CEFContemporary Education Frontiers3029-18793029-1860WHIOCE PUBLISHING PTE. LTD.10.18063/CEF.v4i3.1754ArticleResearch on the Driving Mechanisms and Governance Paths of Collaborative Education between Free Trade Port Industrial Clusters and Higher Education under the Perspective of Industry-Education Integration: A Case Study of Hainan Free Trade Porthttps://artdesignp.com/journal/CEF/4/3/10.18063/CEF.v4i3.1754JiangYude,QiuWusen2026432026-03-26The rapid emergence of Hainan Free Trade Ports distinctive “4 + 3 + 3” modern industrial clusters has led to a surge in demand for high-caliber, application-oriented, and internationally competent talents. Industry-education integration, as the core pathway for synergistic development between higher education and industry, is pivotal in addressing talent supply-demand mismatches within the free trade port and empowering industrial upgrading. This study examines the Hainan Free Trade Port as a case study, analyzes the practical foundations and key bottlenecks in collaborative talent cultivation between industrial clusters and higher education, and establishes a four-dimensional driving mechanism encompassing policy, market, innovation, and interest incentives. It proposes a systematic governance framework featuring multi-stakeholder collaboration, joint development of industry-education platforms, innovative governance mechanisms, and integrated resource allocation. These insights provide theoretical references and practical guidance for effectively aligning the education, talent, industrial, and innovation chains within the free trade port, thereby fostering high-quality synergistic development between higher education and industrial clusters.Industry-education integration, Hainan Free Trade Port, Industrial clusters, Higher education, Collaborative talent development, Incentive mechanisms, Governance pathways

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