Shandong province is adjusting the structure of its academic disciplines to better serve the needs of its modern industrial system, officials said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Over 80 percent of new doctoral, master's, undergraduate, and vocational degree programs added during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) are in high-demand fields, filling gaps in 16 key areas such as integrated circuits and low-altitude technology.

"Industrial upgrading calls for higher-level adjustments in disciplines and talent cultivation," said Wang Jianfu, a senior official with the Shandong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology.

He emphasized the need for new programs in emerging fields like AI, integrated circuits, and quantum technology, alongside enhanced school-enterprise collaboration.

By 2027, over 85 percent of newly established disciplines in Shandong will address national or regional needs. By 2030, the alignment between academic programs and the modern industrial system is expected to exceed 95 percent, said Wang Hao, deputy director of Shandong Provincial Department of Education.

Rizhao Polytechnic exemplifies this approach. The school has built a discipline system closely tied to local industries, including marine equipment and steel manufacturing.

"Our goal is to ensure that whatever talent industries need, the university will establish the relevant programs," said Xiao Mei, Party secretary of the school. Over the past three years, it has added 18 urgently needed programs, discontinued seven outdated ones, and upgraded 29 traditional specialties to maintain dynamic alignment with industrial demand.