The TA aims to support the PRC Government's efforts to improve policies and programs for addressing youth and graduate unemployment. The TA will contribute to the government's long-term goal of building a harmonious and prosperous society through education policies that can enhance and maintain employment of new graduates, and is in line with recent policy directives including the State Council's reforms for education. It is directly linked to the CPS of the PRC, 2011 2015, which emphasizes inclusive growth and balanced development. The TA supplements the ongoing and lending program, as well as the TA program in the area of education, and TVET, as it will provide additional knowledge to support policy guidance, tracking and evaluation, and development for expanding skills and employability among Chinese tertiary graduates.

An ongoing TA (Policies for Promoting Employment of University Graduates) is evaluating the scope of the graduate unemployment problem and assessing how employment promotion policies have worked. This TA aims to identify policy recommendations for expanding graduate employment opportunities and for strengthening the enabling environment for graduate self-employment; and provide policy recommendations for improving university education and the role of universities to promote graduate employability. The proposed TA will complement and build on the findings of the former, embracing a cluster approach for ADB's TA program for the PRC. This TA will address institutional reform, with the aim of enhancing labor market relevance, and will support the transition of selected local HEIs into applied colleges. It will yield a summary report with recommendations for the government to rollout the transition on a broader scale. The TA will also contribute, through workshops, to the development of HEI networks in the PRC, which will help spread know-how and good practices. By bringing together policy makers, practitioners, and academics, it will further strengthen and enrich the pool of expertise on tertiary education.

IMPACT

Employment-ready college graduates increased (National Outline for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development, 2010 -2020*)

Students' attitudes regarding higher education and employment shifted (National Outline for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development, 2010 -2020*)

CONSULTING SERVICES

The consultants will be selected based on their academic qualification and relevant work experience. The consultants under the TA will be selected in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time). The terms of reference (Appendix 3) outline their tasks. All procurement under the TA will be carried out in accordance with ADB's Procurement Guidelines (2015, as amended from time to time). Proceeds of the TA will be disbursed in accordance with ADB's Technical Assistance Disbursement Handbook (2010, as amended from time to time).

Ministry of Education
37 Damucang Huton, Xidan
Beijing 100816
People's Republic of China

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB
The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main