Reforming and Implementing an Applied Talent Development Model in Financial Mathematics in the Context of New Quality Productive Forces
Lingrong Gu *
Faculty of Economics and Management, Fuzhou Institute of Technology, Fujian, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The development of new quality productive forces and the digital transformation of the financial sector have increased the demand for interdisciplinary professionals with strong quantitative and practical capabilities. However, existing financial mathematics programmes face challenges in curriculum integration, practical training and innovation-oriented education, highlighting the need to reform applied talent development models.
Aims: To develop an applied undergraduate education model in financial mathematics that responds to the digital and intelligent transformation of the financial sector driven by new quality productive forces.
Study Design: A questionnaire-based investigation supplemented by employer interviews and expert consultations, followed by an educational reform initiative and a follow-up survey.
Place and duration of study: A newly established financial mathematics programme at an application-oriented undergraduate institution in China.
Methodology: Evidence was collected through 107 valid responses to 109 distributed student questionnaires, interviews with 11 financial-sector employers and consultations with six university teaching experts. The questionnaire had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.812. The study developed a fourfold integration framework to connect values education, research, innovation, and industry with teaching. Four supporting systems addressed holistic student development, curriculum innovation, practical education and faculty development.
Results: Before the reform, 17.76% of students reported a clear understanding of new quality productive forces and financial-sector transformation, 57.94% perceived insufficient integration across mathematics, finance and computing courses, and 85.98% described external practical education as primarily observational. Follow-up survey results showed that clear industry understanding increased to 45.79% and curriculum satisfaction to 54.21%. Self-rated big-data skills and financial problem-solving skills increased from 2.41 to 3.02 and from 2.33 to 2.86, respectively, on five-point scales.
Conclusion: The reform provides a practice-based framework for aligning interdisciplinary undergraduate education with industry requirements. The reported improvements indicate its potential value for similar programmes, although longer-term evaluation remains necessary.
Keywords: New quality productive forces, financial mathematics, fourfold integration, applied talent, talent development model