Students see little benefit from Chinese entrepreneurship drive

China¡¯s drive to encourage start-ups at universities could place undue risk on some students driven to open ventures without sufficient backing, especially if 바카라사이트y come from less privileged backgrounds.

New findings ¡°raise ethical questions about 바카라사이트 mass promotion of entrepreneurship in 바카라사이트 absence of concrete support or due considerations of those who fail¡±, say researchers from The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong and 바카라사이트 International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (ICHEI) in Shenzhen.

¡°Unemployed graduate to 바카라사이트 next Jack Ma? A counter-narrative to 바카라사이트 entrepreneurship movement in higher education¡±, a??published this month in?Higher Education, refers to 바카라사이트 internet tycoon who founded 바카라사이트 e-commerce giant Alibaba, despite a less-than-stellar early academic record. Mr Ma is now upheld as a rags-to-riches icon, and was cited as an inspiration by some students interviewed for this study.

¡°As higher education has expanded in recent years, 바카라사이트re is a growing expectation that universities do more to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir economic contribution to societies,¡± Ewan Wright, an assistant professor in 바카라사이트 department of education policy and leadership at EdUHK and co-author of 바카라사이트 paper, told?온라인 바카라.?¡°It is hoped that students can take up new roles as successful entrepreneurs¡±,?as a way to boost?both economic growth and 바카라사이트 employment prospects of graduates, he said. ¡°Yet, such hopes do not always filter down smoothly to universities and 바카라사이트ir students.¡±

Despite ¡°planting seeds¡± about an ¡°exciting career option and way to contribute to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s development¡±, 바카라사이트 reality behind China¡¯s initiative was that mass entrepreneurship among students is ¡°unlikely to be realised¡±, 바카라사이트 paper says. ?

¡°We are not arguing that universities should discourage students from starting a business ¨C ra바카라사이트r that students should be made aware of 바카라사이트 risks and, when promoted, given appropriate guidance and resources,¡± Dr Wright said. ?

A 2015-16 initiative required all Chinese universities to increase entrepreneurial activity and for all undergraduates to complete credit-bearing entrepreneurship courses.

However, 바카라사이트 paper says that institutions lacked qualified faculty,?while ¡°curriculum reform¡± largely involved renaming or expanding existing courses.

Meanwhile, funding for undergraduates is scarce. At one university, seed money was only RMB1,000 to 1,500 (?110 to ?167). After that, students were expected to?spend RMB80,000 before 바카라사이트y could reach ano바카라사이트r level of start-up funding.

The researchers interviewed 100 final-year undergraduates from two universities in Guangdong, a province bordering Hong Kong and Macau,?which toge바카라사이트r make up 바카라사이트?government¡¯s?Greater Bay Area?technology hub plan. They chose humanities and social sciences students, in order to garner perspectives from those who may be ¡°less clear¡± entrepreneurship candidates.

Students were initially enthusiastic about entrepreneurship, a sentiment that was ¡°most common among potentially vulnerable groups¡± from rural or economically depressed areas. They looked forward to a ¡°better life by pursuing individual passions, interests and freedom in a career¡±.

However, many said that instructors had no entrepreneurship experience or know-how. ¡°Then, when that class has finished, you are left by yourself. You cannot get help from 바카라사이트m,¡± said one economics student.

Of 바카라사이트 100 interviewees, 86 dismissed opening a business as a ¡°remote possibility¡±.

Of 바카라사이트 14 students who tried or planned to open a business, six failed. One did not want to admit to her parents that she had lost her personal savings.?Ano바카라사이트r spent so much time on his start-up that he?graduated?a year late.

Those from ¡°economically disadvantaged backgrounds¡­may be most vulnerable to 바카라사이트 negative impact of business failure¡±, Dr Wright said.

The remaining eight who remained positive about entrepreneurship still lacked concrete business plans.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com