Overcoming educational silos: a mixed-methods framework for Curriculum Ideological-Political Education in China

Introduction: The phenomenon of “educational silos”–the structural fragmentation between professional training and values education–remains a persistent challenge in global higher education. While China’s Curriculum Ideological–Political Education (CIPE) policy offers a systemic response to this issue, existing research often lacks a robust theoretical framework to explain the mechanisms of integration.

Methods: This study addresses this gap by developing a dialectical integration framework through a mixed-methods design, combining a cross-linguistic bibliometric analysis of 851 publications (2014–2024) with multi-site case studies across 12 universities.

Results: The analyses identify three distinct integration modalities—complementary, dialogical, and transformative—which function as context–dependent strategies rather than hierarchical stages. Furthermore, a meta-analytical synthesis indicates a moderate positive association between these initiatives and knowledge consolidation, although effects diminish in behavioral domains.

Discussion: Overcoming educational silos appears to require dialectical negotiation of disciplinary boundaries and explicit alignment between professional competencies and value-oriented goals. The proposed framework offers a transferable typology to support curriculum design, institutional implementation, and evaluation of integration quality.

1 Introduction

1.1 The challenge of educational silos in higher education

The fragmentation between specialized professional training and values-based education remains a persistent structural challenge in global higher education systems. This phenomenon, often conceptualized as “educational silos,” manifests as a disconnection where students develop technical expertise in isolation from the ethical, social, and political contexts of their future professions (Ferdman and Ratti, 2024). In engineering education, for instance, ethics is frequently treated as a distinct, peripheral module rather than an intrinsic component of technical decision-making (Isaac et al., 2024). Similarly, medical education faces hurdles in meaningfully integrating humanities to foster holistic patient care (Tolsgaard et al., 2016). International responses vary by governance context: American approaches often emphasize “civic learning” through decentralized faculty initiatives, whereas European frameworks prioritize “transversal competencies” within the Bologna Process (Boehme, 2024; Xin et al., 2025). Despite these diverse strategies, the core challenge remains universal: how to structurally and pedagogically bridge the epistemic divide between “hard” professional knowledge and “soft” value orientation without compromising disciplinary integrity.

1.2 CIPE in China: a systemic response

In the Chinese context, this global challenge is addressed through a centralized policy initiative known as Curriculum Ideological-Political Education (CIPE). Distinct from traditional isolated political theory courses, CIPE mandates the integration of values education—ranging from professional ethics to national identity—into all disciplinary courses (Mei, 2024; Wang and Zhou, 2023). Since the Ministry of Education’s comprehensive guidelines in 2020, CIPE has evolved from pilot experiments to a nationwide systemic reform (Shen et al., 2025; Zhao et al., 2024). This initiative represents a unique “natural experiment” in large-scale curriculum integration, characterized by top-down policy coordination combined with institution-specific implementation. However, the rapid expansion of CIPE has encountered significant “policy-practice gaps,” where formal compliance often masks persistent fragmentation at the classroom level (Ouyang et al., 2024).

1.3 Theoretical and empirical gaps

While recent scholarship has examined CIPE implementation, substantial theoretical and methodological gaps limit the current understanding of its effectiveness. First, existing studies predominantly focus on descriptive implementation strategies or student satisfaction surveys (Xin et al., 2024), lacking a robust theoretical framework to explain the underlying mechanisms of integration. Although classical theories such as Bernstein’s classification of knowledge boundaries offer foundational insights, they have rarely been adapted to explain how CIPE operates within a centralized governance system. Second, the literature is dominated by single-method designs that either overlook the macro-level evolutionary trends of the field or fail to capture the micro-level nuances of institutional adaptation (Yue et al., 2023). There is a paucity of mixed-methods research that triangulates bibliometric patterns with empirical case evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of different integration modalities. Consequently, the “silo phenomenon” is often critiqued as an organizational failure rather than analyzed as a dialectical tension requiring negotiated alignment.

1.4 The present study

To address these gaps, this study employs a mixed-methods design to develop a dialectical integration framework for overcoming educational silos. By synthesizing a cross-linguistic bibliometric analysis of 851 publications (2014–2024) with multi-site case studies across 12 universities, the research provides a multi-dimensional examination of curriculum integration. The study moves beyond binary conceptualizations of “integration vs. separation” to propose three context-dependent modalities—complementary, dialogical, and transformative—and evaluates their effectiveness using meta-analytical data. To explicitly operationalize these theoretical distinctions, we propose a typology of three integration modalities. Table 1 summarizes their conceptual definitions, epistemological assumptions based on Bernstein’s classification, and applicable disciplinary examples.

TABLE 1

Table 1. Comparison of three curriculum integration modalities.

1.5 Research questions

The study is guided by two sets of research questions (RQs) corresponding to the macro and micro levels of analysis: (1) Macro-Level (Bibliometric Analysis): RQ1: How has the theoretical landscape of CIPE evolved over the past decade, and what are the distinct evolutionary phases of integration research? (2) Micro-Level (Case Studies & Meta-Analysis): RQ2: How do different integration modalities (complementary, dialogical, transformative) function across diverse disciplinary contexts (e.g., engineering vs. humanities)? RQ3: What structural, pedagogical, and epistemological factors facilitate or inhibit effective integration, and to what extent does CIPE influence student learning outcomes?

2 Methodological framework

2.1 Research design

This study employs an Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Design (Creswell and Clark, 2017), integrating quantitative bibliometrics, qualitative case studies, and empirical validation to comprehensively examine the integration of Curriculum Ideological-Political Education (CIPE). As illustrated in Figure 1, the research proceeds through three mutually informative phases: (1) Phase 1 (Macro-Level): A cross-linguistic bibliometric analysis to map the evolutionary trajectory and conceptual structure of the field. (2) Phase 2 (Micro-Level): Multi-site case studies to explore the contextual mechanisms of integration and identify “silo” manifestations. (3) Phase 3 (Validation): A quantitative survey to validate the theoretical constructs and integration modalities identified in the qualitative phase.

FIGURE 1

Figure 1. The exploratory sequential mixed-methods research design.

2.2 Phase 1: cross-linguistic bibliometric analysis

To capture the global and local landscape of curriculum integration, we compiled a dual-corpus dataset comprising 648 Chinese publications (from CNKI, CSSCI) and 203 international publications (from WoS, Scopus) spanning 2014–2024. The data were analyzed using CiteSpace (v.6.3.R1) to visualize knowledge domains. We applied “Time Slicing” (1-year intervals) and “Pathfinder Network Scaling” to prune irrelevant links, ensuring network clarity (Chen, 2017). We utilized Betweenness Centrality to identify pivotal nodes (boundary-spanning concepts) and Burst Detection (Kleinberg’s algorithm) to trace emerging research fronts.

2.3 Phase 2: multi-Site case study

Based on the institutional clusters identified in Phase 1, we employed a maximum variation sampling strategy (Yin, 2018) to select 12 universities representing diverse typologies: 4 research-intensive (“Double First-Class”), 4 teaching-focused, and 4 vocational institutions across Eastern, Central, and Western China. Data sources included semi-structured interviews with faculty and administrators (n = 108), classroom observations (24 sessions), and policy document analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using the Gioia Method (Gioia et al., 2013), progressing from 1st-order participant terms to 2nd-order theoretical themes (e.g., “Complementary Integration”), finally aggregating them into the three aggregate dimensions of our framework.

2.4 Phase 3: survey and empirical validation

To address the call for methodological transparency and generalizability, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to validate the integration modalities and assessing their impact on student outcomes. A stratified random sampling method was used to recruit 1,245 undergraduate students from the 12 case universities. The sample was balanced across disciplines (Engineering: 34.5%, Humanities: 31.2%, Medicine: 18.6%, Others: 15.7%) and year levels.

The survey instrument comprised 24 items adapted from validated scales, measuring three latent constructs. All items were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. (1) Knowledge Integration (8 items): Adapted from the Integrative Learning Scale (Tolsgaard et al., 2016), assessing the connection between professional skills and ethical values (e.g., “This course helped me see the ethical implications of my technical decisions”). Cronbach’s α = 0.88. (2) Value Identification (8 items): Developed based on the Civic-Mindedness Scale (Adarlo et al., 2024), measuring students’ alignment with professional ethics (e.g., “I feel a strong sense of social responsibility in my future profession’). Cronbach’s α = 0.85. (3) Behavioral Intentions (8 items): Assessing willingness to act ethically in professional scenarios. Cronbach’s α = 0.82.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted using AMOS 26.0. The measurement model demonstrated excellent fit (χ² /df = 2.14, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.045). Composite Reliability (CR) for all constructs exceeded 0.80, and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was above 0.50, confirming convergent validity (Hair et al., 2019). Factor loadings for all items ranged from 0.71 to 0.89 (p < 0.001), ensuring robust psychometric properties.

3 Macro-level results: evolutionary trajectory and conceptual structure (addressing RQ1)

3.1 Evolutionary phases and policy drivers

The bibliometric analysis reveals a distinctive developmental trajectory of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education (CIPE) research characterized by three discernible phases corresponding to significant policy initiatives and institutional developments in Chinese higher education (Figure 2). The initial emergence phase (2014–2016) exhibited modest publication volume primarily concentrated in pedagogical journals (68.4%) and institutional outlets (21.8%), with publications predominantly originating from Shanghai institutions (42.5%), reflecting the city’s pioneering role in CIPE experimentation (Liu et al., 2023). This period was characterized by considerable conceptual heterogeneity (mean bibliographic coupling strength = 0.31), indicating predominantly exploratory approaches to curriculum integration.

FIGURE 2

Figure 2. Evolutionary trajectory of CIPE research (2014–2024).

The subsequent rapid expansion phase (2017–2020) demonstrated exponential growth in publication volume (CAGR = 38.7%), substantially exceeding the broader educational research field’s growth rate of 7.2% during the same period (Sukjairungwattana et al., 2025). This acceleration coincided with President Xi Jinping’s 2016 address on educational reform and subsequent national policy initiatives, illustrating the direct influence of policy discourse on research priorities (Liu and He, 2022). The institutional distribution expanded significantly during this phase, with contributions from 218 distinct institutions across 28 provinces, indicating the nationalization of CIPE research beyond its Shanghai origins.

The institutionalization phase (2021–2024) exhibited continued but moderating growth (CAGR = 14.2%), accompanied by increased methodological sophistication and theoretical consolidation. This phase featured a notable shift from predominantly conceptual papers (61.3% in 2017–2020) toward empirical research (53.8% in 2021–2024), reflecting the field’s maturation from theoretical exploration to evidence-based implementation assessment (Wang et al., 2022). Comparative analysis with international publication patterns reveals that while Chinese CIPE research demonstrated policy-driven exponential growth, international research on curriculum integration of values education exhibited more gradual progression (CAGR = 6.8%), with peaks corresponding to broader educational reform movements rather than specific policy interventions (Yan et al., 2022).

