The Economics Studies Of The Higher Vocational Education Development In China

Over more than three decades of the reform and opening up, the economic development in China has achieved remarkable results, and at the same time, the higher vocational education is also playing an increasingly significant role, undoubtedly cultivating a large number of technical talents for the economic take-off, the structure adjustment and the upgrade of the industry in China. Nowadays, the vocational education in China stands great and unprecedented opportunities for growth along with the opening of the national vocational education conference and the publication of The Decision on Accelerating the Development of Vocational Education by State Council (Published by State Council (2014), No.19), and the Construction Plan of the Modern Vocational Education System (2014-2020) Published by Ministry of Education (2014, No.6). However, it must be admitted and needs concern that the development of the higher vocational education still falls behind the economic growth, failing to establish a sustainable and sound interaction with each other. There is still a wide prejudice against higher vocational education in society. The role the government plays in guiding and regulating the higher vocational education is insufficient. Most of the vocational colleges are lacking in financial supports. The cooperation between schools and enterprises needs to be broadened and further improved. The construction of teacher's team is still backward. The paper attempts a study into the matter on the basis of Marx's economics and with the help of the domestic and foreign research results in the relative aspects. The paper reviews the economic analyses concerning higher vocational education from those Marxism classic writers and western modern economists, systematically surveys the historical changes of the higher vocational education in China, explores the current situation and problems of the higher vocational education development in China by means of the relative data in connection with the economic development and higher vocational education since the beginning of the reform and opening-up, and researches the opportunities and challenges of the development of higher vocational education in the new economic environment, especially, in the "new normal" economy in China. On this basis, the author surveys the practical experiences of the higher vocational education in Germany, Switzerland, America, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and other developed countries (regions), with special attention on those experiences related to the effective combination of higher vocational education with economic development. In the end of the paper, some strategies and suggestions are put forward, as to how the higher vocational education can actively adjust to the "New normal" economy to promote a rapid and sound growth.