Enhancing industry-education integration in modern industrial colleges: a symbiosis theory perspective

Modern industrial colleges, as novel platforms for integrating industry and education, face challenges in sustainable development related to resource flow, stakeholder engagement, policy coordination, and teaching system design. This study, drawing on symbiosis theory, establishes a comprehensive analytical framework that includes parameter compatibility, motivation generation, environmental safeguards, and pedagogical integration. It proposes a systematic optimization strategy: improving cross-boundary resource integration through dynamic matching and strategic consensus; empowering multiple stakeholders with a resource value-added win-win model; reinforcing institutional support via vertical-horizontal policy coordination; and reforming the educational system through a mechanism linking profession, curriculum, and faculty. The findings highlight symbiosis theory as a valuable tool for overcoming organizational boundaries in industry-education integration. By creating a closed loop of demand-driven knowledge supply and resource empowerment, it facilitates a shift from the current “physical superposition” of education and industry chains to a more integrated “chemical fusion,” promoting collaborative development characterized by resource sharing, risk mitigation, and mutual benefit. This study offers theoretical insights and practical guidance for enhancing the high-quality development of modern industrial colleges in locally application-oriented universities.