The number of students from
Taiwan applying
for postgraduate courses offered by mainland universities has
jumped by almost 180 percent this year compared with last year,
said the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Center in Hong Kong
Thursday.
Applicants on the Rise
Kwok Ming Wa, vice president of the center, said he predicted the
number of applicants for 2002 is expected to rise by at least 50
percent, although the final figure will not be confirmed until
January 11, 2002.
The center, which is a body entrusted by China's Education Ministry
to process applicants from Hong Kong and Taiwan has recorded a
total of 296 applicants from Taiwan for the postgraduate courses
this year, compared with 106 in 2000.
Those applying for master's degree courses and doctorate degree
courses number 121 and 175 respectively this year, compared with 56
and 60 respectively last year.
This year, 64 students from Taiwan have been accepted into the
master's courses and 116 for doctorate degree courses, compared
with 30 and 35 respectively last year.
Kwok said that given the not-so-good economic situation in Taiwan
in recent years and China's access into WTO leading to more
employment opportunities in the mainland, many students from Taiwan
have gone to study at mainland universities.
"Many people from Taiwan have lived in Shanghai and the Pearl River
Delta region and worked in joint ventures, so the mainland may
have become their favorite place for further education," he
said.
Majors
The most popular postgraduate courses Hong Kong and Taiwanese
students choose to enroll in include Master's in Business
Administration, Chinese Law, Accounting, Chinese Medicine,
Philosophy and Literature.
Taiwan to Accept 50 Mainland Universities' Diplomas
According to news from Taiwan, the province is ready to acknowledge
students' diplomas granted by 50 mainland colleges and
universities.
Ovid J. L. Tzeng, "education minister" of Taiwan, said that as the
day for China's entry into the World Trade Organization is drawing
near, it is an inevitable trend to acknowledge students' higher
education certificates issued by the mainland's colleges and
universities.
He
said that departments concerned in Taiwan would adopt a
"progressive" principle, i.e., first accepting diplomas for
doctors, then maters, and finally bachelors.
Growing number of Taiwan students studying in Mainland
More than 200 students, three times more than last year, have
applied to Beijing University this year.
A
record number of 37 Taiwan students was accepted this year by Beijing University,
Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine and Zhanghai University of
Medicine, each admitting around 70.
Chinese medicine has always been the most popular major because of
China's long history and extensive research in this field.
As
trade with China has grown, majors in law and business management
are also increasing in popularity.
( December 21, 2001)