Expanding Higher Vocational Education: Rationale, Historical Review, and Development Trends in China

Abstract

Purpose: This paper provides a rationale and historical review of higher vocational education (HVE) globally and in China. The expansion of HVE is driven by dominant themes in policy, such as the encouragement of academics’ societal engagement (ASE) for economic development and the need to address social problems like youth unemployment and poverty. The paper examines the development of HVE in China, which has faced challenges related to the degree of connection with high school curriculum and social stigma. The government has implemented the policies to elevate the social status and acceptance of HVE, enhancing its quality and relevance, and reinforcing its governance and management structures. Method: The paper also analyses the prominent research directions and development trends of HVE in China from 2000 to 2023, using the VOS viewer mapping tool and Web of Science. Findings: The result shows that key words like “study,” “student,” “education,” and “vocational college,” indicate key themes and focal points in the discourse. In addition, the terms “quality” and “management” being prominent in the analysis reveal concerns for maintaining and improving the quality of higher vocational education. In this way, understanding the mediating effects of “management” can provide possible solutions. While desk-based reviews using VOS viewer as an analysis tool offer valuable insights, they may lack the depth of contextual understanding that can be gained through qualitative analysis. Future Research: This paper calls for future study in the management of faculty deans in HVE institutions and the mediating effect of teachers on improving general teaching quality and student achievement, with an aim of improving the international standards of the vocational education and offering a significant intuition on the development of HVE.