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Ma calls for more
students from China
LOOSENING UP: The annual quota for Chinese
students is only half-filled, prompting the president to order the Ministry of
Education to review the regulations to draw more talent
By Mo Yan-chih / Staff Reporter
President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E) yesterday instructed the Ministry of Education to
review its policy and relax regulations to attract more Chinese students to
Taiwan.
The policy, which was launched six months ago, aims to promote cross-strait
exchanges in education.
In an effort to protect the rights of local students, however, the government
imposed restrictions, including banning Chinese students from taking
certification exams and not allowing them to stay in Taiwan after they graduate.
The ministry should examine the policy and adjust some regulations to achieve
its goal, Ma said yesterday, speaking to the Chinese Nationalist Party¡¦s (KMT)
Central Standing Committee.
¡§The policy is part of our goal to strengthen cross-strait exchanges and of
course we want to attract great students. But it would be hard to keep talent
with too many restrictions, and I think the ministry should discuss [the
restrictions] and make the necessary adjustments,¡¨ he said.
The KMT¡¦s Central Standing Committee yesterday invited Minister of Education
Chiang Wei-ling (½±°¶¹ç) to present a report on its education policy. Chang
attributed the the lower-than-expected number of Chinese students to the
restrictions.
As part of Ma¡¦s cross-strait policies, the ministry began a program last year
that opened more than 100 colleges and universities to 2,000 Chinese students
each year.
Under the policy, 67 universities are allowed to admit a total of 1,123 Chinese
students and 65 technology colleges can take in 877, in line with an annual
quota of 2,000 imposed by the government.
The quota should not affect the original recruitment plans of the participating
schools and Chinese students are not eligible for scholarships.
Chiang said that 928 Chinese students took advantage of the program to enroll in
Taiwanese schools last year and the ministry is reviewing the policy to examine
factors behind the low enrollments.
¡§The restrictions are able to resolve society¡¦s doubts, but they also affect
Chinese students¡¦ willingness to come and study in Taiwan ¡K If the government¡¦s
aim is to attract the best students to Taiwan and raise the country¡¦s
competitiveness in higher education, the restrictions contradict that goal,¡¨ he
said.
Chiang said the ministry would focus discussion on issues which include the
number of Chinese students allowed in Taiwan and adjustment of the enrollment
schedule to facilitate the application process.
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