MAKING OUR GRADUATES EMPLOYABLE:
SEVEN UK UNIVERSITIES PARTNER LEADING CHINESE UNIVERSITIES TO WIN FUNDING FOR PROJECTS ON EMPLOYABILITY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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Creating Chinese and UK graduates who are employable as well as qualified is the aim of seven UK universities which have won funding from the UK government to work in partnership with Chinese Higher Education Institutions to develop projects on employability and entrepreneurship.
 
The UK’s University of Salford, partnered with East China Normal University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Harbin Institute of Technology is the first of the UK universities to launch their programme in China, and they will be investigating Employability, Entrepreneurship and Global Citizenship.

The seven universities will work with their Chinese partners to exchange knowledge and experience in the areas of employability and entrepreneurship; and to develop ideas and concepts for a high-level China / UK forum on employability and entrepreneurship. The partnerships are funded through the UK-China Collaborative Partnerships in Employability and Entrepreneurship scheme.

It is hoped that the example provided by these partnerships will encourage future collaboration by other institutions and lead to further work in these areas.

Each UK university submitted a project proposal which was scrutinised under fierce competition.
The successful universities and their partners are:

• University of Salford with East China Normal University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Harbin Institute of Technology
• University of York with Nanjing University
• University of Plymouth with China Agricultural University
• Leeds Metropolitan University with Zhejiang University of Technology
• University of Northampton with Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing
• University of Central Lancashire with Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade
• University of Coventry with Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade

Their projects include examining differences in approach and outcomes of employability in China and the UK; looking at the student experience and its influences on employability in an international context; and developing curriculum to reinforce a climate of social as well as private enterprise in China.

The issues of entrepreneurship and employability are closely linked to current concerns in the Chinese education system, such as the quality of higher education; graduate employment; innovation and creativity. The UK shares these concerns, and higher education institutions in the UK have been developing initiatives in the area of employability and entrepreneurship for some time.

The UK-China Collaborative Partnerships in Employability and Entrepreneurship scheme is managed by the British Council – operating in China as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy in Beijing and Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulates-General in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing.

Mr. Gavin Anderson, the Culture and Education Consul, Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulate-General said:

“Increasing the level and quality of engagement between the UK and China in first-class employability and entrepreneurship programme development will benefit both countries’ education systems and the employability of their students. 

“China and UK businesses will reap the benefits of graduates ready to work and empowered to use their entrepreneurial talents.

“Making our graduates employable as well as qualified – that is the aim of these Sino-UK partnerships.”

Salford University Spokesperson said:

“We look forward to working even more closely with our partners East China Normal University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Harbin Institute of Technology.

“Working collaboratively means that our students will benefit from an international context, new research and fresh understanding.

“Our new knowledge and increased expertise in the areas of employability and entrepreneurship will be shared across the UK and China higher education sector, making our work together globally significant.

The UK-China Collaborative Partnerships in Employability and Entrepreneurship scheme is part of the second Prime Minster’s Initiative (PMI2).