CULTIVATING EMPLOYMENT-ORIENTED INTERDISCIPLINARY HIGH-QUALITY FOREIGN LANGUAGE TALENTS IN CHINESE UNIVERSITIES: PATHWAYS AND OUTCOMES IN THE AI ERA

Based on survey and interview data with 56 HR managers, business supervisors, deans of foreign language schools, discipline leaders, class advisors, and counselors, as well as 317 graduates from foreign language majors across 10 universities engaged in dual-degree or micro-specialization reforms, together with responses from 6 large enterprises in China, this study offers an updated picture of talent needs and educational outcomes. The findings reveal that employers now limit their recruitment to graduates with a single foreign language degree. Instead, there is a strong demand for graduates with an interdisciplinary profile— “Foreign Language + AI Applications/Computer Science/Cross-border E-commerce/International Trade/Area Studies/International Relations.” Such graduates not only receive significantly more job offers but also enjoy a starting salary that is typically 30–50% higher than their single-major counterparts. Similarly, students who obtained a dual degree or a micro-specialization besides their foreign language major reported substantially better employment rates, higher job quality, and a greater likelihood of pursuing postgraduate study. Employment outcomes show a clear hierarchy: interdisciplinary dual degree > foreign language + micro-specialization > single foreign language major, with salary gaps at each level exceeding 20–30%. However, due to factors such as training philosophy and a lack of interdisciplinary faculty, the number of universities that have begun to reform and offer interdisciplinary dual degree and micro speciality teaching in foreign language majors is limited. It is recommended that universities increase investment in interdisciplinary faculty, strengthen the offering of "foreign language + interdisciplinary" dual degree courses, and actively explore undergraduate and graduate programs that fit the needs of enterprises, such as "foreign language + interdisciplinary triple degree" or "foreign language + interdisciplinary dual degree + interdisciplinary micro-specialization tracks ".<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0215/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>