The department of medical sciences of Peking University is to hold examinations provided by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) from November 2002, opening the doors for qualified Chinese nurses to serve foreign patients.

The examination, under the approval of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, will be the first such endeavor to be held on China's mainland, sources told a news conference Monday.

Experts said that countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore have expressed interest in allowing Chinese nurses to work in their countries. So far, hundreds of qualified Chinese nurses have gone to work in Great Britain and Saudi Arabia through government channels.

The CGFNS examination was launched in the United States in the late 1960s, and has so far been held in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. The CGFNS certificate is widely accepted in the world and constitutes a must for foreign nurses to apply for work visas in the United States.

( April 2, 2002)