Colleges began designing curriculums according to the requirements of companies that will ease the employment concerns of future graduates.

Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Foreign Language College, the earliest college to initiate the change, has signed a cooperative pact to train students for eight businesses by the end of the month.

Big companies such as Shanghai Volkswagen Automobile Co Ltd, Bank of China and HSBC, will jointly launch specialized classes with the college next semester, college officials said.

"The main purpose for college education is to give students skills that companies need and make them instantly hirable after graduation," said Huang Ping, vice president at SICFL.

Classes jointly run by the school and companies include accounting for financial institutions, or mechanics. Working professionals will instruct students.

Subjects unrelated to the company's business will be removed from the curriculum. Basics such as Chinese and English will still be taught.

All students at the college are asked to select a class during the second academic year for future career development. Most graduates will be recruited by partner companies but prospective employers have the right to turn down unqualified candidates, Huang said.

Currently, the college is also contacting the Shanghai World Expo Group to train exhibition professionals and open a class for East China Airlines' customer service center.

Other private colleges in suburban Nanhui University Town are following the new format, the college said.

"It is necessary for private colleges to adjust their curriculum and help graduates find jobs," said Xu Jun, SICFL's job placement director.

Xu said it is more important for private college graduates to have a profession with clear development prospects.

(Shanghai Daily March 25, 2004)