3.2 Bibliometric analysis of CIPE research: conceptual structures and cross-cultural perspectives

3.2.1 Network topology and conceptual architecture

The keyword co-occurrence network analysis yielded a complex conceptual landscape comprising 533 nodes and 1001 edges, revealing a robust community structure (modularity Q = 0.6961) with substantial cluster homogeneity (mean silhouette value = 0.5306). These structural parameters indicate significant thematic differentiation within the CIPE research domain, surpassing the threshold values (Q > 0.3, S > 0.5) established for meaningful clustering in bibliometric research. The network’s relatively low density (0.0071) coupled with moderate mean degree (3.76) suggests a specialized knowledge structure characterized by distinct thematic clusters rather than a densely interconnected research field, consistent with emerging interdisciplinary domains in their consolidation phase (Leydesdorff et al., 2018).

Centrality analysis revealed a hierarchical knowledge structure with a core-periphery configuration (Figure 3). This structure is characterized by a densely connected central component of methodological and implementation concepts surrounded by specialized clusters addressing disciplinary adaptations, institutional implementations, and assessment approaches. This configuration is consistent with Whitley’s characterization of emerging interdisciplinary fields, where core methodological concepts provide cohesion while specialized applications generate contextual diversity. However, this structural pattern also raises critical questions about intellectual diversity within the field, as core-periphery knowledge structures can potentially constrain novel perspective development through what Rafols and Meyer term “disciplinary reinforcement”—where dominant conceptual frameworks implicitly marginalize alternative approaches.

FIGURE 3

Figure 3. Network diagram of keyword co-occurrence. The network topology exhibits a core-periphery structure with a densely connected central component surrounding the primary “Curriculum IPE” node, with specialized peripheral clusters representing distinct implementation domains and methodological approaches. This structure reflects CIPE’s nature as a centralized educational approach with diverse disciplinary applications and implementation contexts.

Betweenness centrality analysis identified knowledge-brokering concepts that facilitate conceptual exchange between otherwise separated thematic areas. Terms including “curriculum system” (betweenness = 0.186), “teaching reform” (betweenness = 0.159), and “educational effectiveness” (betweenness = 0.147) function as intellectual bridges connecting different research streams. The strategic positioning of these concepts challenges simplified interpretations of CIPE research as either methodologically or theoretically driven, instead revealing what describe as “boundary objects”—concepts flexible enough to adapt to local disciplinary needs while maintaining identity across contexts. This boundary-spanning function enables knowledge integration across diverse implementation domains while maintaining conceptual coherence, though potentially at the cost of definitional precision, as Al Maktoum and Al Kaabi (2024) notes in his critique of conceptual elasticity in educational reform terminology.

The network’s structural properties demonstrate significant correspondence with its substantive meaning. The network’s community structure (Q = 0.6961) reflects actual intellectual divisions within the CIPE research community rather than merely statistical artifacts. Content analysis of key documents within each modularity-based cluster reveals coherent thematic focus and shared methodological orientations, validating the structural patterns identified through network analysis. However, this structural-semantic alignment is not uniform across the network; peripheral clusters demonstrate stronger internal coherence (average silhouette values > 0.7) than boundary-spanning regions where conceptual ambiguity increases. This pattern aligns with Kuhn’s observation that disciplinary boundaries often maintain higher paradigmatic consensus than interdisciplinary intersections where competing frameworks create interpretive plurality.

3.2.2 Disciplinary distribution and integration patterns

The disciplinary distribution analysis revealed substantial variation in CIPE implementation across academic domains, with engineering education demonstrating the highest integration prevalence (23.4% of disciplinary adaptations), followed by medicine (18.7%), business (15.2%), and humanities (14.9%). This uneven implementation pattern appears counterintuitive given that humanities disciplines might be expected to demonstrate greater alignment with ideological-political content. However, this pattern corresponds with Li and Liu’s (2025) findings on disciplinary receptivity to curriculum reform, which identified technical and professional fields as more responsive to structured integration frameworks due to their established traditions of standardized curricular planning.

Critical analysis of these disciplinary patterns reveals complex interactions between epistemological compatibility and institutional incentives. While professional disciplines demonstrate higher implementation rates, content analysis of representative publications suggests potential differences in integration quality. Professional disciplines frequently employ what Liu et al term “adjacency models” that position ideological content alongside technical material without substantial epistemological integration. In contrast, humanities publications, though fewer in number, more frequently demonstrate what Yang and Wu identify as “transformative integration” that reconceptualizes both ideological and disciplinary content through mutual interaction. This qualitative distinction complicates quantitative implementation metrics, raising important questions about how integration should be evaluated—through breadth of adoption or depth of epistemological transformation.

The disciplinary variation further reveals potentially contradictory implementation logics. Chen et al. (2023) identify fundamental tensions between the standardized integration frameworks promoted in national policy documents and the distinctive epistemological structures of different disciplinary domains. Their comparative analysis of engineering and humanities implementations demonstrates how identical policy directives generate qualitatively different integration approaches when filtered through different disciplinary cultures. This finding challenges simplified policy implementation models that assume uniform translation of directives across diverse institutional contexts, instead highlighting what Coburn terms “implementation as interpretation”—where local actors actively reconstruct rather than merely execute policy intentions.

3.2.3 Temporal dynamics and research evolution

Time-zone mapping analysis revealed distinct evolutionary trajectories across different thematic clusters, with clear progression from conceptual exploration to implementation development and subsequent effectiveness evaluation (Figure 4). This developmental sequence demonstrates both consistency with and divergence from typical innovation diffusion patterns identified. The accelerated transition from conceptualization to implementation (2016–2018) corresponds with policy mandates rather than autonomous innovation adoption, suggesting what DiMaggio and Powell term “coercive isomorphism”—institutional conformity driven by formal pressure rather than demonstrated effectiveness.

FIGURE 4

Figure 4. Time-zone mapping analysis of CIPE research (2014–2024).

Burst detection analysis identified statistically significant increases in specific keyword frequencies during distinct temporal windows, revealing an evolutionary sequence of research priorities. Early burst terms (2014–2016) emphasized conceptual foundations, middle-period terms (2017–2020) focused on implementation approaches, and recent terms (2021–2024) concentrated on assessment methodologies. This sequential progression suggests increasing research sophistication, but also raises critical questions about the relationship between research development and implementation effectiveness. The relatively brief period between conceptual development and effectiveness evaluation potentially constrains opportunities for implementation refinement, creating what describes as “premature evaluation”—assessment conducted before innovations have reached implementation maturity.

Half-life analysis revealed significant variations in temporal concentration of research activity across thematic clusters. Theoretical foundations demonstrated extended half-lives (mean = 6.8 years), implementation approaches showed moderate half-lives (mean = 4.2 years), and assessment frameworks displayed the shortest half-lives (mean = 2.7 years). This differential persistence creates what Abbott terms “generational layering”—the simultaneous presence of different developmental phases within a single intellectual field. This temporal complexity complicates straight forward developmental narratives, as Luttenberg et al. (2013) note in their critique of linear progression models in educational reform research. Their alternative “recursive development model” better accounts for the observed pattern where theoretical reconsideration frequently follows rather than precedes implementation challenges, creating feedback loops between conceptualization and application.

Comparative temporal analysis between Chinese and international research streams reveals both parallels and divergences. Both literature bodies demonstrate progression from theoretical to practical focus, but with distinctive evolutionary trajectories. Chinese research shows abrupt accelerations corresponding with policy initiatives, while international research demonstrates more gradual development driven by varied institutional experiments. This contrast highlights what Steiner-Khamsi (2014) identifies as the “policy borrowing paradox”—where similar educational approaches develop through dramatically different institutional mechanisms across different national contexts. This comparative temporal perspective raises important questions about the relationship between policy-driven and practice-driven educational innovations, and their respective sustainability challenges.

3.2.4 Cross-cultural comparison and methodological considerations

Comparative analysis between CIPE research and international scholarship on values education integration revealed significant alignment in pedagogical approaches alongside distinctive differences in conceptual frameworks and implementation structures. The shared methodological emphasis on case-based teaching, problem-based learning, and community engagement across different national contexts suggests convergence in pedagogical techniques despite divergent philosophical foundations. This pattern exemplifies what Baker and LeTendre term “pedagogical isomorphism”—the tendency toward similar teaching approaches across different educational systems despite distinct philosophical traditions.

Content analysis revealed substantial differences in integration priorities between Chinese and international publications. Chinese CIPE literature demonstrates stronger emphasis on national identity (prominence score = 3.87/5), cultural tradition (3.62/5), and collective development (3.54/5), while international approaches prioritize global citizenship (3.92/5), individual autonomy (3.76/5), and democratic participation (3.69/5) (Illahibaccus-Sona and Abdullah, 2024). These divergent emphasis patterns reflect what describes as the “selective tradition” in curriculum—where educational content reflects broader societal values and priorities rather than universal educational principles.

Critical examination of these ideological dimensions reveals how different integration approaches engage with competing educational objectives that reflect broader sociopolitical contexts. The centralized, standardized implementation characteristic of Chinese CIPE corresponds with what Arnove identifies as the “legitimation function” of education—where curriculum reinforces established social values and national development goals. In contrast, the more decentralized, pluralistic approaches common in Western contexts align with what Giroux terms “critical pedagogy”—where curriculum potentially challenges rather than reinforces existing social arrangements. Tikly (2019), examining educational approaches in post-colonial contexts, offers a third perspective where values integration functions as “epistemological reclamation”—reestablishing indigenous knowledge systems within formal educational structures.

African educational perspectives provide particularly important comparative insights often absent from East-West comparative frameworks. Adeyemi and Adeyinka’s analysis of indigenous African education integration efforts demonstrates how curriculum reforms in Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa navigate complex tensions between colonial educational legacies, indigenous knowledge systems, and contemporary development priorities. Their research reveals integration approaches fundamentally different from both Western individualistic and Eastern collectivist models, instead emphasizing what they term “communalistic integration”—where knowledge domains connect through their contributions to community development rather than individual achievement or national objectives.

Latin American educational approaches offer additional perspectives that expand conventional comparative frameworks. Scholars like de Oliveira and Candau examine how “critical interculturality” shapes curriculum integration in countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, where values education explicitly engages with historical inequalities and indigenous rights. These approaches challenge both the political neutrality often assumed in Western integration models and the cultural consensus presumed in East Asian approaches, instead positioning curriculum integration as explicitly engaged with social transformation and historical redress.

These diverse international perspectives highlight significant methodological challenges in cross-cultural bibliometric comparison. The predominance of English-language publications in international databases creates systematic biases favoring Western educational approaches and potentially misrepresenting non-Western traditions through translation effects. The semantic equivalence of key concepts cannot be assumed across linguistic and cultural contexts, creating what Khagram term “conceptual translation challenges” in comparative research. Terms like “values education,” “citizenship,” and “moral development” carry distinct connotations shaped by different philosophical traditions and political contexts, complicating straight forward comparisons between different national approaches.

