This book investigates one of the most critical yet underexplored dimensions of higher education reform in China: the skills development-focused collaboration between universities and industries. In the context of rapid economic transformation, the rise of Industry 4.0, and the growing demand for practice-oriented talent, this book provides a comprehensive and systematic analysis of how Chinese universities, including both applied undergraduate institutions and comprehensive research universities, engage with industry partners to cultivate graduates who meet the demands of an evolving workforce. Drawing from theoretical foundations, empirical studies, national policy frameworks, and rich case analyses, this book examines the goals, structures, challenges, and outcomes of these partnerships. 

This book serves as both a scholarly analysis and a practical guide. It sheds light on the evolving role of applied universities and comprehensive research universities in China’s talent ecosystem and offers a roadmap for more effective and equitable partnerships between education and industry. As nations globally seek to bridge the gap between academic instruction and workforce readiness, insights from this book have enduring relevance.

Tengteng Zhuang is currently an Associate Professor at Institute of Higher Education, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University. His research centres on teaching and learning in higher education, with a particular focus on STEM and engineering education. Within this sustained programme of research, a key area is university–industry collaboration for students’ skill development, examining how industrial engagement shapes curriculum reform, teaching practices, and the development of students' professional capabilities. His work investigates the policies, institutional arrangements, and relationships that support meaningful industry participation in university education, employing both policy perspectives and sociological perspectives. He has published more than 50 articles in leading English and Chinese journals and has authored two English-language academic monographs on China's undergraduate engineering education development and reform. Most recently, he is the Chinese translating author of the book Global Mega Science: Universities, Research Collaborations, and Knowledge Production published by China's leading Educational Science Publishing House. Dr. Zhuang has led multiple research projects on topics of university-industry collaboration and talent cultivation in interdisciplinary fields associated with China's 'New Engineering Education', 'New Medical Education', 'New Agricultural Education' and 'New Humanities and Social Science Education' (Four New) initiatives.