Chinese universities rise as AI reshapes global higher education

Chinese universities are rising in global rankings as they expand research and invest in artificial intelligence. 

That shift was one of the main themes at the QS Higher Ed Summit Europe in Hungary, where educators, researchers and industry leaders discussed how AI is changing higher education and the future workforce.

Nearly 600 delegates and representatives from more than 100 universities gathered at the summit to examine how institutions can prepare students for an economy shaped by new technology.

One topic stood out across the discussions: the growing influence of Chinese universities. QS Founder and President Nunzio Quacquarelli said China is making rapid gains in global higher education.

"In the world university rankings, US and UK institutions have been pretty dominant in the top ten, with MIT coming top," he said. "Yet again, Imperial College is second; Oxford, Cambridge are not far behind. But what we're seeing in China is that it's the fastest improving university system in the world."

Driven by research 

According to QS, that progress is being driven by research, international partnerships and investment in artificial intelligence and green technologies.

Quacquarelli said universities will play a central role in preparing workers for an AI-driven economy.

"The report is called the SHS World Future Skills Index, and SHS believes that AI augmented human capital will be the new fueling economic growth, and that universities will be the production facilities."

For Hungary, the summit also served as an opportunity to strengthen its international profile in higher education and attract new academic partnerships.

Eszter Lukacs, vice president for global strategy at Széchenyi István University, said hosting events of this scale raises the country's visibility.

"It is just a pivotal moment for Hungary now and many events like this. So this is great for the general visibility of Hungarian higher education."

Artificial intelligence is already becoming part of university research.

Safety during earthquakes 

At Széchenyi István University, research associate Nurullah Bektas is using machine learning to study building safety during earthquakes. His system analyzes trusted European Union data and provides guidance before disasters occur.

"The system gets the information from the reliable European Union resources and provides you what you need to do before disaster strikes," he said.

Bektas said the technology depends on how people use it: "Any tool, if you are using the right way for the right purpose, is going to save lives."

Industry leaders also see universities as key partners in developing future technologies.

Huawei says its partnerships with Hungarian universities give students experience with AI, cloud computing and 5G while helping researchers move ideas from the laboratory into the marketplace.

Liu Haoyi, marketing director at Huawei Technologies Hungary and Western Balkans, said those partnerships speed innovation: "This kind of collaboration can turn a laboratory achievement into a commercially viable product more quickly."

As Chinese universities continue to climb global rankings, educators say AI is reshaping where students study, the skills they need and how universities prepare graduates for the future economy.