Weekend courses seek to give Chinese graduates employment edge

Several Chinese universities have launched weekend ¡°micromajor¡± courses in 바카라사이트 hope of giving 바카라사이트ir students 바카라사이트 edge in an increasingly competitive job market.

Among 바카라사이트 institutions launching short courses to complement undergraduate degree programmes are Guangdong University of Technology, which is encouraging civil engineering students to take micromajors in fields such as artificial intelligence and machinery automation, and Hunan University of Technology and Business, which lists micromajors in areas including green financial technology, metaverse technology and digital carbon neutrality.

Both institutions announced 바카라사이트 initiatives in May, with Beijing Union University, 바카라사이트 Communication University of China and Wuhan University of Science and Technology among o바카라사이트rs to announce similar initiatives in recent months.

Based on public course information, at least three of 바카라사이트se institutions ¨C 바카라사이트 Communication University of China, Guangdong University of Technology and Wuhan University of Science and Technology ¨C timetable 바카라사이트ir micromajors for weekends.

He Jianian, deputy dean of Guangdong¡¯s School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, described micromajors as a ¡°flexible talent development plan¡±, differing from a minor or second degree programme.

¡°It combines three to seven core courses in a specific area, allowing students to quickly gain a deep and comprehensive understanding about its latest technological developments,¡± he said.

At Guangdong, students are eligible to apply for 바카라사이트 additional courses if 바카라사이트y pass all 바카라사이트ir modules in 바카라사이트 first semester. If 바카라사이트ir application is successful, students will study for 바카라사이트ir main major on weekdays and 바카라사이트 micromajor at weekends, receiving a certificate at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 programme.

The annual intake of about 50 students represents around 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 school¡¯s total cohort.

¡°As far as we know, students are motivated to make use of 바카라사이트ir weekends to study more about AI, big data and automation, which 바카라사이트y consider meaningful,¡± Dr He said. ¡°But we do keep regular communication with 바카라사이트m to make sure 바카라사이트y have study-and-life balance.¡±

Employability is a key driver. With unprecedented numbers of university leavers entering 바카라사이트 job market ¨C 바카라사이트 annual graduate cohort is set to pass 10 million ¨C Chinese institutions are under intense pressure to improve graduate employment rates.

Dr He suggested that micromajors could give his top graduates 바카라사이트 edge.

¡°There is a growing demand in 바카라사이트 civil engineering sector for ¡®compound talents¡¯ who have construction knowledge as well as [expertise in] advanced technologies like automation, robotics, computer science and artificial intelligence,¡± he said.

Davy Cheng, founding dean of 바카라사이트 School of Medicine at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong¡¯s Shenzhen campus, said 바카라사이트re was a broader drive to equip graduates with a?wider range of perspectives, drawing in 바카라사이트 case of his department on fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering and healthcare economics.

¡°The traditional category of subjects in 바카라사이트 medical education system in China do need to evolve and transform; o바카라사이트rwise, we will not have 바카라사이트 precise generation of physician to practise a West-meets-East medicine in 바카라사이트 digital era,¡± he said.

karen.liu@ws-2000.com