TAIPEI: Peking University president Zhou Qifeng has proposed that his institution and National Taiwan University (NTU) offer joint degrees. NTU deputy president Chen Tai-jen said Zhou made the suggestion during a visit yesterday.

Zhou headed a delegation to NTU, and attended a seminar with Taiwan colleagues on cross-Straits higher education.

Chen, who welcomed the mainland delegation, told reporters after the seminar that Zhou suggested the creation of joint doctoral programs.

The proposed joint doctorate program with NTU could adopt the same model as a joint program now in place with the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, Chen quoted Zhou as saying.

"I would be delighted to see that happens," said Chen.

But a prerequisite for such joint programs is Taiwan's recognition of mainland diplomas, he emphasized.

There are many restrictions for mainland diplomas in Taiwan. The restrictions not only cause problems for Taiwan students studying in mainland universities, but have prevented Taiwan's post-secondary institutions from recruiting mainland students.

The privately-run universities in Taiwan have lobbied the "Ministry of Education" to allow mainland students to study on the island, to offset sagging enrollment at Taiwan universities.

The educators argue Taiwan has higher education resources to spare but many mainland youths can't attend universities which have full enrollment. With the declining birth rate in Taiwan, the number of high school graduates applying for universities is expected to shrink to 40,000 by 2015 from approximately 87,000 this year.

Taiwan's "Ministry of Education" has been trying to remedy the situation by introducing a bill to permit limited numbers of overseas students.

The bill has stalled in preliminary review because the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opposes the plan and has adopted several delaying tactics including occupying the podium and locking the conference room.

From the education and research point of the view, "the more diverse the students are, the better," Chen said.

As for the mainland, Deputy Minister of Education Yuan Guiren recently commented that Taiwan students soon will be able to apply for admission to mainland universities on the merits of their Joint University Entrance Exam (JUEE) scores.

JUEE is the standard exam for Taiwan university applicants.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 07/15/2009 page2)