Entrepreneurial Mindset Key To Graduate Employability – UOC Pro-chancellor
By Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- An entrepreneurial mindset should be embedded more deeply in Malaysia’s higher education system to develop graduates with long-term employability, moving beyond the traditional focus of preparing them primarily for their first job.
University of Cyberjaya (UOC) Pro-Chancellor Tan Sri Dr R Palan said this would require universities, industry and policymakers to continue strengthening the ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and innovation at the national level.
This includes access to funding, industry networks, mentorship and opportunities for experimentation, said Palan, who has worked at the intersection of education and entrepreneurship for several decades.
In a recent interview with Bernama, he said an entrepreneurial mindset should not be narrowly defined as starting a company; rather, it encompasses qualities such as initiative, critical thinking, innovation, calculated risk-taking, experimentation and the ability to turn ideas into action.
Ultimately, the goal is to produce workers who are competent in a dynamic global economy, which is being transformed by rapid technological changes, while preparing graduates for an uncertain future.
He said these qualities were equally important for graduates working within established organisations, where they could practise “intrapreneurship” by developing new products, services, processes and solutions.
Palan drew a distinction between employment -- having a job -- and employability, which he described as the continuing ability to remain relevant, adapt and create opportunities throughout one’s working life.
“One of the biggest differences is that universities have traditionally prepared graduates for employment. Increasingly, the challenge is employability, making sure that people continue to remain relevant in the workplace,” he said.
He said universities should therefore focus not only on imparting academic knowledge and technical skills but also on developing broader capabilities.
“Universities are not in the business of developing just skills or awarding degrees. We are in the business of developing capabilities,” he said.
Higher Education Blueprint Provides Important Direction
Palan described the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint 2026–2035 as a thought-provoking and useful document that provides an important framework for the future development of the country’s higher education system.
He said its emphasis on developing humanity-centric, entrepreneurial and adaptive learners was particularly relevant as Malaysia prepares graduates for a rapidly changing world of work.
“The Blueprint gives us an important direction. The challenge now is how universities, industry and policymakers work together to translate these aspirations into capabilities that students can carry with them throughout their working lives,” he said.
He said the direction outlined in the Blueprint also reinforced the importance of adaptability, lifelong learning, innovation and preparing graduates to engage effectively with emerging technologies.
Palan said this required a collective effort involving higher education institutions, policymakers, employers and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Entrepreneurship Not Just About Starting a Business
Palan said entrepreneurship education should allow students to experiment, test ideas and learn from setbacks while they are still in an environment where they can receive guidance and support.
“It is better for me to learn from failure when I am young than to encounter failure for the first time when I am already in a senior position,” he said.
Universities, he added, could provide safe environments for experimentation where students learn to make decisions, manage uncertainty and take calculated risks.
Such experiences could develop qualities that would serve graduates whether they eventually become entrepreneurs, professionals, managers or leaders within established organisations.
He said the entrepreneurial mindset was ultimately about creating people who could identify opportunities, solve problems and act upon ideas rather than simply waiting for instructions.
AI Requires New Approach to Education
On the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), Palan said universities should not resist technological change but should instead equip students with the ability to use AI responsibly, critically and effectively.
“I don’t think we should resist the change because it is already here. Whether we like it or not, we have to learn how to work with it,” he said.
However, he cautioned that simply reproducing AI-generated content did not demonstrate learning or understanding, particularly in academic work that required students to formulate arguments, analyse information and exercise judgement.
He said AI literacy should increasingly become a basic capability for graduates as the technology continues to transform workplaces and automate various tasks.
The role of universities, therefore, was not merely to teach students how to use AI tools but also to develop their ability to question, evaluate and apply the information generated by such technologies.
Palan said technological disruption also meant that higher education could no longer be viewed as ending when a person obtained a degree.
Individuals would increasingly need to acquire new knowledge and capabilities throughout their working lives as technologies, occupations and industries evolved.
From First Job to Lifelong Employability
Palan said bridging the evolving gap between university education and industry requirements remained an important challenge for higher education.
He said the question should not simply be whether graduates found employment after completing their studies, but whether they remained adaptable, globally competitive and capable of responding to technological and industry changes over the longer term.
Graduate outcomes, including underemployment, career mobility and the ability to continue learning, should therefore form part of the broader discussion about the effectiveness of higher education, he said.
“The first job is important, but it cannot be the only measure of success.
“The real question is whether we have developed graduates with the capabilities, mindset and confidence to remain relevant throughout their working lives,” Palan said.
-- BERNAMA