China is expected to launch the third round of its "double world-class" initiative in 2026, marking a new phase in the country's drive to build world-class universities and disciplines that are more closely aligned with national strategic needs and regional development goals, experts said.

The plan was announced at a national education conference on Jan 8, signaling a shift toward greater differentiation and mission-oriented growth in higher education.

Operating in five-year phases with competitive and dynamic adjustment mechanisms, the project completed its first round between 2016 and 2020, with 137 institutions selected. The second round, announced in 2022, expanded the list to 147 institutions and eliminated the distinction between "world-class universities" and "world-class disciplines", a move aimed at reducing hierarchical labeling.

Gao Hang, vice-dean of Renmin University of China's School of Education, said inclusion in the initiative brings tangible benefits for universities, including dedicated funding from the Ministry of Education and local governments, reputational gain, enhanced appeal to top students and faculty, and closer integration with national development priorities.

He said the third round places stronger emphasis on linking education with industry and innovation chains. "The goal is to make universities more active contributors to national economic and technological objectives," Gao said.

According to the Ministry of Education, "double world-class" universities have produced more than 50 percent of the nation's master's degree graduates, 80 percent of doctoral graduates and 90 percent of urgently needed high-level talent.

Gao added that the latest round will further invalidate institutional "labels" and address issues such as excessive competition and talent poaching among universities observed in earlier phases. Additional support will also be directed to populous provinces and central and western regions to improve local higher education quality and retain talent, he said.

Lan Wenting, an assistant researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences, told Beijing News that universities will be encouraged to focus resources on cultivating high-level innovative talent and optimizing disciplines in response to major national demands. She said the approach is intended to align education with technology and talent development.

Wu Ni, director of the Institute of Education Strategy at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences, said the new phase will serve national strategic layouts and regional industrial development more directly, with an emphasis on categorized development breakthroughs.

A guideline on education development for 2024 to 2035, issued by central authorities, said universities will be grouped by type — research-intensive, application-oriented and vocational — and encouraged to excel in their respective domains.

"Different types of universities have different national missions," Wu said. "Research universities should focus on pioneering innovation, applied universities on industry collaboration, and vocational institutions on training skilled talent."

Lan said more specialized universities, such as those focused on medicine, agriculture or emerging fields, are likely to be included in the new list.

The second-round "double world-class" list included several newly added universities with distinct specializations, such as Nanjing Medical University, South China Agricultural University and Guangzhou Medical University, reflecting the policy's increased emphasis on discipline-focused and application-oriented institutions.

The third round is also expected to promote interdisciplinary collaboration through mechanisms such as the newly proposed national interdisciplinary research centers, Gao said.

He said the shift reflects a move from discipline-based development to mission-driven development, with universities evaluated on their ability to address complex national challenges through cross-disciplinary research.

Although an official list will only be released in 2027, experts anticipate a moderate and targeted expansion in the third round, particularly in fields critical to national security and technological independence. Lan said the expansion would be strategic rather than arbitrary, with an emphasis on emerging and interdisciplinary subjects.

Gao said moderately broadening the scope aligns with the national strategy of expanding excellence and improving quality across education sectors. More industry-specialized universities, such as medical or agricultural institutions, as well as emerging small-scale research bodies may be included.

Experts said the dynamic adjustment system will continue, meaning underperforming disciplines or institutions may face warnings or removal. In the second round, 15 universities and 16 disciplines received warnings or were removed for inadequate performance.

The "in-and-out mechanism" ensures ongoing quality control, though experts expect the number of removals to remain finite.