Jiangsu Issues High-Level University Construction Plan with Dedicated AI Empowerment Program

The Jiangsu provincial government issued the High-Level University Construction Plan (2026-2030), setting targets of 1-2 universities entering the world's top tier and 3-5 entering the world-class ranks by 2030. The plan lists a dedicated AI Empowerment for High-Level University Construction program, supporting AI general education, AI-related disciplines and majors, and agent development, and expanding AI applications in teaching assistance, learning assistance, research assistance and administration. The provincial education and finance departments will set annual funding based on each university's AI empowerment results.

The plan turns AI from voluntary campus experimentation into a provincial construction task and a basis for funding allocation, directly affecting curriculum design, discipline layout and faculty positions at Jiangsu universities, and changing procurement and deployment conditions for AI teaching products and agent tools aimed at higher education. Two direct effects: universities must produce assessable AI empowerment results to secure annual special funds, making AI general education and teaching/learning assistance measurable tasks; and the expansion of AI-related disciplines and distinguished professor posts affects talent supply and competition. The limitation is that this is a provincial policy text; selection criteria, funding amounts and evaluation indicators are not yet published, so implementation needs verification through follow-up documents and annual reports. Jiangsu universities must deliver assessable results in AI general education, disciplines and agent development to obtain annual special funding. Artificial intelligence is named a priority interdisciplinary field and distinguished professor area, affecting discipline layout, faculty posts and talent recruitment.