With apologies for cross-posting

Development of students’ employability and entrepreneurial skills for Malaysia/ASEAN contexts

University of Nottingham  - Engineering and Science Learning Centre

Wednesday 18th July  - 10.30 – 15.00 (with registration and coffee from 10.00)

This one day workshop will present the findings of a HEA/UKCISA-funded project which aimed to develop the employability, entrepreneurial skills and intercultural understanding of postgraduate research students through their participation in a business planning competition, the International Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (I-YES) in Malaysia.  A key element of this project was to identify and raise students’ awareness of the employability and entrepreneurial skills valued by business and employers in Malaysia/ASEAN countries and to support their development of inter-cultural skills required for employment in a global context.  A fundamental aspect of the programme dealt with international business in Asia and the cultural frameworks for marketing and operation within an ASEAN context.

The International-YES programme was developed from the various Young Entrepreneurs Schemes for postgraduate research students. These have a very successful track record of delivery in the UK and involve teams of students working on a business plan for a real or imaginary start-up business before presenting it to a group of local investors and industry experts who judge the best bid.  Throughout, the teams are also supported by business mentors who provide master-classes and expert input to foster students’ understanding of key issues such as marketing, finance and Intellectual Property.

In June 2012, the University of Nottingham’s Graduate School ran the YES programme for teams of students at its campus in Malaysia.  The programme involved expert input from key Malaysian businesses including Global Green Synergy Sdn Bhd, Olympic Council of Malaysia and the European Union Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Innovation (EUMCCI).  These provided mentoring support to the students and judged the final business plans.  The student teams were drawn from the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campuses postgraduate student population and comprised a mixture of home (Malaysian) and international students.  An additional feature of the I-YES programme was the involvement of student mentors/inter-cultural champions.  These six students were former participants from one of the UK YES programmes and were recruited to specifically help capture issues involved in translating the programme to a different context/culture.

This workshop is designed for staff working in UK HEIs whose roles involve supporting the development of student employability and entrepreneurial or intercultural skills.  
It aims to:
•	Outline the Young Entrepreneurs Scheme and the issues that arose in transferring this model to Malaysia.
•	Share the reflections of the project team, the local student participants and the UK student mentors/inter-cultural champions in relation to the employability, entrepreneurship and inter-cultural issues that delivery of the programme in Malaysia developed as compared to when it is run in the UK.
•	Report and share the feedback from the Malaysian businesses who participated as mentors and judges in relation to the employability, entrepreneurship skills they are looking for in graduates.
•	Discuss how UK HEIS can help support their students to develop the skills required for employment in the Malaysian/ASEAN economies.

To register please go to:  
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/eventslisting/iyes---development-of-skills-workshop.aspx