The Legislative Yuan approved amendments to three acts Aug. 19, allowing mainland Chinese students to study in Taiwan’s universities and recognizing higher education degrees from the mainland.
The revisions to the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, the University Act and the Junior College Law also include some restrictions. Students from the mainland will not be allowed to apply for departments related to national security and will be barred from participating in national examinations unless they hold ROC citizenship.
While tertiary education degrees from 41 mainland Chinese institutions will be recognized, medical degrees will remain an exception, to ensure the quality of Taiwan’s medical care and the health and safety of the people. The degree recognition, however, cannot be applied retroactively.
Minister of Education Wu Ching-ji said, “Masters and doctoral students are set to be admitted in the spring semester of 2011 at the earliest, while undergraduate students will be allowed to come next fall.”
The MOE will draw up detailed regulations regarding quotas, qualifications, application methods and schedules for the admission of mainland Chinese students and present them to the Executive Yuan for approval, Wu noted.
Lawmakers also passed a resolution prohibiting mainland students from working full-time or part-time, on or off campus, during their studies in Taiwan, and requiring that their tuition fees be equal to or higher than the lowest private university tuition.
In addition, the MOE should periodically review the situation regarding mainland Chinese students and report its results to the Legislative Yuan, according to the resolution. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at morningk@mail.gio.gov.tw