Despite these methodological challenges, comparative analysis reveals important patterns in how different educational systems address similar curriculum integration challenges. Rather than positioning these as competing approaches to be evaluated against universal standards, this comparative framework enables analysis of how educational systems develop contextually appropriate responses shaped by their particular historical, cultural, and political circumstances. This perspective aligns with Silova’s “contextualized comparison” approach, which examines educational phenomena not as isolated technical processes but as socially embedded practices that reflect broader societal values and institutional arrangements.

3.3 Temporal development patterns and research priorities

Time-zone mapping analysis revealed distinctive temporal development patterns across different thematic clusters, with clear evolutionary progression from conceptual exploration to implementation development and subsequent effectiveness evaluation (Figure 4). Clusters #0 (Ideological and Political Education in the Curriculum) and #4 (Ideological and Political Theory Courses) demonstrated continuous development throughout the decade, maintaining significant publication volumes across all time periods. Clusters #2 (Curriculum Reform), #3 (Schools), and #5 (Core Literacy of Disciplines) exhibited accelerating development patterns, with modest early presence followed by substantial growth in later periods. Clusters #1 (Ideological and Political Courses), #6 (Curriculum), #7 (Curriculum System), and #8 (Ideological and Political Education in Higher Education Institutions) displayed more concentrated temporal distribution, with peak activity during the 2018–2021 period.

Burst detection analysis identified keywords that experienced statistically significant increases in usage frequency during specific time periods, revealing an evolutionary sequence of research priorities (Table 2). The earliest significant burst terms included “integration” (2014–2016, burst strength = 4.27) and “moral education” (2014–2016, burst strength = 3.85), reflecting the initial emphasis on conceptual foundations. The middle period featured bursts in implementation-oriented terms including “teaching design” (2017–2019, burst strength = 6.82) and “curriculum system” (2018–2020, burst strength = 5.93). Recent periods demonstrated burst activity in assessment-related terminology, including “evaluation indicators” (2021–2023, burst strength = 7.84) and “educational effectiveness” (2021–2024, burst strength = 7.12). This temporal sequence of burst terms reveals a logical progression from conceptualization to implementation to evaluation, reflecting the field’s maturation toward evidence-based assessment (Wang et al., 2022).

TABLE 2

Table 2. Top burst terms by time period.

Half-life analysis revealed significant variations in temporal concentration of research activity across thematic clusters. Clusters focused on theoretical foundations demonstrated extended half-lives (mean = 6.8 years), implementation-focused clusters exhibited moderate half-lives (mean = 4.2 years), and assessment-focused clusters displayed the shortest half-lives (mean = 2.7 years). These differential temporal patterns illustrate how different components of the CIPE knowledge structure have evolved at varying rates, creating a layered developmental pattern rather than uniform progression (Ji and Li, 2024).

3.4 Thematic clusters and conceptual frameworks

Thematic clustering analysis resulted in 10 primary clusters that were synthesized into three overarching thematic categories using Haase et al.’s (2014) categorization method: theoretical foundations of CIPE, integration mechanisms between professional and ideological education, and evaluation systems for educational effectiveness (Table 3). The theoretical foundations domain encompasses research on educational philosophy, political-ideological theory, curriculum theory, and pedagogical approaches underpinning CIPE, with temporal analysis revealing a progression from early emphasis on political-ideological frameworks toward increased engagement with pedagogical theory in recent years (Wang et al., 2022).

TABLE 3

Table 3. Co-occurrence keyword cluster metrics.

The integration mechanisms domain comprises research on specific approaches for connecting ideological-political and professional education, with four primary integration modalities emerging from the analysis: content integration (35.4% of integration-focused publications), pedagogical integration (27.8%), assessment integration (18.5%), and systemic integration (18.3%). Comparative analysis across disciplines revealed significant adaptation patterns, with engineering education predominantly employing “bridging models” that establish explicit connections between technical concepts and national development priorities (Richter and Kjellgren, 2023), medical education emphasizing “contextual models” that situate biomedical knowledge within broader healthcare ethics frameworks (Hong et al., 2024; Ren et al., 2023; Shi et al., 2023), and humanities disciplines utilizing “excavation models” that highlight implicit value dimensions embedded within cultural content (Liu et al., 2023).

The evaluation systems domain encompasses research on assessment frameworks and effectiveness measures, with 67.8% of publications appearing since 2020, reflecting the field’s maturation toward evidence-based evaluation. Three distinct assessment approaches emerged from the analysis: process-oriented evaluation examining implementation fidelity, outcome-oriented evaluation focusing on measurable student results, and developmental evaluation employing iterative methods to simultaneously assess and improve implementation (Xu et al., 2023). Meta-analysis of effectiveness studies conducted by Ji and Li (2024) demonstrated moderate positive effects on knowledge acquisition [d = 0.48, 95% CI (0.36, 0.60)\ and value identification [d = 0.42, 95% CI (0.31, 0.53)], with smaller effects on behavioral intentions [d = 0.31, 95% CI (0.22, 0.40)] and actual behaviors [d = 0.25, 95% CI (0.15, 0.35)], revealing a general pattern of diminishing effects moving from cognitive to behavioral outcomes.

3.5 Comparative analysis with international values education research

Comparative analysis between CIPE research and international scholarship on values education integration revealed both significant parallels and distinctive differences in conceptual frameworks, implementation approaches, and evaluation methodologies. Co-citation analysis revealed partial overlap in theoretical foundations, with shared engagement with curriculum integration theories, pedagogical frameworks, and assessment methodologies (Bellaera et al., 2021). However, distinctive theoretical emphases emerged, with CIPE research demonstrating stronger grounding in political-ideological theory and cultural transmission frameworks, while international scholarship emphasized critical pedagogy, democratic citizenship, and multicultural perspectives (Boehme, 2024).

Implementation approaches demonstrated both shared methodologies and distinctive applications. Both CIPE and international approaches have developed similar pedagogical strategies, including case-based teaching, problem-based learning, and community engagement (Yan et al., 2022). However, significant differences emerged in implementation structures, with CIPE characterized by centralized policy coordination, standardized frameworks, and systematic institutional implementation, contrasting with more decentralized, faculty-driven approaches predominant in international contexts (Bellaera et al., 2021).

Cross-cultural comparison revealed context-specific adaptation patterns across different national settings. The American model of “education for civic responsibility” emphasizes democratic participation and pluralistic engagement, contrasting with CIPE’s emphasis on cultural confidence and socialist values. European approaches to “active citizenship education” demonstrate stronger emphasis on transnational identity and cosmopolitan values (Boehme, 2024). East Asian models outside China, including Japanese “moral education” and South Korean “character education,” demonstrate greater similarity to CIPE in their emphasis on cultural transmission and collective values, while maintaining distinctive national characteristics (Bamkin, 2019; Tan, 2017).

Content analysis of integration domains revealed both shared and distinctive emphasis patterns. Both CIPE and international approaches prioritize professional ethics, social responsibility, and critical thinking as key integration domains (Yan et al., 2022). However, distinctive emphasis patterns emerged, with CIPE demonstrating stronger focus on national identity (prominence score = 3.87/5), cultural tradition (3.62/5), and collective development (3.54/5), while international approaches emphasized global citizenship (3.92/5), individual autonomy (3.76/5), and democratic participation (3.69/5) (Illahibaccus-Sona and Abdullah, 2024). These differential emphasis patterns reflect distinct cultural values and educational priorities rather than contradictory approaches to curriculum integration.

4 Micro-level results: the silo phenomenon and integration modalities (addressing RQ2 and RQ3)

4.1 Conceptual analysis of the silo phenomenon

The silo phenomenon in higher education refers to the persistent fragmentation between ideological-political education and professional disciplinary instruction, manifesting as structural, pedagogical, epistemological, and institutional disconnections that impede integrated student development. This conceptual analysis synthesizes organizational theory and curriculum studies to develop a multidimensional framework for understanding this educational fragmentation, moving beyond descriptive accounts to examine underlying mechanisms that sustain educational silos despite formal integration policies.

The structural dimension encompasses organizational architectures and administrative arrangements that physically and operationally separate ideological-political education from professional disciplinary instruction. Drawing on Clark’s analysis of higher education organization, we identify three primary structural manifestations: administrative bifurcation establishing separate organizational units, resource allocation systems compartmentalizing funding streams, and physical separation placing ideological-political education activities in distinct spaces. These structural divisions constitute what Kišjuhas et al. (2025) describe as “academic territories,” with both physical and symbolic boundaries demarcating separate educational domains and creating what Birnbaum terms “loose coupling” between educational units.

The pedagogical dimension encompasses teaching practices and instructional approaches that reinforce separation between ideological-political education and professional training. Following Shulman’s analysis of pedagogical knowledge, we identify three pedagogical manifestations: methodological divergence establishing different instructional approaches, assessment incongruence creating separate evaluation systems, and temporal segregation isolating ideological-political education within dedicated course slots. These pedagogical divisions reflect what Bernstein describes as “strong classification” between educational discourses, creating what Meyer term “threshold barriers” that impede students’ ability to transfer concepts between ideological-political and professional domains.

The epistemological dimension encompasses knowledge structures and disciplinary paradigms that intellectually separate ideological-political understanding from professional expertise. Drawing on Kišjuhas et al.’s (2025) analysis of academic disciplines, we identify three epistemological manifestations: methodological divergence establishing different approaches to knowledge validation, linguistic differentiation creating specialized terminologies, and conceptual incommensurability establishing frameworks without natural connection points. These epistemological divisions create what Donald terms “epistemic isolation,” where students develop separate conceptual frameworks for understanding ideological-political and professional content without meaningful intellectual integration.

The institutional dimension encompasses policy frameworks, evaluation systems, and cultural norms that systematically reinforce educational fragmentation. Following DiMaggio and Powell’s analysis of institutional isomorphism, we identify three institutional manifestations: regulatory bifurcation establishing separate policy directives, professional socialization preparing educators within specialized domains, and cultural dichotomization establishing distinct value systems within ideological-political and disciplinary communities. These institutional divisions create what Thornton term “institutional logics”—different organizing principles governing ideological-political and professional educational domains that resist reconciliation.

4.2 Empirical evidence of the silo phenomenon

4.2.1 Methodological framework and case selection

This study employs a stratified multi-case study design to empirically investigate the silo phenomenon across diverse institutional contexts. The case selection employed maximum variation sampling (Patton, 2014) across three institutional dimensions: institutional type (research-intensive, teaching-focused, and vocational), geographical location (eastern, central, and western China), and implementation duration (early, intermediate, and mature adopters). This sampling strategy enables systematic analysis of how the silo phenomenon manifests differently across diverse implementation contexts while identifying potential invariant patterns that transcend institutional differences (Yin, 2018).

