Stakeholders&rsquo; Assessment of Status, Challenges, and Pathways of Modern Industry Colleges at Universities in China: Inputs to Development Strategies

Rowena  M. Libo-on,; Maoyun  Xu,; Mingmin  Zou,

Stakeholders’ Assessment of Status, Challenges, and Pathways of Modern Industry Colleges at Universities in China: Inputs to Development Strategies

Mingmin Zou | Maoyun Xu | Rowena M. Libo-on

Discipline: Education

Abstract:

Modern Industry Colleges (MICs) in China represent a transformative initiative aimed at bridging the academic-industry gap through the integration of vocational training, research, and enterprise engagement. This study investigates stakeholders’ assessments of the status, challenges, and development pathways of MICs in three Chinese universities. Employing a survey-correlational design, data were collected from 361 participants, comprising government officials, industry staff, faculty members, and students. Descriptive and inferential statistics revealed a generally favorable evaluation of MICs’ current status, particularly in curriculum and institutional frameworks, though concerns persist in faculty resourcing and talent development. Challenges were most acute in policy alignment, regulatory mechanisms, and employment outcomes, with significant variations in perception across stakeholder categories. Despite these obstacles, stakeholders expressed strong optimism toward future pathways, emphasizing curriculum innovation, policy reform, and enhanced industry collaboration. The study advances strategic recommendations targeting institutional planning, faculty development, curriculum flexibility, and policy support to foster more responsive and sustainable MIC ecosystems. These insights contribute to national discourse on industry-education integration and offer actionable strategies for scaling MICs within China's evolving higher education and workforce development landscape.

References:

Bao, F., & Yang, X. (2024). Research on the Implementation Path of Developing High-Quality Courses in Modern Industrial College: A Case Study of Fosun Tourism and Culture Intelligent Tourism Industrial College. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 190, p. 02012). EDP Sciences.
Chaoxun, S. (2023). Essential Characteristics and Pathways for Creating a Modern Industrial System. China Economist, 18(6), 2-25.
Chen, D. (2024). The Study on the Construction Path of Modern Industry College of Hubei Higher Vocational Colleges.
Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling Techniques (3^rd ed.). Wiley.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications.
Daramola, D. S. (2024). Evaluation of Stakeholders’ Assessment of Graduate Employability Skill in Kwara State, Nigeria. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 11(1), 65-77.
Fan, Y., Zheng, H., Ebonite, R. S., De Asis, W. R., & Juanatas, R. A. (2024). Overview and developmental analysis of China’s technical and vocational education and training. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 7(1), 251-260.
Fernandes, G., Domingues, J., Tereso, A., Micán, C., & Araújo, M. (2022). Risk Management in University–Industry R&D Collaboration Programs: A Stakeholder Perspective. Sustainability 2023, 15, 319.
Gao, F. & Zhang, P. (2020). Performance Evaluation of Industry-Education Integration in Higher Vocational Colleges: An Evidence from China. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(23), 208-219.
Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & Airasian, P. W. (2012). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and applications. Pearson.
Jing, T., Chung, E., & Gregory, M. L. (2022). Vocational education in China: Its history, roles, challenges and the way forward. Journal of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development. Vol, 8, 1.
Mazza, T., & Azzali, S. (2025). Stakeholders’ involvement in economics and management programs quality assurance. Quality Assurance in Education, 33(1), 47-61.
Ministry of Education. (2021). Guidelines for the Construction of Modern Industry Colleges (Trial).
Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric Theory (3^rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
O’Dwyer, M., Filieri, R., & O’Malley, L. (2023). Establishing successful university–industry collaborations:barriers and enablers deconstructed. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 48(3), 900-931.
Smith, A., & Anderson, J. (2021). The Role of Online Communities in Social Support Provision. Journal of Community Psychology, 49(4), 1-15.
Smith, D. A., Fox, E. C., & Jordan, A. T. (2019). Engaging industry stakeholders. Stakeholder Engagement: Improving Education through Multi-Level Community Relations, 149-164.
Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2010). Mixed Methodology: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Sage.
Tian, T. (2022). Research on performance evaluation of industry-university-research collaborative innovation in industrial colleges. In Computational Social Science (pp. 188-194). Routledge.
Tseng, F. C., Huang, M. H., & Chen, D. Z. (2020). Factors of university–industry collaboration affecting university innovation performance. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 45, 560-577.
Xia, L., & Liu, J. (2024). Research on the Path and Empowerment Countermeasures for Cultivating Innovative and Entrepreneurial Talents in Applied Colleges from the Perspective of Industry-University-Research Cooperation. International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research, 9(08), 2590-2602.
Zhang, F., Lv, Y., & Sarker, M. N. I. (2022). Spatio-temporal evolution and development path of industry–university–research cooperation and economic vulnerability: evidence from China’s yangtze river economic belt. Sustainability, 14(19), 12919.