The Value-Added Contribution of Input Factors in Higher Education to College Students’ Core Competencies in the AI Era

Abstract

This study empirically explored how the five key input factors in higher education affectthe value added in college students’ core competencies in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing data from a 2019 graduate employment sample survey focusing on value added contributions. The findings were summarized as follows: (1) A convergence phenomenon was observed in developing core competencies within Chinese higher education, where students from regular undergraduate universities, despite having moderate academic advantages, exhibited weaker value-added growth across multiple core competencies. (2) Higher education institutions (HEIs) continued to serve as the primary platform for cultivating students’ core competencies, with curriculum delivery being the most significant practical factor in shaping these competencies. Interdisciplinary courses strongly contributed to higher-order core competencies such as innovation and creativity. (3) The contribution of input factors to different core competencies varied significantly across HEIs. Although institutions under the Double First-Class Initiative appeared to have lower net contributions compared to higher vocational colleges, this gap was offset by their students’ more advantageous individual endowments and family backgrounds. This study suggests reforms in classified management and evaluation systems, curriculum design, and faculty and teaching to ensure students acquire the higher-order thinking skills and competencies necessary to adapt to emerging technologies and effectively respond to continuous changes.

Keywords

artificial intelligence (AI) / core competencies / value-added contribution / college students

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Higher Education Press