MOE works on recognizing China degrees

Vice Education Minister Lin Tsung-ming said the policy still need further discussion, particularly on the issue concerning how far back retroactive recognition of China degrees should go.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) is working to opening Taiwan's colleges and universities to China students by June next year.

Accompanying the move is the recognition of diplomas from China's colleges and universities.

Such recognition will be a relief for many Taiwanese students who have obtained Chinese university degrees that have thus far not been recognized in Taiwan.

Lin, echoing remarks made by Education Minister Wu Ching-chi Tuesday, said the MOE has initially projected to make the policy retroactive to 1997.

But it will continue to gauge public opinion, as the issue has become a major concern.

The MOE is looking to allow Chinese graduate students to pursue graduate courses at Taiwan's public universities, while private universities will be permitted to enroll undergraduate students from China.

Wu said a quota will be set for Chinese students, with the number ranging from 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the total number of freshman intake every year; about 2,000 students.

Each university's enrollment of Chinese students will not exceed 2 percent of their freshmen from Taiwan, he added.

Wu expressed hope that relevant laws will revised as soon as possible to let the new policy take effect to allow local universities to enroll Chinese students for the fall semester in 2010.

Local universities have generally applauded the plan, and have called for bigger quotas.

Shih Hsin University President Lai Ting-ming urged the government to raise the limit to 5 percent and to recognize qualifications from more Chinese universities.

Fo Guang University President Weng Cheng-i agreed, saying that a 2 percent quota for each university will be too small at a time when Taiwan's birth rate continues to decline.

But opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen objected to the plan, citing concerns over the possible impact to the local job market.

Tsai, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, said the government should seriously consider the employment factor when putting forth the policy, which she said could aggravate Taiwan's unemployment.

She was addressing concerns that Chinese students, after obtaining local degrees, would stay on to compete for jobs with their Taiwanese counterparts.

But Minister of Examination Yang Chao-shiang stressed that Chinese students graduating from Taiwanese universities will not be able to take part in state examinations for civil servants or tests to get professional certification.

Only Taiwanese citizens with ROC nationality are eligible to participate in these examinations, he noted.

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