Current Status and Evolution of Pulp and Paper Undergraduate Education in China

Abstract

A paradigm shift of China’s pulp and paper industry towards integrated biorefining and sustainability necessitates a fundamental reform of its higher education system. However, a comprehensive overview of the systematic reforms and structural evolution in Chinese undergraduate education has not been established. To fill this gap, this study systematically investigated the current status and evolution of undergraduate programs in Pulp and Paper Engineering in China through a mixed-methods approach, including field research, analysis of training programs from representative universities, and a comprehensive literature review. The major findings reveal three novel reform trajectories: (1) diversified program affiliation across comprehensive, technology, forestry, and vocational institutions; (2) a modularized curriculum structure integrating green papermaking, biorefinery, biomaterials, and intelligent manufacturing; and (3) establishment of frontier-oriented specializations and new majors in biomass utilization. These findings not only signify a strategic pivot in educational philosophy from training traditional papermill engineers to cultivating innovators for the broader bioeconomy but also reveal key implementation challenges, including interdisciplinary curricular integration, faculty readiness, and the depth of industry-academia collaboration. This study provides a novel framework for understanding educational reforms in the pulp and paper industry and offers valuable insights for global stakeholders in forest products education.