On September 23, at a State Council Information Office press conference addressing the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the acceleration of building a strong education system, the Ministry of Education outlined new measures to expand undergraduate enrollment at "Double First-Class" universities. The expansion will continue with an additional 24,000 places this year, bringing the cumulative increase over the past three years to 62,000, and will grow by more than 76,000 places from 2027 to 2030.
The initiative will focus on frontier technologies and emerging interdisciplinary fields, including artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy. It also supports the construction of new campuses and the improvement of basic educational facilities at "Double First-Class" universities.
Foundation education reaching high-income country averages
According to Wang Guangyan, Vice Minister of Education and spokesperson, China has established the world's largest and highest-quality education system, with levels of educational access and equity ranking among the top globally. Basic education has reached the average level of high-income countries, with a pre-primary gross enrollment rate of 92.9%, a compulsory education consolidation rate of 96.1%, and a senior high school gross enrollment rate of 92%.
The policy requiring two hours of comprehensive daily physical activity for primary and secondary students, along with 15-minute recess breaks, has been fully implemented, contributing to a five-year consecutive decline in overall myopia rates. Wang also highlighted improved capacity in higher education to support independent technological innovation and talent cultivation, noting that universities led three-quarters of the general award winners in the 2025 National Science and Technology Awards.
Vocational education has supplied over 70% of newly added high-skilled talent for modern industries, and the total population with higher education experience has reached 270 million. Meanwhile, China's international educational influence continues to strengthen.
At least half a day of off-campus practical teaching to be rolled out nationwide
Tian Zuyin, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Education and Director of the Basic Education Department, elaborated on the "2115" work requirements for implementing the "Health First" philosophy: "2" stands for two hours of comprehensive daily physical activity, "1" for one physical education class per day, and "15" for 15-minute recess breaks. This policy is being promoted nationwide, with various local innovations emerging.
For instance, Hunan and Jiangsu have secured implementation through local legislation, while Beijing has issued detailed rules under its "Eight Sports Measures." Many provinces have incorporated these requirements into government performance evaluations. As a result, more students are leaving classrooms to exercise outdoors, with measurable improvements in physical fitness, transitioning "Health First" from concept to reality.
Tian further noted that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Ministry established a digital map of research and study practice sites for primary and secondary schools, encompassing 88 camps, 662 bases, and over 1,300 ideological and political education practice points, all connected to thousands of practical resource locations. Moving forward, the Ministry will continue supporting the construction of camps and bases for student research and study.
Additionally, the Ministry will implement at least half a day of off-campus practical teaching weekly nationwide, guiding schools to arrange age-appropriate activities within their educational and teaching plans.
Supporting new campuses for "Double First-Class" universities
Addressing higher education, Guo Peng, Director of the Ministry's Department of Development Planning, explained that to expand access to quality higher education, the Ministry has systematically increased undergraduate enrollment at "Double First-Class" universities. Cumulative expansion reached 38,000 places in 2024 and 2025, with an additional 24,000 this year, totaling 62,000 new undergraduate places over three years.
Guo noted that the number of school-age higher education students will continue to rise during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Accordingly, the Plan outlines an increase of over 100,000 undergraduate places at "Double First-Class" universities, requiring an additional 76,000 places between 2027 and 2030. The Ministry will work with relevant departments to boost degree supply capacity through multiple channels, better meeting public expectations for quality higher education and providing robust talent support for economic and social development.
"It is important to clarify that this expansion is not simply an increase in numbers, but a simultaneous drive for structural optimization and quality improvement," Guo added. On one hand, the Ministry will optimize and adjust academic disciplines based on national strategic needs, reinforcing supply-demand alignment, with priority support for artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy. On the other hand, it will utilize central budget investment and ultra-long-term special treasury bonds to support new campus construction and improve dormitories, canteens, sports venues, and laboratories at "Double First-Class" universities.
These measures aim to ensure robust development and a supportive learning environment, contributing to China's long-term educational and strategic goals.
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