Research on the Undergraduate Talent Training Program for Fashion Design Major in China from the Perspective of Policy Texts

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

A talent cultivation program refers to an operational teaching guidance document formulated by higher education institutions under the guidance of national education policies, based on their own positioning and characteristics, combined with student growth and social development, and grounded in the inherent development laws of the discipline, to effectively carry out professional talent cultivation activities. Focusing on the research of China's fashion design talent cultivation programs, there are currently few research achievements in this field, and most of them are case studies based on the practices of a single institution. The research directions are concentrated on the problems or optimization strategies of the talent cultivation programs in this discipline, and they are all presented in the form of journal papers, which are short in length. The depth, breadth, and comprehensiveness of related research no longer meet the requirements and concerns of the current era for fashion design talent cultivation, indicating that it has not received sufficient attention. However, as a working teacher in the field of fashion design, I have found that the textual content design of undergraduate talent cultivation programs in fashion design still exhibits a certain degree of randomness and blindness, and has not been effectively resolved to date. Therefore, the current research on issues related to undergraduate talent cultivation programs in fashion design is particularly important.
This study is dedicated to the systematic research on the undergraduate talent cultivation program for the fashion design major in China, setting three research questions: Question 1: What are the policy requirements for the compilation of the undergraduate talent cultivation program for the fashion design major in China? Question 2: What are the current characteristics of the text content compilation of the undergraduate talent cultivation program for the fashion design major in case universities? Question 3: Compare the current status of the text compilation of the undergraduate talent cultivation program for the fashion design major in case universities with the national policy requirements for the compilation of talent cultivation programs, and analyze the differences and shortcomings. Based on the above questions, 24 universities in China were selected as research objects for the undergraduate talent cultivation program for the fashion design major. Using the comprehensive content analysis method and comparative research method, the study employed the Nvivo qualitative content analysis tool and Excel spreadsheet quantitative analysis software. Through 29 policy documents, the study systematically analyzed and refined the policy requirements, analyzed the overall characteristics of case universities, compared dimensions based on the CIPP model framework, and analyzed the differences between policy requirements and the current status of the program by drawing on the theory of policy tools to assess the degree of policy discourse coercion. This research aims to provide references for the construction of undergraduate talent cultivation programs for the fashion design major in Chinese universities.
The study first comprehensively reviewed the requirements and basis for the compilation of talent cultivation plans for China's fashion design majors from the perspectives of educational policies, industry policies, talent cultivation objectives, talent cultivation specifications, curriculum teaching systems, practical teaching components, and graduation-related institutional requirements. It was found that in the dimension of talent cultivation objectives, the "National Standards for Undergraduate Professional Education Quality in Regular Higher Education Institutions" (hereinafter referred to as the "National Standards") provided detailed requirements for the four aspects covered by the content elements of the design discipline's cultivation objectives. Other policy documents also specified the basis for formulating talent cultivation objectives, with the policies mainly mentioning eight aspects of formulation basis, among which "based on the National Standards," "the socio-economic development needs of the region," and "the school's positioning, conditions, and history" were repeatedly cited as the formulation basis. In the dimension of talent cultivation specifications, the National Standards elaborated on specific requirements from the three elements of knowledge, ability, and literacy, including eight quality requirements such as "moral character," three knowledge requirements such as "professional-related knowledge," and nine ability requirements such as "professional basic skills." In the dimension of curriculum teaching systems, the policies provided relevant requirements for how to offer courses, the classification of course types, and the specific settings of various courses. At the level of course offering basis, the policies mentioned ten setting principles, including "closely aligning with the professional talent cultivation objectives." In terms of course classification, it was found that different policy documents had certain differences in course classification and terminology, which could be summarized into four categories of courses. The National Standard specifies requirements for course design across four key dimensions. For practical education, the policy outlines eight aspects including practice credits and hours for undergraduate programs, while the National Standard further details seven specific requirements for practical components in design discipline talent development. Regarding graduation requirements, the policy document elaborates on four policy aspects, including academic system regulations, with each clause thoroughly explained.
