PUTRAJAYA: Three strategic thrusts have been formulated to empower the entrepreneurship programme among students in tertiary institutions (IPT) through the IPT Entrepreneurship Action Plan ‪2021-2025‬, according to Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

The three strategic thrusts encompass efforts to have a stronger, synergistic and holistic entrepreneurship ecosystem, to empower high-impact entrepreneurship network, and to give emphasis on innovation and technology-based entrepreneurship, she said.

The minister said the plan is a new narrative to the entrepreneurship development programme in IPT, which is also in line with one of the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Strategic Focus 2021.

During the implementation of the IPT Entrepreneurship Action Plan ‪2016-2020‬, a total of 49,983 tertiary students were recorded to have run a business during their studies, but only 7,148 or 14.3 per cent followed the path and become entrepreneurs after graduation, she said.

“Based on the statistics, and with the impact of COVID-19, it is critical that the efforts be given new emphasis and affirmation to empower entrepreneurship programme among tertiary students while they are still studying,” she said when launching the plan virtually via MoHE Facebook Live app today.

Noraini said, in general, the strategic thrusts celebrate the formation of a synergistic entrepreneurship ecosystem between academic, industrial, government and community entrepreneurship in the national higher education system landscape.

She said the guide to implement efforts to empower entrepreneurship curriculum in IPT, which is also being emphasised in the plan, were included in the book titled, MoHE Guide to Entrepreneurship Integrated Education (EIE).

The book emphasises six key elements of entrepreneurship curriculum development starting with the fundamental/basic of entrepreneurship, advanced knowledge, business knowledge, extra curriculum, human development skills and entrepreneurship apprentice, she added.

-- BERNAMA