Symbiotic Collaboration between Higher Vocational Education and the Private Economy: An Empirical Analysis Using the Industry-Education Symbiosis Index

Abstract

This study investigates the coordinated development of higher vocational education and the private economy, which is important for industrial upgrading and the supply of skilled workers. However, schools are often highly motivated while companies remain indifferent, a contrast that limits the potential for collaboration between the two sides. Based on Symbiosis Theory, this paper uses standardized provincial panel data to construct an Industry‑Education Symbiosis Index (IESI). The index integrates three dimensions: Networked Resource Investment (NRI), Collaborative Process Integration (CPI) and Shared Harvest Impact (SHI). It is used to empirically evaluate dynamic cooperation in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2024. This study finds the IESI followed a non‑linear three‑stage evolution and recorded a cumulative increase of 123%. However, problems remain: limited participation of small and medium‑sized enterprises due to direct cost pressures, fluctuations in faculty resources caused by the evaluation system, a mismatch between talent supply and entrepreneurial demands, and unbalanced regional coordination. Drawing on Institutional Economics and Human Capital Theory, this paper proposes a three‑dimensional optimization path: restructuring the symbiotic return mechanism, reforming the academic evaluation incentive system, and fostering flexible skill adaptability. These findings provide a quantifiable diagnostic tool and an actionable policy framework for transitioning from transactional cooperation to deep institutional symbiosis in transitional economies. This study advances theory by applying Symbiosis Theory to construct an empirical Industry‑Education Symbiosis Index, revealing non‑linear evolution patterns and persistent mismatches in industry‑education collaboration. It offers a processual understanding of coordinated development between higher vocational education and the private economy, and provides a diagnostic framework for transitioning from transactional cooperation to deep institutional symbiosis in transitional economies.