NANJING University announced a pioneering move Tuesday, launching an artificial intelligence (AI) general curriculum aimed at fostering AI literacy among all freshmen. This marks a significant first in AI education in China, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to aligning with global advancements in AI and education.

During a new semester meeting held Tuesday, Tan Tieniu, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted the importance of the course. “The curriculum meets the demand of adapting to the times and cultivating the new generation,” Tan was quoted by ThePaper.cn as saying.

The curriculum is structured around a compulsory AI core course, supplemented by a series of AI literacy courses and interdisciplinary courses that deeply integrate AI with various academic disciplines.

Courses will cover knowledge, skills, values, and ethics concerning the latest AI technologies, aiming to explore the integration of AI and education.

The goal will be achieved through reforms in faculty, teaching methods, learning approaches, and assessment systems.

The courses are expected to lay the foundation of AI studies for students, enabling a comprehensive understanding from basic concepts to latest technologies. It aims to encourage students to integrate AI into other disciplines, creating more interdisciplinary applications, explains Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.

Tan emphasized the significance of AI in leading a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation that is still in its early stages. Driven by new theories and technologies such as mobile internet, big data, supercomputing, sensor networks, and brain science, AI has a profound impact on economic development, social progress, and global governance.

Students from Nanjing University should treat AI as an indispensable part of university learning. It is essential for all students to continuously enhance AI-related awareness, knowledge, and skills, Tan said.

This initiative is the latest attempt in the Chinese higher education sector to incorporate AI education. According to the Shanghai Ranking’s official website, at least 248 universities in China have introduced AI majors, with Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Nanjing University leading the 2023 rankings.

Nanjing University’s approach may serve as a model for other universities, which could lead to similar adoption. With the development of the curriculum, Nanjing University’s textbooks, teaching resources, and methods could be shared by other schools, facilitating AI education among higher education institutions, Wang said.

In addition to efforts by various universities, multiple government departments, including Ministry of Education, have launched an action plan to boost digital literacy and skills.

Government policies and financial support have provided a solid backing for universities to offer AI majors. With the booming development of China’s AI industry and the growing demand for talents, universities are increasing their investments in AI education, Wang said.(Global Times)