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)