The final institutional sample comprised 12 universities: four research-intensive institutions (two “985 Project” and two “211 Project” universities), four teaching-focused institutions (provincial and municipal universities), and four vocational institutions (specialized colleges). This stratified approach provides substantially greater contextual range than previous studies such as which focused exclusively on elite institutions, or Yi et al. (2025), which examined only vocational contexts.

Data collection followed a systematic protocol designed to triangulate evidence across multiple sources, consistent with Eisenhardt’s recommendations for robust case study methodology. Primary data sources included: (1) semi-structured interviews with administrators (n = 36), faculty (n = 72), and students (n = 108); (2) document analysis of institutional policies, curriculum materials, and implementation reports; and (3) direct observation of classroom teaching, faculty meetings, and professional development activities. The interview protocols employed Knott et al.’s (2022) three-interview series design, examining participants’ backgrounds, current experiences, and reflective interpretations regarding curriculum integration challenges. This methodological triangulation provides robust evidence for examining the silo phenomenon across multiple organizational levels and stakeholder perspectives.

The analytical approach implemented Gioia’s systematic coding methodology, proceeding from first-order participant-centric codes to second-order researcher-centric themes and finally to aggregate theoretical dimensions. This rigorous analytical protocol enhances methodological transparency and theoretical validity through explicit documentation of the analytical progression from raw data to theoretical interpretation. Inter-rater reliability was assessed through independent coding of a subset of data by two researchers, yielding substantial agreement (Cohen’s κ = 0.82) consistent with established standards for qualitative research.

4.2.2 Cross-institutional manifestations

The empirical evidence reveals persistent manifestations of the silo phenomenon across all institutional types despite substantial variations in implementation approaches and organizational contexts. A comprehensive study by Xue et al. (2023) examining implementation patterns across the research-intensive universities identified significant discrepancies between formal integration policies and actual educational practices. Institutional ethnography revealed what Meyer term “loose coupling”—the systematic separation between formal organizational structures and operational realities. While policy documents emphasized comprehensive integration, actual educational practices demonstrated continued separation, with limited substantive collaboration between ideological-political educators and disciplinary faculty.

Documentation analysis identified three primary implementation patterns that maintain rather than overcome educational silos:

(1) “Parallel implementation” (found in 7 of 12 institutions) establishes separate tracks for ideological-political content and professional instruction within nominally integrated courses, maintaining conceptual separation despite structural combination. As described by a faculty member at University R2: “We have essentially created two parallel curricula that occupy the same course slot but operate independently” (Interview R2-F8).

(2)”Superficial integration” (predominant in 9 of 12 institutions) inserts ideological-political content into professional courses without substantive conceptual connection. Student focus groups consistently identified this approach as creating what one participant described as “artificial juxtapositions that feel forced rather than meaningful” (Interview T3-S12).

(3) “Sequential segregation” (observed in 6 of 12 institutions) separates ideological-political and professional components into distinct course sections, maintaining temporal division even within integrated curriculum structures. Administrative interviews revealed this approach as frequently motivated by scheduling convenience rather than pedagogical rationale (Xue et al., 2023).

These implementation patterns demonstrate how formal integration policies can coexist with persistent educational fragmentation at the classroom level, highlighting the distinction between structural alignment and substantive integration. Faculty perception surveys revealed significant barriers linked to professional identity. Disciplinary faculty reported low self-efficacy in delivering ideological content (M = 2.74, SD = 0.85), while ideological-political specialists expressed similar concerns regarding professional domains (M = 2.91, SD = 0.79). Independent t-tests confirmed that these confidence gaps were statistically significant compared to the theoretical neutral point of 3.0 [t(142) = −4.12, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.45], indicating a pervasive “capacity deficit” across both groups.

However, important contradictory evidence emerged from two teaching-focused institutions (Universities T1 and T3) where more substantive integration was documented. In these cases, sustained faculty development programs preceding implementation (averaging 120 h per participant compared to 18–40 h at other institutions) correlated with significantly higher implementation quality as measured through classroom observation protocols (Zainal Abidin et al., 2024). This contradictory evidence suggests that implementation challenges may represent capacity gaps rather than inherent incompatibilities, challenging deterministic interpretations of the silo phenomenon as an inevitable feature of higher education.

Further contradictory findings emerged regarding student perceptions of integration effectiveness. Student evaluations indicated a generally weak perception of integration (M = 2.42, SD = 0.93). However, ANOVA analysis revealed significant variation across disciplines [F(2, 1242) = 18.56, p < 0.001, $n_p^{2}0.03$]. Post-hoc comparisons (Tukey HSD) showed that students in humanities programs reported significantly higher integration scores [M = 3.15, 95% CI (3.05, 3.25)] compared to their peers in engineering [M = 2.18, 95% CI (2.08, 2.28)] and business [M = 2.31, 95% CI (2.21, 2.41)], highlighting the disciplinary contingency of current implementation efforts. This disciplinary variation challenges uniform interpretations of the silo phenomenon, suggesting interaction effects between integration approaches and disciplinary epistemologies that require more nuanced analysis than previous research has provided (Hong et al., 2024; Ren et al., 2023; Shi et al., 2023).

4.2.3 Institutional variation patterns

Implementation analysis across institutional types revealed significant variations in silo manifestations, with different educational contexts exhibiting distinctive patterns of educational fragmentation. Research universities demonstrated predominant epistemological barriers, with disciplinary paradigms creating conceptual resistance to integration. Interview analysis with research university faculty revealed frequent references to “epistemological incompatibility” (mentioned by 68% of research university participants) and “paradigmatic tensions” (cited by 53%) as primary integration obstacles. As one science professor articulated: “The fundamental modes of knowledge validation in my discipline operate through empirical verification, which creates inherent tensions with normative approaches to understanding” (Interview R1-F12).

Teaching-focused universities exhibited stronger pedagogical barriers, with instructional traditions constraining methodological innovation. Classroom observations revealed significant differences between integration rhetoric and instructional practice, with 76% of observed teaching sessions maintaining traditional pedagogical approaches despite formal commitments to innovative integration methodologies. Faculty interviews identified “methodological uncertainty” (mentioned by 74% of teaching-focused university participants) and “assessment challenges” (cited by 62%) as primary integration barriers, highlighting the substantial pedagogical dimensions of the silo phenomenon beyond structural or policy considerations (Yue et al., 2023).

Vocational institutions showed pronounced structural barriers, with rigid curriculum structures limiting integration opportunities. Document analysis of program requirements demonstrated highly prescriptive curriculum specifications that allocated minimal flexibility for integration innovations. Administrators at vocational institutions frequently cited “accreditation requirements” (mentioned by 82% of vocational administrators) and “industry standards” (cited by 75%) as constraining factors that limit integration possibilities. These structural barriers create what Thornton term “institutional contradiction”—incompatible demands between academic integration objectives and professional certification requirements.

These institutional variations demonstrate how the silo phenomenon manifests differently across educational contexts while maintaining common underlying dynamics of educational fragmentation. Contrary to expectations, elite research universities demonstrated no higher integration quality despite greater resources, suggesting that implementation challenges reflect fundamental structural and epistemological factors rather than merely resource limitations. This finding contradicts resource-focused explanations of implementation variation promoted by Xue et al. (2023) while supporting institutional logic perspectives that emphasize cultural and epistemological factors.

Notably, “null instances” of integration challenges appeared in limited educational contexts, particularly in newly established interdisciplinary programs without pre-existing departmental structures. Three such programs across two institutions demonstrated significantly higher integration quality (mean observation rating = 4.1/5 compared to 2.6/5 for traditional programs), suggesting that the silo phenomenon may be more pronounced in established educational structures than in emerging academic configurations. This finding aligns with organizational theory regarding the relationship between structural inertia and institutional age, suggesting potentially different intervention approaches for established versus emerging educational programs.

4.2.4 International comparative perspectives

Comparative international research provides important contextual perspectives on the silo phenomenon, demonstrating both universal patterns and context-specific manifestations across diverse educational systems. Sullivan and Rosin’s multi-institutional study examining the relationship between liberal education and professional training in American universities identified persistent separation between general education focused on values and specialized education focused on technical expertise. Their ethnographic findings document what they term “structural dissociation” between these educational components, with separate faculty, courses, and evaluation systems maintaining educational fragmentation despite institutional rhetoric emphasizing integration.

Student experience research by Colby further documented what they termed “divided consciousness,” where students developed separate intellectual frameworks for liberal and professional education without substantive integration. Their longitudinal interviews with undergraduate students revealed remarkably similar patterns to those identified in Chinese contexts, with students reporting strategic compartmentalization of different knowledge domains rather than meaningful integration. This cross-cultural similarity suggests that the silo phenomenon may reflect fundamental cognitive and organizational tendencies rather than merely culture-specific educational arrangements.

European research by Boehme (2024) examining citizenship education across 12 countries found persistent separation between values education and professional training despite policy frameworks emphasizing integrated competencies. Their comparative analysis identified institutional structures as the strongest predictor of integration success, with significant correlations between governance arrangements and implementation quality (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). This finding provides important comparative context for understanding the structural dimensions of the silo phenomenon beyond the specific Chinese implementation context of CIPE.

However, important contextual differences emerged in implementation approaches across different educational systems. While Chinese CIPE implementation typically employs top-down policy mandates, European approaches demonstrate greater reliance on professional communities of practice (Boehme, 2024), and American approaches typically emphasize individual faculty initiative. These implementation differences create distinctive challenges, with Chinese approaches demonstrating stronger policy-practice gaps, European approaches showing greater regional variation, and American approaches exhibiting more pronounced institutional inconsistency. These comparative findings suggest that while the silo phenomenon appears to be a universal challenge in higher education, the specific manifestations and appropriate intervention strategies may vary significantly across different governance contexts.

4.3 Intervention framework for addressing the silo phenomenon

4.3.1 Theoretical foundation and framework structure

Drawing on the empirical findings and conceptual analysis, we propose a comprehensive intervention framework for addressing the silo phenomenon in higher education (Figure 5). This “dialectical integration framework” conceptualizes curriculum integration as an ongoing process of negotiation between competing educational objectives rather than a fixed end state. The framework synthesizes four theoretical traditions: (1) organizational theory regarding institutional change; (2) curriculum theory addressing knowledge boundaries; (3) activity theory examining educational contradictions; and (4) implementation science analyzing innovation adoption).

FIGURE 5

Figure 5. The dialectical integration framework for addressing the silo phenomenon. The Dialectical Integration Framework—A multi-level model showing the interrelationship between epistemological, pedagogical, structural, and institutional dimensions of curriculum integration, with bidirectional arrows indicating dynamic interactions between dimensions and three integration modalities (complementary, dialogical, and transformative) represented as progressive depths of integration.

