Developing an Integration Guideline for Traditional Wushu into Modern Higher Education

Lei Yu; Saknasan Jintasakul; Prakit Hongsaenyatham

doi:10.60027/iarj.2026.e292773

Authors

Lei Yu Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7080-9707
Saknasan Jintasakul Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9124-8872
Prakit Hongsaenyatham Bangkokthonburi University, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2196-0258

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60027/iarj.2026.e292773

Keywords:

Integration Guideline, Traditional Wushu, Higher Education, Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Background and Aim: The integration of traditional Chinese Wushu into modern university education is an area that has gained significant attention due to the growing interest in maintaining cultural heritage while promoting holistic education. However, despite its historical and cultural importance, its integration into higher education systems, especially in modern universities, remains limited and inconsistent. This lack of formal integration creates a gap between the traditional practice of Wushu and the evolving demands of contemporary educational frameworks that emphasize multidisciplinary learning and global engagement. Therefore, this research was to develop an integration guideline for traditional Wushu into modern higher education.

Materials and Methods: This research was mixed-method research. The research population consists of 2,446 first-year students from the 2024 academic year who selected Wushu as part of their general physical education courses; these students are not majoring in physical education, and 28 Wushu teachers from 6 universities in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. For this research, 7 experts were interviewed to help draft the components of the guideline. Additionally, 12 experts participated in a focus group discussion to develop an integration guideline. Finally, 9 experts were invited to a connoisseurship discussion to confirm the developed integration guideline. In this research, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results: An integration guideline for traditional Wushu into modern higher education was organized in six aspects as follows: (1) Curriculum design and structure including 3 elements; (2) Pedagogical and instructional approaches including 3 elements; (3) Institutional support and resources including 3 elements; (4) Professional development and faculty support including 2 elements; (5) Intercultural learning and leadership development including 2 elements; (6) Evaluation, continuous improvement, and sustainability including 3 elements.

Conclusion: After validation through the connoisseurship method, the experts unanimously agreed that the developed integration guideline offers a comprehensive and practical framework for incorporating traditional Wushu into modern higher education.

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