Authorities promote measures to create favorable environment

China has introduced a raft of measures to boost entrepreneurship and innovation among college students by creating a favorable environment for them to launch startups and innovative projects.

In 2015, the general office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued a guideline to improve the innovation and entrepreneurship courses at the country's universities.

The guideline urged universities to support student entrepreneurship by transferring study credits and setting up flexible learning schedules. Local governments and universities were ordered to make full use of resources to set up university technology bases, student entrepreneurship centers and incubators. Meanwhile, organizations, groups and enterprises were encouraged to set up venture funds for student entrepreneurs, the guideline said.

Moreover, a guideline issued by the Ministry of Education in 2017 said university students can suspend their studies when setting up businesses, and the papers, patents and other achievements in their entrepreneurship can be transferred into school credits. Huai Jinpeng, minister of education, said such students are full of imagination and creativity, and they can be the driving force for entrepreneurship and innovation.

In recent years, China has established a path to expand entrepreneurship and innovation among college students, nurtured innovative talents and promoted the integration of learning and technological innovation, he said.

Jobs have been created through student startups, thus assisting high-quality socioeconomic development, poverty alleviation and rural vitalization, Huai said. The country will continue to support entrepreneurship and innovation among college students by building new platforms, promoting international cooperation and expanding policy support in the sector, he added.

Yin Peng, deputy dean of the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Xidian University in Shaanxi province, said the school produces about 50 relatively sophisticated startups every year.

As a university with strong information technology-related majors, students in the field are eager to develop mini-apps and start their own IT businesses, he said.

The university also offers a range of policies to support students who want to start businesses, such as providing funding, workspaces, equipment and assistance in finding investors, he said.

When students try to start businesses, they should become better acquainted with schoolmates and teachers who have similar interests, and widen their knowledge via different disciplines, Yin said, adding that students are also allowed to suspend their studies for a maximum of two years to focus on their startup.

"As an engineering university, we encourage students to be innovative in technology and possibly spearhead innovation in a completely new sector," he said.

"We want students to start their businesses in college, because it is a very hard thing to do and they have nothing to lose while they are still students. Even if they fail, they will have gained valuable experience through the process."