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 on December 20. 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 were 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.
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