By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-18 10:00

A program jointly organized by Chinese and United Kingdom agencies, aimed at fostering entrepreneurship among students and easing pressure on the job market, was launched on Wednesday.

The Sino-UK International Entrepreneurship Educators Program was launched by the Shanghai Technology Entrepreneurship Foundation for Graduates and the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) in the UK.

"For a long time, China's higher education has focused on employment rates and been lacking in the area of self-employment," Fu Jianqin, an official with the Shanghai municipal education commission, said.

Last year, 14 million people graduated from high school and 5 million from college, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).

A fifth of the college graduates had failed to find a job by the end of last year.

With jobs hard to find, the government is encouraging graduates to follow entrepreneurship courses to increase their chances, officials said.

Ning Zhong, a professor at Fudan University, said: "Unlike other countries, Chinese entrepreneurship education is still in its primary stage. Many graduates fail on their road to entrepreneurship success."

Paul Hannon, director of research and education with the NCGE, said: "The role of educators in developing such capacities for the future is important.

"Increasing the number of leaders in enterprise and entrepreneurship education will impact on the environment for growing tomorrow's entrepreneurial people and ventures."

Participants in the program work in groups and small teams, and are set personal development goals and clear tasks.