BUILDING ENGINEERING MICRO-MAJORS AT LOCAL UNIVERSITIES IN THE DIGITAL-INTELLIGENCE ERA: A STUDY OF DEVELOPMENT MECHANISMS AND SUSTAINABLE PATHWAYS IN CHINA
Keywords:
Digital-intelligence era, Local universities, Micro-majors, Development mechanism, Sustainable pathwaysAbstract
Advances in digital and intelligent technologies have accelerated industrial transformation and upgrading, generating an increasing demand for interdisciplinary, application-oriented engineering professionals. However, traditional degree programs at local universities in China are constrained by lengthy training cycles and slow curriculum renewal, resulting in a pronounced structural mismatch between the supply of engineering talent and evolving industry demands. As a flexible and efficient model of interdisciplinary education, micro-majors have emerged as a promising approach to addressing this mismatch. Considering the distinctive characteristics of engineering education at local universities in China, this study systematically examines the conceptual foundations and defining features of university micro-majors in the era of digital intelligence and identifies the practical challenges associated with the development of engineering micro-majors. On this basis, a three-dimensional framework for their development is proposed, encompassing motivational drivers, operational coordination, and quality assurance. Furthermore, sustainable development pathways are outlined with respect to top-level institutional design, interdisciplinary integration, curriculum resource development, platform sharing, and quality monitoring. This study provides theoretical and practical insights into the high-quality development of engineering micro-majors at local universities in China.References
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