As universities kick off the new semester, China's higher education system is rolling out a fresh wave of academic programs tailored to the evolving needs of modern agriculture. The Ministry of Education recently released its 2026 catalog of undergraduate majors, which introduces 38 brand-new nationwide recruitment programs. Among them, several cutting-edge, interdisciplinary agricultural majors—strategically aligned with national food security, rural revitalization, and smart agriculture initiatives—are making their debut. A closer look at some of these pioneering programs reveals a clear shift toward integrating technology with traditional farming practices.

China currently has approximately 1.5 billion mu of saline-alkali land, of which around 500 million mu is suitable for improvement and cultivation, representing a highly valuable reserve for future grain production. In recent years, Shandong Agricultural University has made steady breakthroughs in boosting the productivity of saline-alkali land, promoting ecological utilization, and advancing biological breeding. This year, the institution received approval to establish the country's first undergraduate program in saline-alkali land science and engineering. Lou Yanhong, deputy dean of the university's College of Resources and Environment, explained that the program's core mission is to address the national strategies for food security and ecological protection of the Yellow River basin, while filling a critical talent gap in the utilization of saline-alkali land.

Managing saline-alkali land is a complex, systems-level challenge that draws on expertise from multiple fields. However, related professionals have traditionally been scattered across different disciplines, leaving their knowledge fragmented and their skills too narrow to meet the demands of large-scale remediation efforts. Meanwhile, universities previously lacked a dedicated undergraduate program to bridge this gap. Lou emphasized the need for a whole-industry-chain training model, one that familiarizes students with the application of the Internet of Things, big data, and intelligent agricultural machinery on saline-alkali land, thereby supporting smarter management practices.

To build a comprehensive talent development framework, Shandong Agricultural University has integrated on-campus labs, field trial plots, and off-campus cooperative practice bases into its teaching approach, ensuring students gain hands-on experience. Wang Hui, an associate professor at the university, noted that the teaching laboratory equipment alone is valued at over 50 million yuan, supplemented by nearly 100 mu of experimental farmland on campus. Beyond that, the university co-constructs the National Innovation Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Saline-Alkali Land and has established practical training bases with frontline companies specializing in land improvement.

Meanwhile, the widespread adoption of agricultural drones, picking robots, and intelligent inspection devices in field operations has accelerated the shift toward smart agriculture—yet the demand for interdisciplinary talent to support this transition remains acute. In response, Jiangsu University took the lead in securing approval for the nation's first undergraduate program in agricultural robotics. In one of the university's agricultural engineering labs, Liu Jizhan, the program's lead, is teaching graduate students the principles of mobile platform path planning. A simple-looking compact work vehicle, though unassuming at first glance, serves as a foundational platform for a wide range of agricultural robots. Zhou Mile, deputy dean of the university's College of Agricultural Engineering, pointed out that traditional agricultural engineering graduates often lacked either agricultural knowledge or robotics expertise. The new program aims to cultivate students who understand agriculture at a deep level while adapting to the demands of multi-scenario intelligent equipment applications.

Alongside these advancements in farmland technology, the modernization of aquaculture is also calling for professionals with specialized skills. This year, Ningbo University successfully launched a new undergraduate program in smart fisheries. The creation of this major was driven by three practical challenges emerging directly from the industry. Li Chenghua, dean of the university's Ocean College, outlined the issues: first, the frontline workforce in aquaculture enterprises is aging, with very few young workers entering the field; second, aquaculture operations are typically located in remote areas with poor conditions, raising the question of how to improve the working environment; and third, many business owners face bankruptcy risks due to disease outbreaks and typhoon damage. These three pain points—aging labor, subpar conditions, and high vulnerability—point to a single conclusion: traditional fisheries must undergo transformation, and the key lies in "intelligence."

From saline-alkali land management and agricultural robotics to smart fisheries, these three new agricultural majors all align closely with the digitalization, intelligentization, and green development of modern agriculture. Across the country, similar programs tailored to industrial needs are being established at an accelerating pace. Lin Wanlong, deputy director of the National New Agricultural Science Construction Center and vice president of China Agricultural University, stressed that the design of agricultural majors must be considered against the backdrop of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, taking into account the changes unfolding in agriculture and the fresh demands these changes place on talent cultivation. To date, more than 120 universities have set up over 250 new agricultural science programs, with some popular majors offered by more than a hundred institutions. Students not only gain interdisciplinary expertise but also benefit from close alignment with rural revitalization needs, ensuring strong employment prospects.

These new agricultural majors reflect a broader transformation in how agricultural talent is cultivated—and point to the future direction of agricultural and rural modernization. New majors serve as a barometer for both technological innovation and industrial evolution. The dynamic updating of the major catalog will continue to provide robust talent support for the transformation and upgrading of industries across the board.