Lu Yanqing, vice-principal of Nanjing University, gives a presentation about the artificial intelligence general education curriculum. [Photo/Yangtze Evening News]

Nanjing University unveiled its comprehensive plan for the "Artificial Intelligence General Education Core Course" on Feb 27. Starting this September, the university will introduce AI courses for the incoming undergraduate class of 2024, marking a pioneering initiative among Chinese higher education institutions.

Tan Tieniu, Party secretary of Nanjing University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in driving the ongoing technological revolution and industrial transformation worldwide. He underscored the profound impact of AI on various aspects of economy, society, and global governance, driven by advancements in mobile internet, big data, supercomputing, sensor networks, and neuroscience.

AI is thus set to become an indispensable part of education for Nanjing University students, Tan said.

In crafting the AI curriculum, the university carefully considered course content, faculty composition, teaching approaches, and assessment methods. The program will include one compulsory course along with multiple interdisciplinary courses integrating AI into various fields of study.

Additionally, Nanjing University will collaborate with research institutions and enterprises to create diverse scenarios for hands-on learning. The university also aims to leverage a wide range of resources to provide hardware and software support for the AI curriculum.