Author(s)

Shudan Yang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ College of Optoelectronics and Communication Engineering, Yunnan Open University (Yunnan Technical College of Industry), Kunming, 650500, China

Corresponding Author

Shudan Yang

ABSTRACT

To response to China's national agenda for reforming its modern vocational education system, this study addresses the persistent gap between entrepreneurship education and regional industrial demands. Through a sequential mixed-methods single-case study conducted in Yunnan Province (survey N = 297; semi-structured interviews), the research identifies key bottlenecks in the Competition–Teaching Integration (CTI) model within higher vocational colleges. Findings reveal three structural dilemmas: a misalignment between curriculum content and industry needs; an imbalance in faculty competencies (rule interpretation vs. industry experience); and a fragmented post-competition pipeline that impedes the conversion of student projects into viable ventures. While students report strong alignment with competition rules (72.7%), only 33.3% of projects map onto local pillar industries, and the venture conversion rate stands at a mere 6.3%. To address these challenges, we propose a Three-Tier Mapping Model that integrates curriculum reconstruction, faculty upskilling and incentivization, and platform synergy. This model aligns competition rubrics with course outcomes and provincial industrial strategies. By translating experiential learning theory into institution-level design within a non-Western VET context, the study contributes to international debates on effective entrepreneurship education and offers actionable insights for policymakers and vocational educators.

KEYWORDS

Competition-Teaching Integration; Entrepreneurship Education; Vocational Education and Training (VET); University-Industry Collaboration; Curriculum Development

CITE THIS PAPER

Shudan Yang, Integrating Competitions with Curriculum: Challenges and Strategies for Entrepreneurship Education in China's Vocational Colleges. Advances in Vocational and Technical Education (2025) Vol. 7: 48-55. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/avte.2025.070307.

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Sponsors, Associates, and Links

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• Advances in Educational Technology and Psychology
  
  
• Curriculum and Teaching Methodology
  
  
• Transactions on Comparative Education
  
  
• Applied & Educational Psychology
  
  
• Adult and Higher Education