School-enterprise collaborative talent development in vocational education in the age of digital intelligence: Innovative pathways in the Shenzhen Polytechnic University-Huawei partnership
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The restructuring of industrial landscapes in the era of digital intelligence has heightened the demand for advanced technical and skilled talents, thereby exacerbating the misalignment between vocational college training programs and the evolving needs of industry. In this context, effective collaborative talent cultivation between schools and enterprises has become a pivotal strategy for bridging the aforementioned gap. This paper presents a case study of the 20-year partnership between Shenzhen Polytechnic University (SZPU) and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. We delineated the three evolutionary phases of their collaboration, namely, curriculum restructuring, innovation in talent cultivation, and the co-construction and integration of the industrial ecosystem. We then analyzed the partnership's innovative approaches that were adapted to the digital intelligence era. These approaches encompass the modular restructuring of curricula for SZPU's cluster of information and communications technology programs and its alignment with Huawei technical certifications; the systematic development of next-generation curricula that fully integrates Huawei's foundational technologies; and the upgrading of a talent cultivation model that integrates jobs, competition, and certification into curricula. The SZPU-Huawei collaboration has yielded significant achievements, including a steady enhancement in the depth of school-enterprise cooperation, sustained improvements in the quality of talent cultivation, the formation of excellent dual-qualified faculty, and the establishment of a nationally influential repository of teaching resources. The core lessons derived from this case are anchoring collaboration with leading enterprises, co-constructing industrial ecosystems, and integrating curricula with professional certifications. These offer a replicable and scalable paradigm for advancing collaborative talent cultivation in vocational education and for nurturing innovative, interdisciplinary technical professionals prepared for the age of digital intelligence. This study provides actionable insights into developing vocational education, particularly by outlining strategies for (1) aligning curricula with industry-recognized certifications (e.g., Huawei certifications) and (2) fostering interdisciplinary skills (digital literacy, adaptability) to bridge the gap between academic training and digital industry demands. These findings inform efforts to strengthen vocational education and digital industry integration.
Source: Vocation Technology & Education
Authors: Jianbiao He, Zhuyin Li, Yongpan Guo, Kang Wang
Institution: Shenzhen Polytechnic University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7166644681