Integrating process and content in intelligent manufacturing education: A dual-layer curriculum model based on CDIO and dynamic STEM + X

This study addresses a critical curriculum design challenge: closing the gap between education and industry in intelligent manufacturing talent cultivation. An innovative CDIO-STEM + X curriculum model was developed, which architecturally integrates CDIO standards, adaptive STEM + X knowledge, and immersive practice. Its dual-layer governance structure is designed to ensure both systematic rigor and dynamic relevance. A quasi-experimental study involving 200 students, employing a dual-mentor evaluation tool with strong reliability (α = 0.854–0.856) and criterion-related validity (r = 0.890, p < 0.001), examined the impact of the curriculum reform. The results showed an overall effect size of d = 1.225 and a mean effect size across competency dimensions of d = 1.270. Both institutional and industry assessments indicated substantial student improvement, particularly in teamwork (d = 1.114), innovation capability (d = 1.014), and green ethics (d = 1.891). These findings suggest that the “dynamic curriculum + virtual-real training” model is associated with meaningful gains in bridging the gap between academic preparation and industrial requirements. This provides an empirically grounded, scalable framework for engineering education reform in the context of intelligent manufacturing.