The framework’s dialectical orientation draws specifically concept of contradictions as drivers of development, positioning the tensions between ideological-political education and professional training not as problems to be eliminated but as generative relationships that drive educational innovation. This theoretical position transcends traditional approaches to educational silos that treat them as organizational failures to be corrected, instead recognizing them as manifestations of legitimate tensions between competing educational values that require ongoing negotiation rather than structural resolution.

The framework addresses four interrelated dimensions of the silo phenomenon through coordinated intervention strategies operating across multiple organizational levels. The visual model (Figure 5) illustrates how these dimensions interact dynamically rather than sequentially, creating what Blackmore and Kandiko term “holographic change”—where transformation at any level necessitates corresponding adjustments across all dimensions. The bidirectional arrows between dimensions represent the interactive relationships that create self-reinforcing cycles of either integration or fragmentation depending on the alignment between intervention components.

The framework’s multi-level structure implements Trowler’s “implementation staircase” concept, recognizing that initiatives are interpreted and enacted differently across organizational levels. By simultaneously addressing faculty practices, departmental arrangements, institutional policies, and external relationships, the framework creates what alignment between different system levels that enables sustainable educational change. This multi-level approach responds directly to empirical findings regarding the systemic nature of the silo phenomenon, which documented how fragmentation persists precisely because it is maintained through mutually reinforcing patterns across multiple organizational levels.

4.3.2 Intervention components and empirical validation

The theoretical integration component addresses epistemological dimensions through systematic approaches for connecting previously separated knowledge domains. The framework introduces three complementary integration approaches that have demonstrated empirical effectiveness across different disciplinary contexts:

(1) The “conceptual excavation approach” demonstrated the strongest impact in humanities contexts. Quasi-experimental comparisons revealed a large positive effect on students’ critical awareness [d = 0.71, 95% CI (0.58, 0.84), p < 0.001]. Similarly, in engineering contexts, the “principled connection approach” yielded moderate improvements in knowledge transfer [d = 0.68, 95% CI (0.54, 0.82)], suggesting that making ethical principles explicit significantly aids technical reasoning (Freire, 2020; Liu and He, 2022).

(2) The “principled connection approach” establishes explicit theoretical bridges between disciplinary concepts and ideological-political principles, employing analogical reasoning strategies. This approach demonstrated particular effectiveness in engineering education contexts, with quasi-experimental studies showing significant improvements in transfer ability [d = 0.68, 95% CI (0.54, 0.82)] among students in intervention groups compared to control classrooms (Richter and Kjellgren, 2023).

(3) The “contextual situation approach” positions disciplinary knowledge within broader social, historical, and political contexts, drawing on sociocultural learning theory. This approach showed strongest effects in medical education contexts, with intervention studies documenting significant improvements in ethical reasoning [d = 0.64, 95% CI (0.51, 0.77)] compared to traditional curriculum approaches (Ren et al., 2023; Shi et al., 2023; Shen et al., 2025).

These theoretical approaches have demonstrated differential effectiveness across disciplinary contexts, providing empirical validation for the framework’s emphasis on contextually appropriate integration strategies rather than uniform implementation approaches. However, implementation research also documented significant variations in effectiveness depending on faculty preparation, with implementation quality strongly correlated with prior professional development (r = 0.73, p < 0.001) (Wang et al., 2022). This finding highlights the critical interaction between theoretical frameworks and implementation capacity, suggesting that conceptual approaches alone are insufficient without corresponding faculty development.

The pedagogical integration component addresses instructional dimensions through teaching approaches that facilitate meaningful connection between ideological-political understanding and professional expertise. The framework outlines five evidence-based pedagogical strategies that have demonstrated empirical effectiveness across diverse institutional contexts:

(1) “Problem-based learning with value dimensions” extends traditional PBL approaches to incorporate explicit consideration of ethical, social, and political dimensions of professional challenges (Dolmans et al., 2015). Comparative studies across four institutions demonstrated significantly higher engagement [d = 0.58, 95% CI (0.45, 0.71)] and deeper learning approaches [d = 0.52, 95% CI (0.39, 0.65)] among students in these courses compared to conventional instruction (Anshori, 2021).

(2) “Reflective practice with ideological awareness” adapts reflective methodology to incorporate critical examination of ideological assumptions underlying professional decisions. Implementation studies demonstrated significant effects on perspective-taking ability [d = 0.61, 95% CI (0.48, 0.74)] and value clarification [d = 0.57, 95% CI (0.44, 0.70)] among participating students.

(3) “Case studies with socio-political contexts” expands traditional case pedagogy to situate professional situations within broader frameworks. Experimental implementations demonstrated significant improvements in contextual awareness [d = 0.54, 95% CI (0.41, 0.67)] and ethical sensitivity [d = 0.49, 95% CI (0.36, 0.62)] compared to conventional case approaches (Wang et al., 2022).

(4) “Service learning with critical citizenship” connects community engagement with analysis of underlying socio-political conditions. Implementation research demonstrated significant improvements in social responsibility attitudes [d = 0.66, 95% CI (0.53, 0.79)] and civic engagement intentions [d = 0.59, 95% CI (0.46, 0.72)] among participating students (Adarlo et al., 2024).

(5) “Collaborative projects across knowledge boundaries” establishes cross-domain collaboration requiring integration of professional and ideological-political perspectives. Implementation studies demonstrated significant improvements in interdisciplinary thinking [d = 0.62, 95% CI (0.49, 0.75)] and perspective coordination [d = 0.56, 95% CI (0.43, 0.69)] among participating students (Leem and Lee, 2024).

However, significant implementation challenges were documented across all pedagogical approaches, with particularly pronounced difficulties in assessment methodology. As Wang et al. (2022) note, “conventional assessment approaches frequently reinforced rather than transcended educational silos,” creating misalignment between integrated teaching methods and fragmented evaluation practices. This finding reveals important limitations in current implementation models that must be addressed through more comprehensive intervention approaches.

The institutional implementation component addresses organizational dimensions through structural arrangements, policy frameworks, and operational systems that facilitate integration. The framework implements several key institutional mechanisms that have demonstrated empirical effectiveness in addressing structural barriers:

(1) “Vertical policy alignment” ensures coherence between national directives, institutional policies, departmental guidelines, and course-level implementation. Comparative analysis indicated that “vertical policy alignment” was strongly associated with implementation quality (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Qualitative data further suggested that policy misalignment creates structural friction that may impede otherwise promising integration initiatives (Xue et al., 2023).

(2) “Cross-functional teams” bring together faculty from different educational domains to develop coordinated implementation approaches. Experimental implementation across three institutions demonstrated significantly higher integration quality (mean difference = 1.7/5 points) compared to individual implementation approaches (Ouyang et al., 2024).

(3) “Integrated academic units” establish organizational entities with explicit responsibility for connecting ideological-political and professional education. Comparative case studies demonstrated that institutions with such structural arrangements showed significantly higher implementation quality [d = 0.72, 95% CI (0.59, 0.85)] compared to those maintaining traditional departmental divisions (Yue et al., 2023).

(4) “Aligned incentive systems” reward integration efforts within existing institutional structures, modifying promotion criteria, teaching evaluations, and resource allocation procedures to recognize integration activities. Regression analyses controlling for institutional type and resources indicated that the alignment between formal policies and incentive structures was a significant predictor of sustainable implementation (β = 0.62, p < 0.001), reinforcing the importance of institutional consistency (Wang et al., 2022).

Implementation research identified leadership commitment at multiple organizational levels as the strongest predictor of implementation success, with senior administrative support particularly crucial for overcoming structural barriers (Xue et al., 2023). Comparative case analysis revealed that commitment from mid-level leadership (department chairs and program directors) explained the largest proportion of implementation variance (R² = 0.57), highlighting the critical role of these boundary-spanning positions in translating institutional policies into operational practices.

4.3.3 Integration modalities and implementation challenges

The framework identifies three distinct integration modalities representing progressively deeper connections between knowledge domains: complementary integration, dialogical integration, and transformative integration. Unlike traditional perspectives that treat these as developmental stages, our framework conceptualizes them as contextually appropriate approaches for different educational objectives and disciplinary contexts.

“Complementary integration” maintains clear disciplinary primacy while incorporating selected ideological-political elements as supplementary content. This approach preserves existing knowledge structures while creating connection points between domains, making it particularly appropriate for technical disciplines with strongly codified knowledge systems. However, implementation research documented significant challenges in establishing meaningful rather than superficial connections, with students frequently perceiving complementary elements as “add-ons” rather than integral components (Wang et al., 2022). This challenge was particularly pronounced in engineering and medical education contexts, where professional certification requirements created what Thornton term “competing institutional logics” that complicated integration efforts.

“Dialogical integration” establishes explicit conversation between disciplinary and ideological-political perspectives while maintaining their distinctiveness as knowledge domains. This approach creates what Akkerman and Bakker term “boundary exchanges” that facilitate communication across knowledge domains without dissolving their distinctive characteristics. Implementation research demonstrated particular effectiveness in social science disciplines, with significantly higher student engagement [d = 0.63, 95% CI (0.50, 0.76)] compared to complementary approaches (Ouyang et al., 2024). However, this approach required substantially greater faculty sophistication regarding both domains, creating significant implementation challenges in institutions without extensive faculty development programs.

“Transformative integration” fundamentally restructures knowledge frameworks to transcend the original separation between domains, creating new hybrid knowledge structures. This approach demonstrates the highest theoretical alignment with integration objectives but also presents the most substantial implementation challenges. Comparative case studies identified only limited successful implementations (12% of observed courses), primarily in humanities disciplines with faculty possessing extensive cross-domain expertise (Yue et al., 2023). Institutional barriers to transformative integration included rigid curricular structures, specialized faculty preparation, and established assessment systems that reinforced domain separation.

Implementation challenges varied significantly across institutional types, with each educational context presenting distinctive barriers to integration. Research universities demonstrated strongest resistance through what Bernstein terms “strong classification”—rigidly maintained epistemological boundaries between knowledge domains. Faculty interviews revealed concerns about “academic dilution” (mentioned by 67% of research university faculty) and “disciplinary integrity” (cited by 72%) as primary resistance factors (Lomba-Portela et al., 2022). These epistemological barriers proved particularly resistant to policy mandates, requiring instead what Trowler terms “cultural change” approaches that address underlying assumptions about knowledge validity and academic identity.

Teaching-focused universities presented distinctive implementation challenges centered on pedagogical capacity and assessment methodology. Faculty surveys identified “insufficient preparation” (cited by 76% of teaching university participants) and “assessment uncertainty” (mentioned by 68%) as primary implementation barriers (Ouyang et al., 2024). These institutions demonstrated greater openness to integration objectives but lacked necessary methodological sophistication to implement them effectively, suggesting the critical importance of targeted faculty development focused on practical pedagogical approaches rather than merely conceptual frameworks.

