- Yungu School to admit 16 students this fall for new AI program
- Curriculum will emphasize problem-solving and long-term projects over coding drills
Hangzhou will launch its first AI-focused class at the high school level this autumn, as the eastern Chinese tech hub pushes AI education further down into the country’s school system.
The “AI Innovation and Application” program at Yungu School was recently approved by the Hangzhou Education Bureau and plans to enroll 16 students in its inaugural cohort beginning in fall 2026.
The move marks Hangzhou’s first AI-oriented specialty class within the regular high school system, expanding specialized education beyond traditional tracks such as arts, sports and languages into technology and innovation.
The program’s chief advisors include Cheng Li, former chief technology officer of Alibaba Group, and Wu Fei, dean of undergraduate studies at Zhejiang University.
Not ‘a programming class’
School officials stressed the initiative, spanning three years, is not intended to become what they described as “a programming class.”
“The biggest risk for an AI specialty class is turning into a coding class. Foundational disciplines determine the lower bound, while innovation education and real-world problem-solving determine the upper bound,” said Fu Wei, a former senior Alibaba technical expert and current technology advisor to the school.
The curriculum will follow a staged structure. Students will first study computer science fundamentals, data structures, algorithms and mathematical modeling before moving into project-based learning centered on applying AI to solve practical problems.
In later years, students will complete long-term projects lasting six to 12 months, with outcomes required to meet standards for reproducibility and evaluation.
Deliverables may include product prototypes, system designs, research reports, GitHub repositories and technical documentation.
Teaching will combine in-house interdisciplinary faculty with external mentors from Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and major technology companies.
Jack Ma’s educational footprint
Yungu School, founded by Jack Ma and backed by Alibaba partners, is located in Hangzhou’s western technology corridor. The school began introducing large language models into classrooms in 2022, and by 2025 had integrated AI-focused coursework into regular high school teaching.
Admissions for the new class focus on logical reasoning, innovation potential and problem-solving ability, along with students’ interest in AI and computer science.
Entrance exams, held on May 24, include mathematics and information technology assessments, while interviews evaluate applicants’ understanding of AI applications and learning capabilities.
Zhejiang University’s Wu said AI education should not be confined to universities.
“If students can develop foundational AI thinking and proper AI literacy during basic education, it will improve talent development at the university level,” he said. “These 16 spots are an exploratory experiment.”
