Vice Minister of Education Lu Mu-lin (呂木琳) said yesterday that Chinese students who come to Taiwan for short-term research or study would be allowed to stay in the country for a maximum of one year, up from four months.
“In order to promote cross-strait cultural exchanges, the duration of stay for Chinese students will be extended from four months to one year,” Lu told reporters at the ministry.
Lu said a maximum of 1,000 students from China would be approved each academic year.
“Institutions that have signed cooperation agreements with schools in China can begin applications immediately and until Dec. 15,” he said, adding that the ministry would organize a task force to review the applications.
Lu said about 200 to 300 students from China come to Taiwan for short-term research each year and the students who are allowed to come have strong academic backgrounds.
“Nothing unpleasant has happened so far,” he said.
The ministry said in a press release that it would determine whether students have the necessary expertise to conduct their proposed research, while the National Immigration Agency (NIA) would verify the identities of the students.
The ministry and the NIA may look into the students’ school performance at irregular intervals “if necessary,” the release said.
A cross-agency task force composed of personnel from the Mainland Affairs Council, the National Security Bureau and the ministry will be responsible for reviewing the qualifications of any applicants whose research falls under the category of Taiwanese studies or includes issues of national security or sensitive technologies, the ministry said.
The task force will reject any applicant about whom it has doubts, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the ministry will allow universities with continuing education programs abroad to hire foreign professionals to teach at those programs. Lu declined to specify whether Chinese nationals would be included.
Taiwanese nationals should, however, fill a minimum of one-third of the teaching positions at an overseas program, Lu said.
Citizens of other countries will also be allowed to enroll in such programs, Lu said. In the past, only Taiwanese citizens and members of the Taiwanese diaspora were allowed to enroll.
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