TAIPEI: Amid criticism of a government plan to recognize diplomas issued by 41 mainland universities, deputy chief of education affairs Lin Tsung-ming said yesterday that the policy has not been finalized and that further discussions on the issue are needed.

Echoing remarks made by education affairs chief Wu Ching-chi a day earlier, Lin said the education authorities have initially projected to make the policy retroactive to 1997, but will continue to heed public opinion in this regard, as it has become a major concern.

In addition, the education authorities are contemplating allowing mainland graduate students to pursue master-degree courses at Taiwan's public universities, while local private universities will be permitted to enroll college students from the mainland.

In terms of the maximum number of mainland students allowed to pursue higher and advanced studies in Taiwan, Wu said that the number will range between 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the total number of every year's freshman intake - about 2,000 per year. Each university will be authorized to enroll a maximum of 2 percent of its annual enrollment intake as mainland students, in addition to local freshmen, he added.

Wu expressed hope that relevant law amendments will be enacted by the Legislative Yuan as soon as possible so that the policy can be implemented in time to allow local universities to enroll mainland students from next autumn.

Responding to the government plan, some private universities keen on the opening measures complained of the 2 percent restriction on mainland student enrollment, describing it as "too low."

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

Fo Guang University President Weng Cheng-i agreed, saying that a 2 percent quota is too small at a time when Taiwan's birth rate continues to fall steadily.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 11/19/2009 page2)