Jiangsu Province has officially added quantum information and the Internet of Things (IoT) as two new professional title categories within its digital economy sector, as confirmed by the provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security. This expansion brings the total number of recognized digital economy sub-specializations from ten to twelve, following the recent issuance of trial qualification criteria for both fields.

Each of the newly established specializations encompasses three distinct levels: junior, intermediate, and senior. The IoT track is structured around three professional directions that mirror the complete industrial chain: IoT sensing and networking, IoT platforms, and IoT application engineering, spanning from hardware infrastructure through platform development to end-user applications. In contrast, the quantum information track offers five specialized directions: quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum precision measurement and sensing, quantum materials and devices, and quantum security—with the latter being uniquely highlighted in Jiangsu's framework to align with the province's local industrial landscape, distinguishing it from similar programs already in place in Beijing and Hefei.

A notable adjustment in the new criteria concerns the publication requirements for senior title applicants. The mandate for traditional academic papers has been replaced with a reference to "high-level papers," which a departmental spokesperson clarified is not a stricter threshold but rather the opposite—papers are now merely one optional criterion among many. Applicants may instead choose to present alternative achievements, including authorized invention patents, industry standards they have led in developing, significant engineering projects they have completed, or technology commercialization outcomes that have generated measurable economic benefits, thereby enabling professionals focused on technology promotion and application to pursue title certification without formal publications.

The rollout of these new professional titles is proceeding promptly, with pilot evaluation programs scheduled for this year. Nanjing and Suzhou have been selected as pilot cities for the quantum information engineering titles, while Wuxi will serve as the pilot location for the IoT specialization, reinforcing the city's ambition to become a national benchmark for the IoT industry.