- Three new programs to launch in 2026 amid major overhaul to curricula
- Move reflects growing demand for high-caliber talent in emerging industries
Zhejiang University will introduce three new undergraduate majors—including Embodied AI and energy storage engineering—from 2026, as Chinese universities align curricula with national priorities in technology and industrial development.
The new programs—embodied intelligence, energy storage science and engineering, and intelligent engineering and creative design—come after the education ministry updated its undergraduate catalog to include more cross-disciplinary fields tied to innovation and strategic industries.
The embodied AI major integrates disciplines such as control science, AI, computer science and aerospace engineering, with coursework spanning large models, embodied navigation and multimodal perception.
Students will train for applications in smart manufacturing, robotics operations, logistics and retail, with career paths in areas such as autonomous driving and high-end manufacturing.
Energy storage science and engineering draws on Zhejiang University’s strengths in power engineering and related fields, covering technologies from electrochemical storage to hydrogen and thermal systems.
The program incorporates AI and data analytics, with students able to take cross-disciplinary courses and gain industry experience through partnerships with major energy companies and research institutes.
The intelligent engineering and creative design major combines engineering and design education, focusing on translating emerging technologies into products and user experiences.
Training will include real-world problem-solving across areas such as mobility, education and healthcare.
The latest expansion is a response to the Ministry of Education’s 2026 undergraduate program catalog, which adds new interdisciplinary fields including embodied intelligence and brain-computer science, while incorporating areas such as future robotics and cross-disciplinary engineering.
Zhejiang University is among the first batch of top Chinese institutions, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Harbin Institute of Technology and Beihang University, to introduce embodied AI as a new undergraduate major for 2026 enrollment.
