Jiang Yanyan, an associate professor at Nanjing University, told students in his Generative Software Engineering course that those without paid API tokens should drop out immediately. The instruction appeared on a slide in red text.
Jiang attempted to secure sponsorship to cover the cost of the tokens but was unsuccessful. After failing to find sponsors, he told students they would need to pay for the tokens themselves. He recommended purchasing approximately $15 worth of DeepSeek V4 Flash tokens.
According to Jiang, the intent was not to encourage needless spending. Rather, he argued that by 2026 a computer science degree without hands-on API experience would be out of step with industry expectations. He said employers are less interested in textbook knowledge and more in what applicants have built using APIs and tokens.
The episode contrasts with other parts of the university’s computer science curriculum, which continue to teach traditional subjects such as compiler theory. Jiang’s stance reflects a view held by some educators that practical API usage has moved from being a tool to becoming a prerequisite for graduates to remain competitive on the job market.
Why this matters
- Concrete cost: the recommended DeepSeek V4 Flash token amount was about $15.
- Attempted mitigation: the professor tried and failed to obtain sponsorship to cover token costs.
- Industry relevance: Jiang argued that practical experience with APIs is increasingly decisive for employability in 2026.
The case highlights tension between conventional academic curricula and rapidly changing industry demands: while parts of academia focus on classical theory, others are urging students to acquire low-cost but practical tools to ensure their degrees retain value in the workplace.