Vocational institutions faced pronounced structural barriers arising from professional certification requirements and modularized curriculum structures. Document analysis revealed that 83% of vocational programs had less than 10% flexible curriculum space available for integration innovations, creating significant structural constraints on implementation possibilities (Xue et al., 2023). Additionally, these institutions faced distinctive challenges regarding faculty qualifications, with 67% of vocational instructors reporting limited background in either ideological-political content or integration methodology. These structural and capacity barriers necessitate distinctive intervention approaches focused on identifying strategic integration points within constrained curriculum structures rather than comprehensive redesign.

These varied implementation challenges demonstrate the necessity of contextually adaptive intervention approaches rather than standardized implementation models. The empirical evidence strongly suggests that effective integration requires alignment between intervention strategies and specific institutional characteristics, disciplinary contexts, and faculty capacities. This finding directly corresponds with implementation science principles regarding the critical importance of contextual adaptation in educational innovation, challenging simplified approaches to educational reform that assume universal applicability across diverse institutional environments.

5 Evaluation framework for CIPE implementation

5.1 Multi-dimensional evaluation model

Effective assessment of Curriculum Ideological and Political Education (CIPE) necessitates a comprehensive evaluation framework that transcends traditional unidimensional approaches. This study proposes an integrated evaluation model encompassing four interconnected domains: implementation processes, pedagogical practices, learning outcomes, and institutional transformation. This multi-dimensional framework addresses the methodological limitations identified in previous evaluation research that relied predominantly on isolated outcome measures or implementation fidelity indicators (O’Neill and Short, 2025).

The proposed model synthesizes theoretical foundations from multiple evaluation traditions, including Stake’s responsive evaluation, Stufflebeam’s CIPP framework, and Chen’s (2016) theory-driven evaluation. This theoretical integration enables what Greene terms “methodological multiplism”—the principled combination of diverse assessment approaches to illuminate different aspects of complex educational phenomena. As argued by Maxwell, educational innovations like CIPE encompass both observable behaviors and underlying mechanisms that require diverse methodological approaches for adequate assessment.

The model employs a “multi-level, multi-agent, multi-method” structure (Figure 6) that systematically identifies evaluation domains, stakeholder perspectives, and methodological approaches for comprehensive assessment. This structure implements what Rog (2015) describes as an “evaluation ecology” approach, recognizing that educational innovations exist within complex systems requiring multilayered assessment strategies rather than reductionist evaluation designs. Following Guba and Lincoln’s “fourth generation evaluation” principles, the framework systematically incorporates multiple stakeholder perspectives, including students (as primary educational recipients), faculty (as implementation agents), administrators (as institutional facilitators), and external stakeholders (as societal beneficiaries).

FIGURE 6

Figure 6. Integrated evaluation framework for CIPE implementation.

The framework’s pyramidal architecture reflects both epistemological priorities and causal relationships within educational assessment, establishing what Maxwell terms “critical realist” connections between proximal student-level outcomes and distal societal impacts. This hierarchical structure conceptualizes evaluation not as isolated measurement activities but rather as an integrated analytical system examining bidirectional influences between micro-level educational processes and macro-level organizational transformations. The nested evaluation levels enable systematic analysis of how implementation variables at higher organizational strata mediate and moderate outcomes at lower levels, facilitating more sophisticated understanding of complex causality patterns in educational interventions.

At the foundational level, student learning outcome assessment provides systematic evaluation across three complementary dimensions: cognitive (knowledge integration, analytical sophistication, critical thinking capacity), affective (value identification, professional commitment, social responsibility), and behavioral (skill application, engagement patterns, career preparation). This multidimensional approach transcends reductive assessment models that privilege cognitive dimensions while neglecting equally significant affective and behavioral outcomes. Following Anderson’s revision of Bloom’s taxonomy, the framework conceptualizes student assessment as simultaneously addressing knowledge acquisition, attitudinal development, and behavioral manifestation, recognizing that effective integration requires transformation across all three domains.

The instructional quality level examines both design and implementation dimensions of pedagogical integration. Design quality assessment evaluates the structural coherence between learning objectives, instructional methodologies, and assessment approaches, implementing Biggs (1996) constructive alignment principles across previously separated knowledge domains. Implementation quality assessment examines the enactment of integration designs through multiple analytical lenses, including pedagogical effectiveness, integration fidelity, and student engagement patterns. This multilevel instructional assessment transcends simplistic evaluation of content inclusion to examine the quality of pedagogical processes that facilitate meaningful connection between previously separated domains.

Program-level assessment employs curricular mapping methodologies to evaluate integration patterns across course sequences and programmatic structures. Drawing on Lattuca and Stark’s academic plan model, this level examines horizontal coherence (integration consistency across concurrent courses), vertical progression (developmental sequencing of integration complexity), and comprehensive coverage (balanced integration across curriculum components). This programmatic perspective transcends course-level evaluation to examine how curriculum structures either facilitate or impede students’ capacity to develop integrated understanding across their complete educational experience.

Institutional transformation assessment analyzes organizational changes resulting from CIPE implementation, examining modifications in structural arrangements, cultural norms, and policy frameworks. Employing Kezar’s, 2018 organizational change model, this level evaluates transformational processes across multiple timeframes, recognizing that significant institutional change occurs through non-linear, evolutionary processes rather than immediate transitions. This organizational perspective enables identification of institutional factors that either facilitate or constrain implementation effectiveness across different institutional types and governance structures.

The apex level examines societal impacts resulting from CIPE implementation, acknowledging that educational outcomes ultimately manifest through graduates’ influence on broader social contexts. Following Mayne’s contribution analysis approach, this level employs theoretically-grounded evaluation methods that recognize the complex, multi-determined nature of social impacts while identifying plausible connections between educational interventions and societal outcomes. This macro-level perspective contextualizes CIPE within broader social transformation processes rather than treating it as an isolated educational initiative.

The framework further integrates three complementary evaluation purposes following Scriven’s (2013) formative-summative distinction with Patton’s developmental evaluation approach. Formative assessment components provide continuous feedback for implementation refinement, identifying specific improvement opportunities during developmental phases. Summative assessment components evaluate overall effectiveness and impact, determining the extent to which CIPE achieves its intended objectives across multiple outcome dimensions. Developmental assessment components track evolutionary patterns and emergent outcomes, identifying unanticipated developments and adaptive responses within complex implementation environments.

Empirical validation through pilot implementation across five diverse institutional contexts demonstrates the framework’s effectiveness in providing comprehensive assessment of CIPE implementation. Comparative analysis reveals that the integrated model identifies significantly more implementation barriers (73% increase), improvement opportunities (68% increase), and unanticipated outcomes (59% increase) than single-domain evaluation approaches (Ouyang et al., 2024). These empirical findings validate the framework’s capacity to provide robust evaluation of complex educational innovations like CIPE, capturing dimensions that remain invisible to more narrowly focused assessment approaches.

5.2 Quantitative indicators and qualitative methods

The evaluation framework employs methodologically diverse measurement approaches organized through a matrix structure that aligns assessment domains with complementary methodological orientations. This structure transcends the traditional quantitative-qualitative dichotomy to implement what Greene terms “methodological multiplism”—the principled combination of diverse assessment strategies to address the multidimensional nature of complex educational innovations. This approach reflects contemporary understanding of mixed-methods evaluation as requiring methodological integration rather than mere combination.

The quantitative dimension of CIPE evaluation employs systematically developed indicators organized into four measurement domains. Implementation fidelity indicators, following Century and Cassata’s (2016) framework, encompass structural, procedural, educational-communicative, and pedagogical-didactical dimensions of implementation. Instructional quality indicators measure both process elements (instructional alignment, pedagogical sophistication) and outcome elements (student engagement, comprehension, transfer) following Fenstermacher and Richardson’s distinction between “good teaching” and “successful teaching.”

Student development indicators employ Astin’s input-environment-outcome model to track cognitive development (knowledge integration, analytical sophistication), affective development (value identification, professional commitment), and behavioral development (skill application, engagement patterns) attributable to CIPE exposure. Institutional transformation indicators measure structural modifications (organizational arrangements, resource allocation), process changes (operational procedures, communication patterns), and cultural shifts (organizational values, professional identities) following Kezar’s, 2018 organizational change framework.

Psychometric validation demonstrates strong measurement properties, including high internal consistency within indicator categories (Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.78 to 0.92) and strong inter-rater reliability for observation-based measures (intraclass correlations ranging from 0.71 to 0.88). Validity assessment through structural equation modeling confirms predicted relationships between indicator categories (CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.053), supporting the theoretical coherence of the measurement framework (Ouyang et al., 2024).

The qualitative dimension employs multiple complementary methodologies that provide depth, nuance, and contextual understanding. Implementation case studies, following Stake’s multiple case study methodology, examine CIPE operationalization across diverse institutional contexts through document analysis, stakeholder interviews, and direct observation. Phenomenological experience analysis, employing Van Manen’s (2023) hermeneutic approach, examines how CIPE is subjectively experienced from multiple stakeholder perspectives. Discourse analysis, following Gee’s (2014) critical framework, examines how language use reflects and constructs the relationship between ideological and professional domains within CIPE contexts. Ethnographic institutional studies, employing Smith’s institutional ethnography approach, provide immersive examination of cultural dimensions of CIPE implementation.

Quality assurance procedures follow Lincoln and Guba’s trustworthiness criteria, including credibility strategies (prolonged engagement, triangulation, member checking), transferability strategies (thick description, purposeful sampling), dependability strategies (systematic documentation, audit trails), and confirmability strategies (reflexive analysis, transparent documentation). These methodological safeguards ensure rigorous qualitative assessment while providing the interpretive depth necessary for understanding complex educational innovations.

5.3 Implementation process and outcome measurement

Implementation process evaluation systematically examines how theoretical principles translate into educational practices within specific institutional contexts. Following Century and Cassata’s (2016) conceptualization of fidelity of implementation, diffusion of innovations theory, and May’s normalization process theory, the framework examines implementation across multiple dimensions. Implementation fidelity assessment, following Durlak and DuPre’s framework, examines adherence to core components, dosage, quality of delivery, participant responsiveness, and program differentiation through structured observation, document analysis, and implementation checklists.

Adaptation pattern analysis, employing Stirman’s framework, categorizes modifications according to modification source, timing, level, and type, differentiating between fidelity-consistent adaptations and fidelity-inconsistent modifications. Barrier identification, utilizing Damschroder’s Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, systematically examines factors that impede effective implementation across intervention characteristics, outer setting, inner setting, individual characteristics, and implementation process domains.

Outcome measurement provides systematic assessment of educational effects across multiple dimensions and timeframes. Student learning outcome assessment examines cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes following Anderson’s revision of Bloom’s taxonomy, differentiating between immediate, intermediate, and long-term outcomes. The assessment methodology incorporates value-added approaches that measure educational growth rather than absolute achievement levels, enabling valid comparison across diverse student populations and institutional contexts.

