Encourage student startups

Launched in 2003 in universities, the startup movement initially attracted only a small number of schools and students to participate. To date, about 60% ofuniversities have established startup clubs in priority areas based on the strengths of each school.

A booth at the National Student Startup Festival 2024. Photo: Organizing Committee.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) assessed that innovative start-up activities have made many important strides, and Vietnam's innovative start-up ecosystem is always ranked high. Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Chi - Deputy Minister of MOET said that currently, 100% of higher education institutions have issued regulations to support start-ups and innovation for lecturers and learners. Notably, 58% of higher education institutions have made start-up content a compulsory or elective subject, with a minimum of 2 credits/subject. In particular, some pedagogical colleges have also made start-up content an elective subject for students.

More specifically, regarding the startup support environment, Mr. Nguyen Xuan An Viet - Deputy Director of the Department of Political Education and Student Affairs (Ministry of Education and Training) informed that there are 110 higher education institutions that have arranged common spaces to support startups for students. Most universities have laboratories that meet international standards. About 60% of higher education institutions have established startup clubs in priority areas based on the strengths of each higher education institution. There are 50 higher education institutions (accounting for 25% of higher education institutions) that have established centers or departments to support student startups, of which 10 centers incubate student startups.

The number of projects and revenue from start-up activities of lecturers and students also showed positive signs over the years. In the period 2020 - 2023, the number of start-up projects of students was 33,808, an average of 5,635 projects per year. The number of start-ups, origination, and start-ups incubated by university education institutions from 2020 to present is approximately 300.

However, the activities to promote creative startups in training institutions are currently in the early stages, the activities mainly focus on propaganda and inspiration. Startup support policies have not been implemented synchronously, policy mechanisms are still delayed, not going into depth, and facilities to support startups are still very limited. Analysis shows that the reason is that currently training institutions have not fully recognized the importance of promoting startup activities. New schools mostly focus on teaching and research without paying attention to the commercialization and capitalization of products based on the intellectual foundation of the school, including scientific research products and especially human capitalization. Besides, training revenue is still the main source of revenue for universities.

At the workshop "Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among students: Current situation and policy solutions" recently organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thanh Nam (University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) said that modern higher education institutions must ensure a pioneering role in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in education is not only a trend but also an inevitable requirement for higher education institutions that want to maintain and improve the quality of education. Mr. Nam pointed out that countries with education systems that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship often achieve many achievements in developing high-quality human resources, capable of creative thinking and solving complex problems of the modern world.

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According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, 90% of student startups fail, only 10% succeed. And that 10% is already a great success. We must consider failures as valuable lessons so that we can then create more valuable and sustainable projects and results. Accordingly, university education institutions are not only about imparting knowledge, especially in the current era of information explosion, but they must also be a place to inspire the spirit and desire for startups and innovation in learners.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/khich-le-sinh-vien-khoi-nghiep-10297034.html