Shandong University (SDU) is developing a future learning center featuring digital resources, artificial intelligence (AI) and new approaches to teaching and learning.

China's Ministry of Education first proposed the development of future learning centers in 2021 and has since launched pilot programs as part of the country's broader educational digitalization efforts.

Rather than serving as upgraded classrooms, future learning centers are intended to break down the boundaries between classrooms, laboratories and libraries, integrating learning spaces, resources, courses, technology and assessment systems.

At SDU, the future learning center is designed around a central resource hub. It integrates online courses, digital textbooks, and virtual simulation resources. AI is also employed to recommend learning materials based on students' academic backgrounds and individual needs.

A digital learning platform developed by SDU also provides access to information graphs, academic search tools, widely-used large language models and AI agents for a range of learning scenarios. Graduate student Yu Sen said the platform helps organize unfamiliar subjects into structured knowledge systems and identify suitable approaches to learning.

SDU began planning the center in late 2021. Rather than treating it merely as a hardware-oriented project, the university is exploring project-based, inquiry-driven and interdisciplinary learning. Student research projects, collaborative work and practical outcomes may also be incorporated into course assessment and broader student evaluation.

SDU aims to expand immersive human-AI learning scenarios and introduce more project-based, interdisciplinary courses, leveraging the center as a platform for broader educational reform.