Secondly, the study objectively presents and analyzes the overall characteristics of the content in the talent cultivation program texts of 24 universities 'fashion design majors. It reveals that in terms of the compilation characteristics of training objectives, the structural elements of talent cultivation programs among case universities have not yet achieved uniformity. Regarding the training objectives dimension, "high-quality" and "competent" serve as the primary positioning criteria for talent levels in case universities, with diversified forms based on "application-oriented" and "interdisciplinary" approaches. The positioning requirements emphasize "knowledge," "skills," and "humanistic literacy," catering to national, regional, and industry demands while particularly prioritizing the cultivation of "design" and "management" talents. In the talent cultivation specifications dimension, the structure primarily consists of "three-element" and "comprehensive element" categories. Common features include emphasis on "tool knowledge" reflecting the "application-oriented" training characteristics, while distinctive features center around "fundamental knowledge and skills" demonstrating the "practical nature" of design majors. Regarding the curriculum teaching system, the structural model of case universities' course systems predominantly adopts a "tiered" paradigm targeting "specialized talent" cultivation. The course system types mainly follow a "common classification framework," while "detailed classifications vary by institution." The course ratio shows a balanced distribution between general education and specialized courses, though some schools have excessively low elective course proportions. While course categories are "diverse," the "definition of course types" remains "ambiguous." In the dimension of practice-oriented education, the credit system for practical teaching components primarily focuses on "major-related practical training." While the content and formats of these practical education components are diverse, they predominantly follow conventional approaches, failing to highlight the institution's distinctive features. Regarding the establishment of graduation requirements, the undergraduate program in Fashion Design adopts a "standard four-year curriculum" as its core framework, supplemented by "flexible academic arrangements." The degree system maintains consistency with the "Design Studies" discipline, while the credit and hour systems exhibit polarized hour intensity and lack uniform standards for credit-hour conversion.
Third, by analyzing the discrepancies between the current status of undergraduate talent cultivation program texts in university fashion design programs and national policy requirements for program development, through the comparative dimensions of the CIPP model and the degree of policy discourse enforcement, it is found that in the Context Evaluation dimension, there is no consensus on the positioning of "comprehensive quality (mixed policy)" and "application-oriented (mixed policy)", and the diversity of formulation bases (mixed and voluntary policies) is insufficient. In the cultivation specifications dimension, insufficient attention is given to requirements such as "health literacy (compulsory policy)", "academic exchange capability (mixed policy)", and "innovation and entrepreneurship capability (mixed policy)". In the dimensions of Input Evaluation and Process Evaluation, the analysis primarily focuses on two aspects: the curriculum system and practical education components. First, comparing the curriculum system with policy requirements reveals that some universities 'course structures fail to align with talent cultivation objectives (compulsory policy), indicating a misalignment between curriculum design and educational goals. Additionally, certain universities' course offerings do not address industry hotspots (compulsory policy), showing limited overall attention to curriculum development, particularly insufficient focus on "green" and "personalized" industry trends. Other policy requirements, such as "maintaining institutional characteristics" (mixed policy), lack implementation, while initiatives like "integrating ideological education with professional training" and "modular curriculum system" (voluntary policy) remain underpromoted. Regarding course nature definition, consensus on course categorization (mixed policy) has yet to be reached, except for a few general education courses. Furthermore, regarding four types of course content, no provisions for teaching condition guarantees (mixed policy) have been established. Additionally, comparing practical education components with policy requirements reveals that the credit ratio for practical components (compulsory policy) requires further improvement. Policy specifications regarding social practice duration and internship hours (compulsory policy) lack standardization, and logistical support provisions (mixed policy) are not reflected. In the Product Evaluation dimension, the "flexible academic system" (mixed policy) regarding academic duration and degree conferral requires broader implementation, while the degree system fails to meet the policy mandate of "academic qualifications for degree attainment" (mixed policy). Regarding the credit-hour system, the current framework exhibits arbitrary allocation of total hours and credits (mixed policy), inconsistent conversion standards between credit hours and academic hours, and other issues that demonstrate significant gaps compared to policy requirements.
