Source: OT-Team(G), 央视新闻, 中国传媒大学, 中国青年报
A decision by the Communication University of China (CUC) to eliminate 16 undergraduate majors—including translation and photography—has sparked widespread discussion online after the news trended on China's social media platform Weibo on March 9.
Liao Xiangzhong, the university's Communist Party secretary, recently revealed that the institution had removed 16 undergraduate programs and specializations in a sweeping restructuring effort last year. Many of the affected programs were traditional disciplines such as translation, photography, visual communication design, art management, and even the university's highly ranked comic art major.
According to Liao, the decision reflects a broader transformation in education driven by artificial intelligence and the emerging "human–machine division of labor."
"The future will be an era in which humans and machines work together, so educational reform is urgent," Liao said. He argued that classroom teaching must be fundamentally redesigned, including changes in teaching formats, content, and ways of thinking. In his view, educators should focus on identifying the core knowledge and key challenges of a subject, clarifying how it connects with future industry needs, and developing solutions—while leaving routine knowledge processing to AI and allowing students to focus on deeper learning.
The restructuring had been signaled earlier. In May 2025, at a university meeting focused on academic program development, Liao stated that 16 programs across the university would be closed, merged, or restructured, while six others would enter a new design phase. All remaining programs, he said, would undergo upgrades. The goal, he added, is to "use the power of media to safeguard human value in the AI era," while cultivating students' professional ideals and their ability to work effectively with AI technologies.
The scale of the adjustment quickly triggered debate online. Some commenters asked whether these traditional fields might eventually be replaced by AI. Others expressed concern about the future of students in those majors, with one remarking that their field had suddenly become a "dying discipline" that might be outdated by the time they graduate.
However, observers note that large-scale program cuts are not unique to CUC. Several Chinese universities have undertaken similar changes in recent years. Jilin University recently updated its undergraduate program list, showing that 19 majors have stopped admitting students, including six in the arts category. In April last year, Nanchang University announced plans to cancel eight programs, such as drama and film literature, broadcasting and television directing, and animation. Meanwhile, Beijing Language and Culture University suspended enrollment in seven translation-related graduate programs—including Russian, Japanese, German, Korean, and Spanish translation—for the 2025 academic year.
Media commentary suggests that the reasons behind these adjustments vary but are often tied to broader societal changes: the rapid development of new technologies, shifts in the job market, and transformations in industrial structures. Universities' efforts to adapt their program offerings can be seen as a reflection of those changes.
At the same time, some analysts caution against an overly utilitarian approach to education. Higher education, they argue, should not be reduced to pure skills training centered solely on mastering specific AI tools. Given the rapid pace of technological change, applications that are popular when students enter university may already be obsolete by the time they graduate.
Other commentators note that foundational disciplines—such as foreign languages or photography—still provide skills that society needs. The challenge, they suggest, is not to abandon these fields but to integrate them with emerging areas such as AI, business, and communication, creating more interdisciplinary and innovative forms of learning.
As universities reassess their academic structures in response to technological change, broader questions remain: how to adjust programs in a scientifically sound and forward-looking way, how to cultivate critical thinking and interdisciplinary abilities, and how to equip students to collaborate effectively with AI.
For universities, students, parents, and society at large, the rise of AI presents a new set of challenges—how to adapt to it, how to use it responsibly, and how to maintain a stable footing in a rapidly evolving landscape.
The discussion also highlights a broader reminder for students choosing their fields of study. While employment prospects are a practical consideration, experts say it may be equally important not to focus solely on current "hot" majors. Identifying genuine interests and passions can provide the motivation for continuous learning and exploration—qualities that remain valuable in any era of change.
As universities rethink their academic programs in response to AI and technological change, many questions remain. Will traditional majors truly disappear, or will they simply evolve into more interdisciplinary fields? How should universities balance practical skills with broader intellectual training? And what might these shifts mean for teachers and students navigating an increasingly uncertain job market?
We'd like to hear from you: Should universities cut traditional majors in the age of AI, or reinvent them? How do you think higher education should prepare students for the future? Share your thoughts in the comments.