Characteristic Reform of International Business Professional Talent Cultivation in the Digitalisation Era

In the context of the digital intelligent economy, this study investigates the specialised reform of talent cultivation for the international business major by using a mixed-method design that integrates both quantitative descriptive and qualitative case analyses. Quantitatively, descriptive statistical analysis is conducted on the employment data of 519 graduates from the classes of 2022 to 2024, sourced from the career guidance centre of an application-oriented university. This analysis delineates the graduates’ employment status, occupational choices, and sectoral distribution. Qualitatively, the study examines the international business curriculum of the same local application-oriented university, focusing on the misalignment between the existing curriculum and student needs—as revealed by the quantitative findings—and synthesises the underlying problems in current talent cultivation, thereby proposing achievable reform pathways. These pathways include clarifying curriculum objectives with hierarchical practical training; constructing a dynamic technology-driven curriculum system; building a multidimensional practical platform; formulating a cross-cultural competence development framework; adopting differentiated cultivation strategies; and aligning talent training with regional industrial development. This research offers empirical evidence for cultivating international business talents in developing countries and provides practical insights for the specialised reform of application-oriented universities in the digital transformation era.