Chinese universities will be encouraged to engage in more collaborative projects with top foreign universities, joint research programs, student exchange programs, etc.
In this way, Chinese students and teachers have access to cutting-edge knowledge and technology, and are able to participate directly in the latest developments in international science and technology.
This reform has not been without its challenges. Reform will always encounter resistance from all sides, including the entrenchment of traditional educational concepts, the defense of vested interests, and disagreements within the academic community. How to smoothly promote reform in such a complex environment is a major challenge for policymakers.
The "101 Plan" provides abundant resources and support, but how to ensure that these resources can be used effectively and not a new waste of resources is also an issue that needs to be carefully considered. The effectiveness of reforms often takes time to verify, and it may be difficult to see significant results in the short term.
In the face of these challenges, the need and urgency for reform cannot be questioned. With the intensification of global competition in science and technology, China needs a group of high-level talents who can take charge of themselves in the frontier fields of science and technology. Through the "101 Plan", China hopes to change the current situation in education and scientific research, and hopes to occupy a favorable position in this global science and technology competition.