SCHOOL-ENTERPRISE COOPERATION MANAGEMENT FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN GUANGXI PROVINCE

Abstract

Against the backdrop of China’s ongoing reform of modern vocational education and the deepening integration of industry and education, school-enterprise cooperation (SEC) has become a critical governance mechanism for improving the quality of vocational education and cultivating highly qualified technical and skilled professionals. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as China’s strategic gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has a dual mandate: to support regional industrial transformation by developing a highly skilled workforce and to advance cross-border vocational education cooperation with ASEAN countries. Accordingly, effective SEC management is increasingly important for enhancing educational quality, strengthening regional industrial competitiveness, and promoting sustainable China-ASEAN educational collaboration. This review synthesizes the literature on the conceptual foundations, theoretical perspectives, regional practices, international experiences, and persistent challenges of SEC management in vocational education, with particular attention to Guangxi. The analysis identifies four priorities for future research: (1) constructing a localized theoretical framework that reflects Guangxi’s border location, multi-ethnic context, industrial structure, and ASEAN-oriented development strategy; (2) strengthening empirical inquiry through integrated quantitative and qualitative methods; (3) incorporating enterprise perspectives to clarify stakeholder interests, collaborative governance processes, and the conditions for partnership sustainability; and (4) exploring innovative SEC models that facilitate deeper vocational education cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN countries. By consolidating the existing body of knowledge and identifying critical gaps, this review provides a theoretical basis for future empirical research, evidence-informed policy development, and the institutional optimization of SEC management in Guangxi’s vocational education system.