TAIPEI: The government's policy of allowing mainland students to study in Taiwan will help alleviate the under-enrollment faced by many domestic colleges and universities as a result of the declining birth rate, "Minister of Education" Wu Ching-chi said yesterday.

Pointing out that only half of the 10 million mainland students graduating from senior high schools every year enroll in universities, Wu said Taiwan can target the remaining 5 million students and recruit some of them to study in Taiwan.

Wu made the remarks while attending a meeting in Kaohsiung County with presidents of technology colleges and universities.

According to Chen Chen-kuei, president of the Association of Private Universities and Colleges of Technology, the decline in the birth rate has led to serious under-enrollment in junior colleges.

Chen predicted that 12,000 openings will be left unfilled in junior colleges this year and that the number is expected to increase to 90,000 in 2016.

He suggested that junior colleges should recruit more overseas students to solve the problem.

Wu echoed Chen's remarks, saying that opening the door to mainland students will not only boost enrollment in domestic colleges and universities, but also will help enhance cross-Straits exchanges and Taiwan's international image.

According to Wu, mainland students will be required to pay tuition fees that are 100 percent-150 percent higher than locals and will not be entitled to local scholarships.

They will be forbidden from taking part-time jobs and will be required to return to the mainland within one month of graduation, Wu added.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/08/2010 page2)