Taiwanese school bells to ring for mainlanders

The Ministry of Education yesterday established legal grounds for Taiwan's universities to start extension courses in China which Chinese students will be allowed to attend.

Yesterday's move was another step in promoting educational interchanges between the two sides, after the ministry's announcement made on Monday to permit private universities to set up branches in China.

Vice Minister of Education Lu Mu-lin (呂木琳) said after the meeting -- which was attended by university representatives, officials from the Mainland Affairs Council and the education ministry -- that the legal provision was drafted to help universities intending to open up continuing programs overseas, including China, to be allowed to do so next February.

Two programs -- courses granting credits and those that don't -- will be provided under the system. Only Taiwanese nationals, such as businessmen and citizens residing in China, will be allowed to take courses that will issue credits to students, but Chinese nationals will only be permitted to sit in non-credited classes.

Lu said that the reason for the new regulation was because of the growing need for educating increasing numbers of Taiwanese businessmen in Southeast Asian countries and China.

As communication across the Strait increases -- concomitant with a trend of Taiwanese students furthering their studies in China, Taiwanese universities are keen to target a prospective market.

Yuan Ze University (元智大學), for example, signed cooperation agreements in May with Shanghai universities, such as Jiao Tung University and Suzhou University. Meanwhile, the school is looking at the possibility of setting up joint programs with Qing Hua University in Beijing. Courses will be conducted by both Taiwanese and Chinese professors.

In March, Ming Chuan University (銘傳大學) and Shanghai University signed a contract to offer training courses for Taiwanese living in China, while National Sun Yat-sen University has a joint cooperation program lined up with Tong Ji University of Shanghai.

Several months ago, a bid by Hsuan Chuang University (玄奘大學), a school specializing in religious studies, to open religious programs in Shanghai was hindered by the education ministry. But yesterday's relaxation on restrictions will provide a new opportunity for the university to make its proposal again.

Other schools are also exploring possibilities throughout the Asian region.

National Cheng Kung University, for instance, has an eye on the educational market in countries in Southeast Asia. It is also cooperating with a financial institute in Indonesia, which seeks to attract Indonesian students who are encouraged to take courses in their country, so as to shorten their study time when they come to study in Taiwan.

"It is an unavoidable trend for Taiwanese universities to be globalized as Taiwan is expected to enter the WTO later this year. Educational markets -- including Southeast Asian countries and China -- will be the first to feel the impact of the opening up, so we need to be well prepared for the change," said an official from the university.