The Higher Education Ministry is targeting to get seven to eight per cent of graduates venture into entrepreneurship as their career by 2020.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the target was in line with the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) and Higher Education Institution Entrepreneurship Action Plan (2016-2020).

He said 3,756 or 2.5 per cent of graduates from public institutions of higher learning had made entrepreneurship as a career choice upon graduation.

"Exposure to structured entrepreneurship during studies has increased from 40 per cent in 2014 to over 60 per cent last year," he told reporters after chairing a National Higher Education Entrepreneurship Council meeting, here, today.

Also present were Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching and the ministry's secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur.

"The ministry is targeting 15 per cent student participation in business activities during their course study and so far only three per cent of students (9,998) have registered their businesses," he said.

Realising that some universities do not allow their students to be involved in business activities during studies, Idris said the ministry would change the higher education policy, if necessary.

Meanwhile, he said October was chosen as entrepreneurial month for all universities nationwide.

He said the ministry would also hold a Ministry of Higher Education Entrepreneurship Awards ceremony on Jan 26 in Kuala Lumpur in appreciation of efforts by higher education institutions towards entrepreneurial education and development. - BERNAMA