Return on Investment in Moral and Aesthetic Education: Evidence from Chinese University Students on Skill Transfer, Career Development, and Social Adaptation

This paper examines the Return on Investment (ROI) of Moral and Aesthetic Education (MAE) in the Chinese higher education with a focus on the role of skill transfer in moderating the impacts of the ROI. By applying an analytical and explanatory study design, the research combines Human Capital Theory, Transfer of Learning Theory, and moral-aesthetic traditions to come up with a conceptual framework. A secondary dataset including 10 Chinese universities was constructed that measured exposure to MAE (72 to 128 course credits; curriculum quality index 70 to 92), transfer mechanisms and ROI outcomes. Descriptive analysis indicates that, across all institutions somewhat wide range exist in the form of employability (82-95%), innovation (70-92), civic participation (70-86) and resilience (74-85). The composite index of ROI varied between 62.0 and 85.6 with elite universities having 79.2 on a mean basis as compared to 66.4 in the regional universities. Correlation performed showed that the Skill Transfer Index has good prediction effects in ROI (r = 0.84), employability (r = 0.79) and participation in civic life (r = 0.72). These findings suggest that although MAE unequivocally increases employability, its real extra value lies in its ability to promote innovation, ethical reasoning and social adaptation, which are best achieved when transfer mechanisms of skills (release internships, mentorship and service-learning) exist. The results also show that there is a policy-practice gap in the execution of the 2015-2024 plan of action on education given that regional universities are at a disadvantage due to the disparity in resources. The research therefore arrives at the conclusion that MAE is a strategic investment that is, providing economic and non-economical returns and providing graduates with a capacity to lead, innovate and become resilient citizens.