In the context of contemporary globalization, the preservation and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage has assumed heightened significance. Serving as a pivotal cultural asset, intangible cultural heritage plays an essential role in upholding cultural diversity and fostering societal progress. This study combines micro and macro-level management practices, student engagement theory, and cultural-historical activity theory to conduct quantitative research on 500 art and design students from 16 universities in Shaanxi Province, China. The primary research findings reveal a positive correlation between students' sense of responsibility and cultural heritage awareness, indicating deepening responsibility with heightened awareness. However, general knowledge and student-teacher interactions, though positively correlated, lack statistical significance. The study underscores the crucial role of institutional support and pragmatic education in enhancing students' intangible cultural heritage transmission awareness. Practical, hands-on learning experiences and strong institutional backing drive a deeper understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage among students. These insights have implications for educational policy and curriculum design, emphasizing the need for a multi-faceted approach to intangible cultural heritage education that incorporates both theoretical knowledge and practical experiences, and underscores the importance of institutional support in this endeavor.