As an important part of educational modernization, the modernization of higher education plays an irreplaceable role in promoting the competitiveness of higher education. Under the background of higher education modernization, it is necessary for local colleges and universities to cultivate the innovation ability of postgraduates, and the problems existing in the cultivation of the innovation ability of Postgraduates in local colleges and universities are combed. On this basis, from the four aspects of attaching importance to the cultivation of graduate students' innovative consciousness, establishing a curriculum system combining theory with practice, creating a positive academic atmosphere for innovation and giving full play to the guiding role of dissertation in the cultivation of innovation ability, this paper explores the realization path of improving the innovation ability of local university graduate students under the background of higher education modernization.