Graduate Employment in China: Emerging Tensions and Policy Solutions

• In Event: Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: From Higher Education to the Workforce

Abstract

Since 1999 higher education in China has expanded on a historically unprecedented scale. Central to driving this process has been the perceived importance of a high-skilled labour force for promoting a transition to a knowledge economy. Nevertheless, recent years have evidenced growing levels of graduate unemployment and under-employment. This paper will shed light on the extent of the problem, competing views about the drivers, and the policy solutions being put forward. It will argue that higher education reforms aimed at improving standards, promoting entrepreneurship, and offering vocational tracks have potential to ease tensions in graduate labour markets. The issue is, however, unlikely to be resolved until China’s economy develops the capacity to absorb the rapidly increased number of graduates.

Authors

• Ewan Wright, The University of Hong Kong

• Ying Ma, The University of Hong Kong