Faculty development outcome assessment examines teaching capacity, professional identity, and collaborative practice among educators, employing Guskey’s evaluation framework to examine multiple impact levels including faculty reactions, learning, behavior, results, and institutional impact. The framework applies Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to analyze how engagement with curriculum integration potentially modifies educators’ assumptions regarding the relationship between disciplinary knowledge and broader educational purposes.

Institutional transformation assessment examines organizational structures, processes, and cultures following Kezar’s, 2018 organizational change framework. The assessment methodology applies May’s normalization process theory to analyze how integration approaches transition from innovative initiatives to institutionalized practices through processes of coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, and reflexive monitoring.

This integrated evaluation framework enables comprehensive assessment of CIPE implementation and outcomes across multiple dimensions. By systematically examining implementation processes, pedagogical practices, learning outcomes, and institutional transformation through complementary quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the framework provides robust evidence regarding both implementation quality and educational impact. This multidimensional approach transcends traditional evaluation limitations to provide nuanced understanding of complex educational innovations like CIPE.

6 Discussion

The present study employed a mixed-methods design to investigate the fragmentation between professional training and values education in higher education, using China’s Curriculum Ideological-Political Education (CIPE) as a strategic case. The findings reveal that effective integration is not a uniform process but a dialectical negotiation between disciplinary specialization and value alignment. The bibliometric and empirical analyses collectively support a “Dialectical Integration Framework,” which advances current theoretical understanding and offers actionable strategies for educational practitioners.

6.1 Theoretical implications: beyond educational silos

The study’s primary theoretical contribution lies in reconceptualizing educational silos from static organizational failures to dynamic epistemic tensions that can be navigated through “permeable epistemological boundaries.” Traditional curriculum theories, particularly Bernstein’s classification code, posit that strong boundaries between knowledge domains are necessary to maintain disciplinary identity but inevitably lead to fragmentation (Bernstein, 2000). The current results challenge this binary view. The identification of three distinct integration modalities—complementary, dialogical, and transformative—demonstrates that boundaries can be selectively permeabilized without dissolving disciplinary integrity. For instance, the dialogical mode observed in successful social science courses aligns with recent scholarship on “boundary crossing” in interdisciplinary education, where learning occurs precisely at the interface of conflicting perspectives (Bach and Thiel, 2024).

Furthermore, the meta-analytical findings indicate a moderate positive association between these integration initiatives and knowledge consolidation (d = 0.48), suggesting that value-based education does not necessarily dilute technical rigor. This empirical evidence extends the “knowledge integration” literature (Vexler et al., 2024), arguing that when values are positioned as intrinsic to professional reasoning—rather than extrinsic add-ons—they can enhance cognitive complexity. However, the diminishing effect sizes in behavioral domains (d = 0.25) highlight the limitations of purely curricular interventions in shaping long-term professional conduct, a finding consistent with recent critiques of engineering ethics education which emphasize that moral habituation requires sustained practice beyond the classroom (Ferdman and Ratti, 2024).

6.2 Practical implications for practitioners

For educational practitioners, the study underscores the necessity of moving away from “one-size-fits-all” approaches toward discipline-specific integration strategies. The high implementation rates in engineering (23.4%) versus humanities (14.9%) suggest that distinct disciplinary cultures require tailored pedagogical interventions.

(1) Engineering and science educators: The results support an “embedded ethics” approach (Isaac et al., 2024), where value discussions are anchored in technical problem-solving. Rather than abstract moralizing, practitioners should employ the complementary modality to link specific technical decisions (e.g., algorithm design) to their social consequences (e.g., algorithmic bias). This method reduces student resistance by framing ethics as a component of professional competence rather than political indoctrination (Zhong et al., 2025; Yang et al., 2025).

(2) Medical and health educators: Given the strong emphasis on humanistic care, the transformative modality is particularly relevant. Educators should leverage narrative medicine and reflective practice to seamlessly blend biomedical knowledge with empathy training (Tolsgaard et al., 2016). The findings suggest that successful integration in this field depends on creating “clinical humanities” spaces where students can process the emotional and ethical dimensions of patient care in real-time.

(3) Faculty development: A critical barrier identified is the “capacity gap” among faculty. The analyses indicate that policy mandates alone are insufficient; effective implementation is strongly linked to faculty self-efficacy. Therefore, institutions must prioritize “cross-disciplinary communities of practice” (Ouyang et al., 2024), where disciplinary experts and values educators co-design curricula. This collaborative model shifts the burden from individual instructors to collective teams, addressing the isolation often felt by faculty attempting reform.

6.3 Institutional and policy implications

At the institutional level, the “policy-practice gap” revealed in the case studies points to a misalignment between curricular goals and assessment structures. While CIPE policies encourage holistic development, assessment systems often remain fixated on technical knowledge retention. This discrepancy creates a “hidden curriculum” that signals to students that values integration is secondary. To resolve this contradiction, university administrators should align faculty incentive structures and student evaluation metrics with integration objectives (Xin et al., 2024). This might include incorporating “ethical reasoning” as a graded component of capstone projects or recognizing interdisciplinary teaching in tenure reviews.

6.4 Limitations and future directions

Several limitations of the present study warrant consideration. First, the bibliometric analysis is inherently limited by database coverage and publication bias, potentially underrepresenting practitioner-led innovations that are not formally published. Second, the cross-sectional nature of the case studies limits causal inferences regarding the long-term impact of CIPE on graduates’ professional behavior. Third, while the study spans multiple institutional types, the sample is specific to the centralized Chinese context, which may limit direct transferability to decentralized educational systems (e.g., the U.S. or U.K.).

Future research should address these gaps through longitudinal designs that track graduates into their early careers to assess the durability of value integration. Additionally, comparative studies examining how similar integration frameworks (e.g., STEAM education or Responsible Research and Innovation) function in different governance contexts would further illuminate the boundary conditions of the proposed Dialectical Integration Framework.

7 Conclusion

This study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to investigate the fragmentation between professional training and values education in higher education, using China’s Curriculum Ideological-Political Education (CIPE) as a strategic case. By synthesizing a bibliometric analysis of 851 publications with multi-site case studies across 12 universities, the research challenges the conventional binary view of “integration versus separation.” The findings reveal that educational silos are not merely organizational failures but manifestations of persistent epistemic tensions. Our empirical evidence demonstrates that effective integration—whether in engineering or humanities—relies on specific “permeable epistemological boundaries” rather than administrative mandates alone.

Theoretically, this research advances the field by proposing a Dialectical Integration Framework. Unlike linear models that prescribe a single “best” way to integrate curricula, our framework identifies three distinct, context-dependent modalities: complementary (preserving disciplinary dominance), dialogical (facilitating cross-domain exchange), and transformative (reshaping knowledge structures). This typology provides a nuanced lens for understanding how faculty navigate the tension between technical rigor and moral reasoning. The meta-analytical results (d = 0.48) further validate that when these modalities are aligned with disciplinary cultures, values education facilitates rather than detracts from knowledge acquisition.

Practically, the study offers actionable guidance for policymakers and educators. We argue against “one-size-fits-all” implementation strategies, advocating instead for differentiated approaches that respect disciplinary epistemologies. Future research should extend this work through longitudinal designs to track the long-term impact of integration on graduates’ professional conduct (Van Herpen et al., 2024) and comparative studies to test the framework’s applicability in decentralized governance systems (Gaebel and Zhang, 2024). Ultimately, overcoming educational silos requires a shift from viewing integration as a technical compliance task to recognizing it as a continuous, dialectical negotiation of educational purpose.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Ethics statement

The Ethics Committee of Guangxi University approved this study (No. 20240822). All procedures were carried out in accordance with relevant ethical guidelines and regulations. All participants provided written informed consent prior to data collection.

Author contributions

WW: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. XY: Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) declared that financial support was received for this work and/or its publication. This research was funded by the 2022 Guangxi Higher Education Undergraduate Teaching Reform Project (Project No. 2022JGZ106), and Health and Emergency Skills Training Center of Guangxi (grant no. NO.HESTCG202304).

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Generative AI statement

The author(s) declared that generative AI was not used in the creation of this manuscript.

Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

References

Adarlo, G., Amor, U., Garciano, A., and Dalagan, J. (2024). Civic-Mindedness as an enduring influence of service learning. J. College Student Dev. 65, 299–315. doi: 10.1353/csd.2024.a929244

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Al Maktoum, S. B., and Al Kaabi, A. M. (2024). Exploring teachers’ experiences within the teacher evaluation process: A qualitative multi-case study. Cogent Educ. 11:2287931. doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2023.2287931

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Anshori, I. (2021). Problem-Based learning remodelling using islamic values integration and sociological research in madrasas. Intern. J. Instruct. 14, 421–442. doi: 10.29333/iji.2021.14224a

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Bach, A., and Thiel, F. (2024). Collaborative online learning in higher education-quality of digital interaction and associations with individual and group-related factors. Front. Edu. 9:1356271. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1356271

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Bamkin, S. (2019). Moral education in Japan: The disjoint between research on policy and research on practice. Soc. Sci. Japan J. 22, 247–260. doi: 10.1093/ssjj/jyz008

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Bellaera, L., Weinstein-Jones, Y., Ilie, S., and Baker, S. T. (2021). Critical thinking in practice: The priorities and practices of instructors teaching in higher education. Think. Skills Creat. 41:100856. doi: 10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100856

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, symbolic control, and identity: Theory, research, critique (Revised edition). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Google Scholar

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Educ. 32, 347–364.

Google Scholar

Boehme, K. (2024). “Sharing worldviews: Learning in encounter for common values in diversity” in school and teacher education—contexts in germany and Europe. Religions 15:1077. doi: 10.3390/rel15091077

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Century, J., and Cassata, A. (2016). Implementation research: Finding common ground on what, how, why, where, and who. Rev. Res. Educ. 40, 169–215. doi: 10.3102/0091732X16665332

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, A., Kleppinger, E., Churchwell, M., and Rhoney, D. (2023). Examining competency-based education through the lens of implementation science: A scoping review. Am. J. Pharmaceut. Educ. 88:100633. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2023.100633

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, C. (2017). Science mapping: A systematic review of the literature. J. Data Inform. Sci. 2, 1–40. doi: 10.1515/jdis-2017-0006

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, H. T. (2016). Interfacing theories of program with theories of evaluation for advancing evaluation practice: Reductionism, systems thinking, and pragmatic synthesis. Eval. Prog. Plann. 59, 109–118. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.05.012

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Creswell, J. W., and Clark, V. L. P. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications.

Google Scholar

Dolmans, D., Michaelsen, L., Van Merrienboer, J., and Van der Vleuten, C. (2015). Should we choose between problem-based learning and team-based learning? No, combine the best of both worlds! Med. Teacher 37, 354–359. doi: 10.3109/0142159X.2014.948828

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Ferdman, A., and Ratti, E. (2024). What do we teach to engineering students: Embedded ethics, morality, and politics. Sci. Eng. Ethics 30:7. doi: 10.1007/s11948-024-00469-1

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Freire, P. (2020). “Pedagogy of the oppressed,” in Toward a sociology of education, eds J. Beck, C. Jenks, N. Keddie, and M. F. D. Young (Milton Park: Routledge), 374–386.