This study examines the undergraduate talent cultivation program for China's fashion design majors from a broader and more comprehensive perspective based on a comprehensive policy framework, partially filling the gap in existing literature regarding holistic research on such programs. However, the study also has certain limitations and shortcomings. First, in terms of research samples, factors such as the difficulty in comprehensively obtaining survey data only involve some representative universities in China, without covering all universities uniformly, resulting in relatively weak representativeness in sample collection and problem presentation. Second, in terms of research depth, the study primarily relies on publicly available texts, making it difficult to reflect implicit operations and discrepancies in implementation; moreover, it mainly adopts cross-sectional analysis, failing to adequately track the dynamic evolution of policies and programs. Third, in terms of research methodology, the quantification rules for "the degree of policy language coercion" are subjective and have ambiguous boundaries; additionally, the CIPP model focuses primarily on textual content analysis and comparative analysis, without incorporating external outcome evidence such as student learning outcomes, employment quality, and employer feedback.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER1. Introduction 1
• 1.1 Research Necessity and Research Objectives ２
• 1.2 Research questions ６
• CHAPTER2. Theoretical Background 9
• 2.1 Concept definition ９
• 2.1.1 China undergraduate education ９
• 2.1.2 Talent Development Program 11
• 2.1.3 Fashion Design Major 13
• 2.1.4 Educational policy regulations 15
• 2.2 literature review 17
• 2.2.1 Review of Research Related to Undergraduate Talent Training Programs 17
• 2.2.2 Review of Research on Talent Training Programs for Undergraduate Fashion Design Majors in China 32
• 2.3 Methodology 46
• 2.3.1 CIPP Evaluation Model Framework 46
• 2.3.2 From the Perspective of Policy Texts 48
• 2.3.3 Howlett and Ramesh's Policy Instrument Classification Theory 52
• CHAPTER3. Research Design 56
• 3.1 Subject Investigated 56
• 3.1.1 Policy documents related to the undergraduate talent training program for China's fashion design 56
• 3.1.2 Case Study: Text of the Undergraduate Talent Training Program for the Fashion Design Major in Universities 61
• 3.2 Research Methods 67
• 3.2.1 Content Analysis 68
• 3.2.2 Comparative Approach 68
• 3.3 Data Analysis 70
• CHAPTER4. Policy Requirements for the Construction of Undergraduate Talent Training Program in China's Fashion Design Major 73
• 4.1 The Requirement of Talent Training: Compass for Design Talent Training 77
• 4.2 The Specification of Talent Training: Concrete Description of the Design Talent Training Objective 81
• 4.3 The Requirements of the Course Teaching System: The Key Contents of the Design Talent Training Program 84
• 4.4 The Requirement of Practice Education: The Characteristic of Design Talent Training 95
• 4.5 Graduation-related System Requirements: Output Standards of Design Talent Training 108
• CHAPTER5. V The characteristics of the text content compilation for the undergraduate talent training program of the university's fashion design major in China 116
• 5.1 Elements of text content 116
• 5.1.1 A Comparative Analysis of the Elements of Text Content 116
• 5.1.2 The Dimension Setting of Text Content Feature Research 120
• 5.2 Characteristics of the content preparation for the training objectives 120
• 5.2.1 The Level of Talent: "High Quality" and "Competent" are the Main Orientation of the Level of Talent 122
• 5.2.2 The Talent Type: Based on the "Applied" and "Composite", Presenting the Diversified Form 123
• 5.2.3 Quality of Talents: Knowledge, Skills and Humanistic Quality as the Positioning Requirements 124
• 5.2.4 Talent Function: Serving the Needs of Three Parties, Paying Special Attention to the Training of Design and Management Talents 126
• 5.3 The necessity and purpose of the research 129
• 5.3.1 Cultivation Structure: Three Elements and Comprehensive Elements as the Main Body 129
• 5.3.2 Common Content of Talent Training Specification: Emphasizing "Tool Knowledge" and Reflecting the Characteristics of "Applied" Talent Training 131
• 5.3.3 The cultivation style and personality content: the "double basic" is in the core position, reflecting the "practical attribute" of the design specialty 133
• 5.4 Characteristics of the Text Content Compilation in the Course Teaching System 134
• 5.4.1 Curriculum Architecture Model: The “Floor-Based” Paradigm Prevails, Aiming to Cultivate Specialized Professionals 134
• 5.4.2 Course System Type Classification: Centered on the “Common Classification Framework” 138
• 5.4.3 Proportion of Course Offerings: A balanced ratio of general education courses to major-specific courses 143
• 5.4.4 Current Status of Course Categories: Diverse Course Offerings with Ambiguous Typology 152
• 5.5 Characteristics of Text Content Compilation in Practical Education 161
• 5.5.1 Practical Component Credit Allocation: Primarily focused on “professionally relevant practical training” 162
• 5.5.2 Practical Component Content Arrangement: Practical formats are diverse but primarily conventional. 164
• 5.6 Features of the preparation of the text content for the graduation-related systems 168
• 5.6.1 Academic System: Primarily based on a “four-year academic system,” with a “flexible academic system” implemented. 168
• 5.6.2 Degree System: Ensuring Consistency in Degree Conferral 171
• CHAPTER6. Analysis of Discrepancies Between Policy Requirements and Program Status in Training Schemes Based on CIPP Model Dimensions 177
• 6.1 Context Evaluation: Talent Training Objectives and Specifications 179
• 6.1.1 The training objective: The positioning of “comprehensive quality” and “applied orientation” remains unclear 179
• 6.1.2 Training Specifications: Insufficient emphasis on “health literacy” and “innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities” 183
• 6.2 Input Evaluation & Process Evaluation: Curriculum Teaching System and Practical Education 188
• 6.2.1 Curriculum Teaching System: Mismatch between course offerings and objectives, limited focus on industry hotspots 189
• 6.2.2 Practical Component: Issues such as insufficient credits and hours allocated to practical training 206
• 6.3 Product Evaluation: Quality Standards for Graduation Requirements 210
• 6.3.1 Academic System and Degree Structure: “Flexible Academic System” and “Academic Standards for Degrees” Remain Underdeveloped 211
• 6.3.2 Credit Hour and Credit Point System: Issues such as arbitrary setting of total credit hours and total credit points 214
• CHAPTER7. Discussion and Conclusion 220
• 7.1 Discussion 220
• 7.2 Conclusion 227