Recently, the Shandong Provincial People's Government and the Ministry of Education jointly issued the Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Quality Improvement and Upgrading of Vocational Education and Empowering the Construction of Green, Low-carbon and High-quality Development Pilot Zone (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions). According to the Opinions, Shandong is planning to establish 10 industry-based communities with the integration between industry and education that will cover the entire province and be physically put into operation.

The Opinions clarified Shandong's plan to establish industry-based communities with the integration between industry and education.  It is also stated that Shandong will connect with its "Top Ten" advantageous industrial clusters for the replacement of old growth drivers with new ones to establish 10 industry-based communities with the integration between industry and education that will cover the entire province and be physically put into operation. The construction of these communities will be guided by management authorities of the industries, led by high-level schools, leading enterprises and "chain owner" enterprises, and participated by application-oriented undergraduate colleges, vocational colleges (including technical colleges), scientific research institutes and key enterprises. The communities cover 10 fields such as new generation of information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy & materials, modern marine sector, healthcare & elderly care, high-end chemical industry, modern high-efficiency agriculture, cultural tourism industry, modern light and textile industry and modern finance. Focusing on key links in the industry chain, they will optimize the layout of production and education, train urgently needed talents, tackle technological shortcomings, and promote the integrated development of education, talent, industry, and innovation chains. The aim is to enhance the core competitiveness of the industry across the entire chain.