According to a recent report released by Zhaopin.com, a Chinese online recruitment portal, 56.9 percent of the class of 2023 engineering majors surveyed had received job offers by mid-April. The number belies a huge mismatch between the qualifications possessed by engineering graduates and those desired by the engineering sector.

This phenomenon is rooted in the fact that engineering degrees in Chinese universities often prioritize theory over application. The typical curriculum structure of a Chinese undergraduate program in engineering places lab work and field trips to factories in the third or fourth year of college, during which students are often busy applying for jobs or postgraduate programs, and therefore cannot focus on improving their practical skills.

In March, an article co-published by several members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a host of Chinese entrepreneurs called on the country's higher education system to incorporate more practical exercises into engineering courses. China's manufacturing industry will suffer a severe blow if universities continue to focus on rigorous research and neglect the practical aspect of engineering, the article wrote.

Some Chinese universities have already taken steps toward improving their engineering curriculums. These upgraded programs teach students to work in teams and find solutions to real-world problems. Entrepreneurs and professionals working in hi-tech industries are also invited to participate in the designing of task-based syllabuses.

Experts have suggested that engineering studies should not be limited to higher education, as the discipline of engineering is ultimately about innovative thinking. Therefore, elementary and middle schools should also set up science lab courses and engineering workshops to spark curiosity, boost creativity, and nurture problem-solving skills among the country's Gen Alpha (starting with children born in 2012).

(China Newsweek, July 17)