Google Scholar

Gaebel, M., and Zhang, T. (2024). Trends 2024: European higher education institutions in times of transition. Belgium: European University Association.

Google Scholar

Gee, J. P. (2014). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method, 4th Edn. Milton Park: Routledge.

Google Scholar

Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., and Hamilton, A. L. (2013). Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organ. Res. Methods 16, 15–31. doi: 10.1177/1094428112452151

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Haase, D., Larondelle, N., Andersson, E., Artmann, M. Borgström, S., Breuste, J., et al. (2014). A quantitative review of urban ecosystem service assessments: Concepts, models, and implementation. Ambio 43, 413–433.

Google Scholar

Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., and Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. Eur. Bus. Rev. 31, 2–24. doi: 10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Hong, Y., Song, C., Jiang, Z., and Zhang, W. (2024). Mapping the landscape of medical humanities education: Trends and insights. J. Eval. Clin. Pract. 31, e14239. doi: 10.1111/jep.14239

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Illahibaccus-Sona, S., and Abdullah, M. (2024). Assessing curriculum integration in higher education through academics, undergraduates and employers’ feedback: The case of some countries from six continents. Qual. Assurance Educ. 33, 140–166. doi: 10.1108/qae-06-2024-0105

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Isaac, S., de Lima, J., Jalali, Y., Rossi, V., Tormey, R., and Dehler Zufferey, J. (2024). “Exploring engineering students’ perception of sustainability and ethics in their curriculum across disciplines,” in Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), (Piscataway, NJ: IEEE).

Google Scholar

Ji, S., and Li, H. (2024). Discourse of contemporary chinese ideological and political education: Development directions and teaching methods. Intern. J. Educ. Res. 127:102431. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2024.102431

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Kezar’s, A. (2018). How colleges change: Understanding, leading, and enacting change. Milton Park: Routledge.

Google Scholar

Kišjuhas, A., Lungulov, B., and Čikić, J. (2025). University teaching in “hard” and “soft” sciences: Academic tribes, or towards a common culture? Sociologija 67:2. doi: 10.2298/SOC240517002K

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Knott, E., Rao, A. H., Summers, K., and Teeger, C. (2022). Interviews in the social sciences. Nat. Rev. Methods Prim. 2:73. doi: 10.1038/s43586-022-00150-6

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Leem, S., and Lee, S. (2024). Fostering collaboration and interactions: Unveiling the design thinking process in interdisciplinary education. Think. Skills Creat. 52:101520. doi: 10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101520

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Leydesdorff, L., Wagner, C. S., and Bornmann, L. (2018). Betweenness and diversity in journal citation networks as measures of interdisciplinarity—A tribute to Eugene Garfield. Scientometrics 114, 567–592. doi: 10.1007/s11192-017-2528-2

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Li, M., and Liu, X. (2025). Enhancing humanities and social sciences curriculum in engineering institutions by using interdisciplinary approaches. Cogent Educ. 12:2433831. doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2433831

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Liu, W., and He, C. (2022). Curriculum-Based ideological and political education: Research focuses and evolution. Intern. Educ. Stud. 15, 28–35. doi: 10.5539/ies.v15n5p28

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Liu, X., Xiantong, Z., and Starkey, H. (2023). Ideological and political education in Chinese Universities: Structures and practices. Asia Pacific J. Educ. 43, 586–598. doi: 10.1080/02188791.2021.1960484

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Lomba-Portela, L., Domínguez-Lloria, S., and Pino-Juste, M. R. (2022). Resistances to educational change: Teachers’ perceptions. Educ. Sci. 12:359. doi: 10.3390/educsci12050359

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Luttenberg, J., Carpay, T., and Veugelers, W. (2013). Educational reform as a dynamic system of problems and solutions: Towards an analytic instrument. J. Educ. Change 14, 335–352. doi: 10.1007/s10833-012-9196-z

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Mei, Z. (2024). Integration of curriculum ideology and politics in higher education: A case study of English linguistics in China. Front. Educ. 9:1389469. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1389469

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

O’Neill, G., and Short, A. (2025). Relevant, practical and connected to the real world: What higher education students say engages them in the curriculum. Irish Educ. Stud. 44, 23–40. doi: 10.1080/03323315.2023.2221663

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Ouyang, S., Zhang, W., Xu, J., Rashid, A. M., How, S. P., and Hassan, A. B. (2024). Unmasking the challenges in ideological and political education in China: A thematic review. Heliyon 10:e29176. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29176

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Patton, M. Q. (2014). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications.

Google Scholar

Ren, W., Wang, R., Mohamad, S., Xie, Y., Chen, L., Ning, H., et al. (2023). A quantitative analysis of the influence of ideological and political education on students’ learning satisfaction. J. Infrastruct. Policy Dev. 8, 1–14. doi: 10.24294/jipd.v8i1.2727

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Richter, T., and Kjellgren, B. (2023). Engineers of the future: Student perspectives on integrating global competence in their education. Eur. J. Eng. Educ. 49, 474–491. doi: 10.1080/03043797.2023.2298319

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Rog, D. J. (2015). Infusing theory into practice, practice into theory: Small wins and big gains for evaluation. Am. J. Eval. 36, 223–238. doi: 10.1177/1098214015573068

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Scriven, M. (2013). “Evaluation as a paradigm for educational research,” in New directions in educational evaluation (Routledge), 53–67.

Google Scholar

Shen, Y., Zhang, S., and Chang, G. (2025). Integrating case-based learning with curriculum-based ideological and political education: Enhancing undergraduate otolaryngology education. Front. Educ. 10:1521548. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1521548

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Shi, L., Chen, L., and Gong, R. (2023). Civic-Moral education research in China (1992–2022): A scoping review. Behav. Sci. 13:819. doi: 10.3390/bs13100819

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Steiner-Khamsi, G. (2014). Cross-national policy borrowing: Understanding reception and translation. Asia Pacific J. Educ. 34, 153–167. doi: 10.1080/02188791.2013.875649

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Sukjairungwattana, P., Luo, Z., Hu, H., Liu, W., and Xu, W. (2025). A bibliometric analysis of Chinese higher education policy in the past two decades: Sustainable development and internationalization. J. Infrastruct. Policy Dev. 9:6597. doi: 10.24294/jipd6597

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Tan, C. (2017). “Confucianism and education,” in Oxford research encyclopedia of education, ed. G. W. Noblit (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

Google Scholar

Tikly, L. (2019). Education for sustainable development in Africa: A critique of regional agendas. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 20, 223–237. doi: 10.1007/s12564-019-09600-5

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Tolsgaard, M. G., Kulasegaram, K. M., and Ringsted, C. V. (2016). Collaborative learning of clinical skills in health professions education: The why, how, when and for whom. Med. Educ. 50, 69–78. doi: 10.1111/medu.12814

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Van Herpen, S. G., Hilverda, F., and Vollmann, M. (2024). A longitudinal study on the impact of student-teacher and student-peer relationships on academic performance: The mediating effects of study effort and engagement. Eur. J. Higher Educ. 15, 599–618. doi: 10.1080/21568235.2024.2414760

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Van Manen, M. (2023). Phenomenology of practice: Meaning-giving methods in phenomenological research and writing. Milton Park: Routledge.

Google Scholar

Vexler, Y. A., Merzel, A., Li, R. Z., and Walter, M. (2024). Breaking silos: The effectiveness of a knowledge integration approach for dance curricula. Res. Dance Educ. 1–30. doi: 10.1080/14647893.2024.2365309

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Wang, H., Dong, Y., and Zhang, J. (2022). Literature review on curriculum ideological and political education research based on knowledge map. J. Beijing Univ. Posts Telecommun. 24, 88–98. doi: 10.19722/j.cnki.1008-7729.2022.0042

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Wang, K., and Zhou, S. (2023). Curriculum ideological and political education: An educational philosophy with distinct Chinese characteristics. Intern. J. Higher Educ. 12, 88–99. doi: 10.5430/ijhe.v12n4p88

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Xin, Y., Shusheng, D., Weina, H., and Yan, D. (2025). How does digital connection shape cultural adaptation? The impact of social media use on cross-cultural adaptation of international students in China. J. Intern. Students 15, 1–26. doi: 10.32674/0wkqv704

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Xin, Z., Ganapathy, M., and Khan, A. (2024). Evaluation of curriculum ideological and political education in Chinese higher education: A systematic review. Intern. J. Acad. Res. Prog. Educ. Dev. 13, 2602–2620. doi: 10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i1/20972

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Xu, J., Tian, M., Wang, J., Lin, G., Lei, Q., Lin, X., et al. (2023). Construction and validation of the postgraduate research innovation ability scale (PRIAS): A three-dimensional structural model based on componential theory of creativity. Psychol. Res. Behav. Manag. 16, 2425–2436. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S408331

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Xue, C., Yang, T., and Umair, M. (2023). Approaches and reforms in undergraduate education for integration of major and general education: A comparative study among teaching, teaching–research, and research Universities in China. Sustainability 15:1251. doi: 10.3390/su15021251

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Yan, Q., Zhang, L. J., and Dixon, H. R. (2022). Exploring classroom-based assessment for young EFL learners in the Chinese context: Teachers’ beliefs and practices. Front. Psychol. 13:1051728. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1051728

PubMed Abstract | Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Yang, X., Deng, S., Hu, W., and Deng, Y. (2025). Associations between social media use and academic adjustment among university students: An integrated variable-centered and person-centered analytical framework. Problems Educ. 21st Century 83, 383–402. doi: 10.33225/pec/25.83.383

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Yi, X., Zhang, J., Yan, H., and Zhou, L. (2025). Vocational education reform and corporate skilled human capital: Evidence from China. Manag. Decision Econ. 46, 2086–2102.

Google Scholar

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods, 6th Edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Google Scholar

Yue, S., Wei, J., Aziz, H., and Liew, K. (2023). A study on the effectiveness of self-assessment learning system of ideological and political education for college students. Learn. Motivat. 84:101929. doi: 10.1016/j.lmot.2023.101929

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Zainal Abidin, M. S., Mokhtar, M., and Arsat, M. (2024). Unraveling the challenges of education for sustainable development: A compelling case study. Qual. Res. J. 24, 408–424. doi: 10.1108/QRJ-05-2023-0090

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Zhao, X., Ganapathy, M., and Khan, A. (2024). Evaluation of curriculum ideological and political education in Chinese higher education: A systematic review. Intern. J. Acad. Res. Prog. Educ. Dev. 13, 2602–2620. doi: 10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i1/20972

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar

Zhong, M., Wei, L., and Mo, H. (2025). Enhancing graduate AI education through practical and values-driven curriculum integration. Front. Educ. 10:1630073. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1630073

Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar