Shanghai International Studies University identifies ten global trends transforming vocational education

In a comprehensive study published online on December 22, 2025 in ECNU Review of Education, the team from Shanghai International Studies University identifies ten key trends shaping vocational education worldwide between 2022 and 2024. The research analyzed global policy innovations and practical explorations across various countries, including Germany, Singapore, Canada, and Japan. The study identifies ten transformative trends:

1. Innovation-Driven Development: National economic strategies are driving systematic reforms in talent cultivation to support industrial upgrading.

2. Faculty Development: Global educational initiatives are increasingly focusing on the cultivation of “dual-qualified” teachers who possess both academic knowledge and industry expertise.

3.  Diversified Training Modes: Flexible learning paths, such as micro-credentials and credit banks, are rising to provide more versatile and accessible training options.

4. Digital Transformation: Educational institutions are utilizing cloud resources and standardized digital content to enhance the resilience and inclusion of vocational systems.

5. AI Empowerment: The implementation of intelligent tutor systems and classroom analysis is enabling the personalization of learning paths for diverse students.

6. Deepening Industry-Education Integration: There is a significant shift from simple resource exchange toward the deep co-construction of professional standards between schools and enterprises.

7.  Promotion of Green Skills: Sustainability is being systematically integrated into curricula to support global carbon-neutral goals and green transitions.

8.  Expansion of International Cooperation: The expansion of cross-border skills recognition and “skills passports” is facilitating the global mobility of technical talent.

9. Strengthening Quality Supervision: Quality assurance systems are moving toward employment-outcome-oriented certification and rigorous third-party evaluations.

10. Enhancing Capital Investment: Funding sources are being diversified through the adoption of public-private partnerships (PPP) and performance-based investment models.

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Reference
DOI: 10.1177/20965311251403494

Funding information
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: General Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education “Research on the Internationalization Path and Strategy of Vocational Education in China from the Perspective of Regional and Country Analysis” (22YJC880018); the 2023 open research project of the Institute of Global Governance and Regional Studies, Shanghai International Studies University Shanghai (2023kty004).