In July 2019, the Ministry of Education of China issued the "Administrative Measures for National College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program" (referred to as "Measures"), actively guiding local colleges and universities to deepen the reform of innovation and entrepreneurship education, strengthen the cultivation of college students' innovative and entrepreneurial ability, and comprehensively improve the quality of talents training.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education launched the “National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program” (referred to as the “National Innovation Plan”), and advocated the innovative practice of taking students as the main body in accordance with the principle of “interest-driven, independent practice, and emphasis on the process” to promote the comprehensive reform of colleges and universities in terms of teaching content, curriculum system and practice links, and enhance the ability of college students to innovate and start their own businesses. At present, 900,000 college students from more than 1,000 universities participate in the “National Innovation Plan”, and a total of 220,000 national-level projects have received funding. The content covers all disciplines and supports about 3.7 billion yuan. The “National Innovation Plan” has become an innovative and entrepreneurial talent foundation training project for all college students.
The "Measures" adhere to the high starting point, high standards, strict requirements, give full play to the "National Innovation Plan" demonstration leading role, focus on strengthening project process management, clear communication, incentive and supervision and evaluation mechanism. The responsibilities of the competent department and the project operation process were systematically sorted out.
The "Measures" clarify that the implementation of the "National Innovation Plan" aims to deepen the reform of innovation and entrepreneurship education in colleges and universities, improve the ability of personnel training, and cultivate high-level innovative and entrepreneurial talents that meet the needs of the construction of innovative countries. The “National Innovation Plan” implements project management and is divided into three categories: innovation training programs, entrepreneurship training programs and entrepreneurial practice projects.
The "Measures" clarified the responsibilities of management departments at all levels, clearly pointed out that the Ministry of Education is a macro-management department, and the provincial-level education administrative department is mainly responsible for project organization and management in the region. Colleges and universities are the main body of the implementation and management of the "National Innovation Plan".
The "Measures" set some basic selection requirements such as research direction, team members, instructors and financial support, and standardize the project launch process. At the same time, the “measures” standardize the project completion and publication process, and establish a closed information disclosure and external service system.
The "Measures" require that the project process and post-management should be strengthened. It is clarified that the school needs to establish a management coordination organization led by the school leaders to determine the competent department; emphasize the responsibility of the project team leader, standardize the conditions for the use of funds, and clarify the relevant incentive policies. The university prepares the progress report of the “National Innovation Plan” project from the overall situation of the project, organization and management, project implementation, support measures, education and teaching reform, and implementation effectiveness. The “National Innovation Plan” project with better implementation of the project can apply for “National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Annual Meeting."