China updates vocational majors, pivoting to modern industries

China's Ministry of Education (MOE) has released a new catalog of vocational majors containing a total of 1,349 majors.

The catalog for 2021 features programs catering to China's modern industrial system in the making, including those that can help upgrade the country's industrial base and modernize industrial chains, the MOE said.

The adjustment also accommodates nine emerging sectors considered to be of strategic significance, such as integrated circuits, bioinformatics and new energy materials application, the ministry added.

In another adjustment, occupational programs on infant care and smart elderly care have been added to the catalog, in response to a growing public appeal for such services.