Research on the Establishment of an Innovative Education System for Undergraduate Vocational Education: Difference Analysis and Path Exploration in the VUCA Era
Authors
Tong Wanting, Zeng Xiuzhen
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Background. With China’s strong policy push toward undergraduate-level, type-based vocational education, undergraduate vocational education has emerged as a new institutional form bridging higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). In the context of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) era, building an innovative education system for this sector has become particularly critical.
Aim. This study aims to examine the positioning and innovation challenges of undergraduate vocational education by comparing it with non-university tertiary vocational education, and to explore pathways for developing an innovative undergraduate vocational education system.
Material and methods. Drawing on a comparative analytical approach, this paper analyzes undergraduate vocational education and non-university tertiary vocational education in terms of training objectives, curriculum design, pedagogical models, and evaluation mechanisms, with a focus on their capacity to cultivate innovative talent.
Results. The analysis reveals that undergraduate vocational education faces significant challenges in fostering innovation under existing institutional and instructional frameworks. To address these challenges, the study proposes the establishment of a curriculum and instructional system characterized by interdisciplinary integration and project-driven approaches, the strengthening of university–industry collaboration, the creation of an empowering practice-oriented teaching–learning ecosystem, and the development of a “triple-role” innovative faculty team.
Conclusions. These strategies are essential for enhancing the innovation capacity of undergraduate vocational education and for enabling it to respond effectively to the demands of rapid industrial change and technological transformation in the VUCA era.
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Authors
Tong Wanting, Zeng Xiuzhen
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