Chinese and German engineering experts convened in Beijing Monday to discuss future cooperation in engineering education and mutual accreditation.

The Symposium on Perspectives of Sino-German Cooperation in Realm of Engineering Education and Accreditation, co-sponsored by the Chinese Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Association of German Engineers, is expected to shape the future accreditation of engineers between China and Germany.

Zhou Guangzhao, CAST president, said at the symposium that Germany has rich experience in training high-quality engineers while China needs a great number of outstanding engineers to help sustain its rapidly-growing economy.

Chinese colleges and universities are now enrolling about 3.7 million students for engineering diplomas. Germany boasts more than 5 million qualified engineers.

Zhao Qinping, vice minister of education, said China and Germany will try to cooperate in joint education programs and establish a uniform appraisal system for such joint programs.

Engineering experts from prestigious Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai Polytechnic University and German engineering associations and higher-learning institutes are attending the two-day symposium.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2005)