As emerging technologies reshape industries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, institutions of higher learning — the cradle of nurturing talent — are embracing the trend with innovative educational models.

With the new semester kicking off this month, many students have begun their tertiary education at universities with new courses, or schools with novel training methods, aiming to drive industrial innovation and economic revolution.

"New engineering", which aims to empower industries with emerging technologies, has emerged as a vital path forward for universities.

Among 113 new undergraduate courses introduced by universities in Guangdong province this year, about half are engineering majors — a significant increase from previous years.

Given artificial intelligence's huge potential to integrate with industries, eight Guangdong universities have added AI programs, including some known for their strengths in liberal arts.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, has set up a school of AI, while another school that integrates AI and liberal arts was launched by Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University in Zhuhai.

Taking center stage in this year's tech landscape, the robotics sector is forging ahead at an impressive pace. The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) and Great Bay University in Dongguan have added, or plan to offer, related programs.

The low-altitude economy, primed for takeoff, is set to draw significant talent demand. This year, the Ministry of Education has approved low-altitude technology and engineering undergraduate programs, with more than 120 universities nationwide applying — the highest among all fields.

South China University of Technology in Guangzhou is among the first six tertiary education institutions on the Chinese mainland to have rolled out the major, while nine other Guangdong universities have applied to add related courses.

Other highlights of the Greater Bay Area's newly introduced courses include a variety of smart manufacturing programs, along with specialized studies launched by Huizhou, Zhaoqing and Dongguan that align with regional industry planning like energy storage, new energy vehicles, and the next generation of electronic information technology.

Rethinking university education

Against the backdrop of economic structural transformation, universities nationwide are experiencing unprecedented changes in their curriculum. Last year, over 5,000 undergraduate programs were adjusted, and some 20 percent of disciplines are expected to be optimized this year.

"These years are the most dramatic phase of technology's effect on society that we've seen in our lifetime," says Han Wei, co-director of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Data Center for Higher Education. "Criticized for being 'disconnected' with society's needs, universities are reforming themselves to cultivate more competent talents."

They must move with the times, she says, urging universities to prioritize building a knowledge framework for undergraduates and arrange deeper research in graduate or doctoral studies.

In her view, universities mustn't follow trends blindly, but need to build new disciplines based on existing strengths and ensure their quality.

As fresh courses become more popular, Han says students must be aware of the lag in academic program development, compared to the shifts in industries. While the job market may see changes over four years of studies, students should be careful in choosing subjects.

Amid the tide of reform, a new type of research-oriented universities are on the rise, featuring small, yet specialized programs with a degree of openness and innovative educational models. They also prioritize the need to serve emerging industries of strategic importance, as well as future businesses.

Within the Greater Bay Area, Great Bay University, which starts operating this year, and Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, established last year, are notable representatives.

Both institutions focus on science and engineering majors and have admitted a limited number of students. Their goal is to cultivate top talent by concentrating on high-quality resources, thereby taking the lead in technological and industrial development.

Great Bay University aims to leverage resources from other universities in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions to promote the integration of higher education in the 11-city cluster. Geared to recruiting high-quality students, both universities have set their admission criteria to be on par with those of top Guangdong tertiary seats of learning.

Han says these institutions are inspired by Shenzhen's Southern University of Science and Technology which has been spearheading China's higher education reform over the past decade. Despite their short existence, they shoulder high expectations to supply innovative talents to vital industries, and attract high-caliber professionals to drive regional tech prowess.

Besides Guangdong, similar universities have gone up in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.

Ronald Chan Kam-wan, founding chairman of the GBA Education Integrative Development Think Tank, believes that these schools will be extremely important forces in the nation's higher education landscape.

Compared to traditional top universities, they may enjoy greater advantages in attracting top professors from overseas, with a more open research environment and greater emphasis on international exchanges. "Future stars in scientific research may not necessarily be from Tsinghua University or Peking University. Once a top-notch professorial team is assembled, these newcomers are poised to experience a meteoric rise," says Chan.

The breakthroughs in emerging industries rely heavily on interdisciplinary knowledge, which is crucial to inspiring innovation and addressing intricate scientific challenges, thus raising the emphasis on developing composite talents.

At present, interdisciplinary studies at Guangdong universities primarily focus on internal crossovers in engineering fields like intelligent manufacturing. In contrast, Hong Kong universities exhibit a broader spectrum of interdisciplinary fusion, incorporating areas that include business and technology, arts and sciences, and leveraging AI to enhance traditional service industries like hospitality management.

Integrating talent and industry

In terms of teaching models, some Guangdong universities have conducted small-scale innovative training through experimental classes in engineering sectors, while Hong Kong universities adopt more flexible approaches. The School of Innovation set up by HKU began enrolling students this year, featuring entrepreneurship projects to help them turn their business ideas into reality.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has introduced seven new sets of interdisciplinary programs, allowing students to explore various related courses in their first year and choose a major later. In particular, students enrolled in Interdisciplinary Studies can learn courses of different faculties before deciding the major.

PolyU also requires all undergraduate students to complete courses in AI and data analysis, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship, to acquire the cutting-edge technology and mindset essential for them to excel in the modern technological environment.

Victor Kwok, deputy director of research at Our Hong Kong Foundation, says such an interdisciplinary approach supports the cultivation of leading entrepreneurs who can push the overall development of industry ecosystems. It also reflects global educational trends and the demands of industrial advancement, as exceptional entrepreneurs need to possess a blend of knowledge, especially in product development and business operations.

According to Kwok, some Hong Kong universities have adopted more creative approaches by allowing students with a spirit of exploration to study their own combinations of subjects before graduation without deciding on specific majors.

With greater autonomy in schools' operations and a higher level of internationalization, he believes Hong Kong universities are more capable of developing high-quality interdisciplinary programs and other innovative talent cultivation methods.

Kwok notes that growing geopolitical tensions between China and the United States have led to an influx of exceptional professors and students into the SAR. He said he hopes that Hong Kong universities could seize the opportunity to advance higher education development, while broadening their international scope and leveraging the city's new development blueprint to address the shortcomings in industrial transformation.

The HKSAR government's flagship project of the Northern Metropolis aims to establish a technological city, a university town, and lure a significant number of high-tech enterprises. Together with the nearby Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, the northern New Territories is expected to become a key point for integrating technology, education and industries in the Greater Bay Area.

Emphasizing the area's critical role, Chan said he hopes to see deeper collaboration among Hong Kong universities and Shenzhen industries, smoother cross-boundary flow of scientific and technological resources, and more educational assets from Macao and overseas being introduced.

To better unlock the potential of budding universities and teaching methods on the mainland, Han said she believes they should maintain the open mindset and innovative mechanisms, build up their ability to operate independently and make rational and effective innovation within the current system.

As the trend is to prioritize science and engineering education, she calls for vigilance against the neglect of liberal arts development, stressing the subjects' role in cultivating comprehensive talents.

In addition, Han urged that these new explorations by universities must play their part in cultivating talent. "All research results and technological transfer outcomes are meant to be fed back into education, helping students to better understand cutting-edge knowledge and latest industry trends. This is the original intention and mission universities should uphold."

Zhou Mo contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at bingcun@chinadailyhk.com