Talent cultivation has become a strategic priority for application-oriented universities in China in response to industrial transformation, technological innovation, and the increasing demand for high-quality applied talents. Although Industry–University–Research (IUR) integration has been widely promoted as an effective approach to enhancing educational quality and graduate employability, many application-oriented universities continue to face challenges in aligning talent cultivation with industrial and societal needs. Drawing upon Human Capital Theory and Triple Helix Theory, this study explores the challenges and development strategies of talent cultivation under Industry–University–Research integration in China. A qualitative research design was adopted, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants, including university teachers, students, and enterprise representatives from three representative application-oriented universities in China. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings identified five major challenges, including curriculum–industry mismatch, insufficient enterprise participation, weak practical teaching capacity, limited transformation of research outcomes, and the lack of sustainable collaborative governance mechanisms. To address these challenges, five development strategies are proposed, namely dynamic curriculum adjustment, deep enterprise engagement, dual-qualified faculty development, research–teaching–industry integration, and collaborative governance enhancement. By integrating Human Capital Theory and Triple Helix Theory, this study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding talent cultivation under Industry–University–Research integration and offers practical implications for policymakers, university administrators, and industry partners seeking to improve the effectiveness of talent cultivation in application-oriented universities.
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