China to Add 76,000 Elite University Seats and Mandate Off-Campus Study

China plans to expand undergraduate admissions at its elite "Double First-Class" universities by 76,000 students over the next four years, alongside a nationwide rollout requiring primary and secondary schools to conduct at least half a day of off-campus practical education each week. Announced during a State Council Information Office briefing outlining education strategy for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, the dual policies reflect Beijing's broader effort to widen pathways to premier tertiary institutions while steering basic education away from purely exam-centric instruction toward experiential learning.

The undergraduate expansion across Double First-Class institutions directly touches millions of families competing in the national college entrance examinations, offering tangible relief by increasing coveted high-tier university seats. At the same time, institutionalizing a half-day weekly off-campus curriculum will fundamentally restructure daily scheduling and curriculum standards in primary and secondary schools nationwide, placing higher demands on public cultural venues, scientific facilities, and school liability management.

China plans to expand undergraduate enrollment at its elite "Double First-Class" universities by an aggregate of 76,000 students over the next four years, according to state media reports published alongside a State Council Information Office press conference on education reforms for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period. The higher-education expansion is matched by sweeping structural adjustments in compulsory schooling. During the press conference in Beijing, Tian Zuyin, head of the Department of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education, announced that the ministry will promote at least half a day per week of off-campus practical teaching across primary and secondary schools nationwide. Local education authorities and schools will be instructed to tailor specific scheduling based on local conditions and educational stages. Tian noted that parents across the country have increasingly called for enhanced experiential education that allows children to step outside the classroom and engage with broader society. In response, the educational development outline for the 15th Five-Year Plan incorporates a formal system of "national conditions study tours" to anchor practical education in primary and secondary schools. To support the mandate, the Ministry of Education will coordinate with relevant departments to assemble an integrated network of learning locations spanning provincial, municipal, and county levels. The network aims to mobilize resources including revolutionary historic sites, cultural heritage venues, museums, science centers, industrial enterprises, workshops, and agricultural facilities. During the 14th Five-Year Plan, the ministry developed a digital directory mapping out 88 study camps, 662 specialized practice bases, and more than 1,300 ideological and political pedagogical sites, connected to thousands of local activity hubs. Tian stated that authorities will continue investing in camp and base construction to ensure sufficient physical capacity across all schooling tiers. The combined measures demonstrate Beijing's synchronized approach to educational governance as the State Council reviews implementations of national education directives. While university quotas are raised to absorb growing demand for top-tier academic credentials, foundational education curricula are being steered away from purely classroom-based test preparation toward organized social and practical immersion.