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International Students in China
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ĦĦĦĦAs an important component of international
exchanges and cooperation, international students education has
been given great importance by the Chinese government. Due to half-century's
painstaking efforts, an international students administration system,
with distinct Chinese characteristics, has been constructed. This
system has helped to produce a number of talents in the fields of
science, technology, education, diplomacy, management, etc. for
many countries, especially developing countries, and played an active
role in enhancing the political, diplomatic and economic ties between
China and those countries as well as promoting the exchange of culture,
education and personnel.
ĦĦĦĦIn 1950, China received the first group of 33 students from the
East European countries. By the end of 2000, the total number of
international students in China has increased to 407,000. They are
from more than 160 different countries. Among them, Chinese Government
Scholarship students numbered 88,000, whereas self-financed students
reached 317,000. Since 1997, the Chinese Scholarships Council (CSC)
has been entrusted by the Ministry of Education with the enrollment
and administration of daily operations concerning international
students in China sponsored by Chinese Government Scholarships.
ĦĦĦĦSince 1978 when China initiated her reform and opening-up policy,
international students education has entered into a new stage. From
1979 to 1999, the total number of international students studying
in China reached 342,000 person-times. China has been successful
in maintaining social and political stability and the rapid growth
of economy, and this in return gives rise to the international students.
In 1996, the total of international students reached 41,000, an
increase by 30 % over 1992. Furthermore, the enrollment of self-financed
students made such a big stride that it has surpassed that of scholarship
students, and became the main stream of the international students.
ĦĦĦĦThe outbreak of SARS in 2003 had brought great difficulties. In
order to implement the 2003-2007 Action Plan for Rejuvenating Education,
the Ministry of Education had worked creatively on the policy of
"expand the size, raise the level, guarantee the quality and regulate
the management". The difficulties that SARS had caused were surmounted
and the number of the students was basically stabilized. Totally
77,715 students of different types from 175 countries were accepted
by 353 Chinese higher education institutions.
ĦĦĦĦInternational students from Asia still top the list of all, totaled
63,672, accounting for 81.93% (see Graphic 1). While 6,462 students
are from Europe, accounting for 8.31%; 4,703 from America, accounting
for 6.05%; 1,793 from Africa, accounting for 2.31%, and 1085 from
Oceania, accounting for 1.04%.
ĦĦĦĦSouth Korea, Japan, the
United States, Vietnam and Indonesia are the top five countries
that have the largest numbers of international students in China,
numbered 35,353, 12,765, 3,693, 3,478, and 2,563 respectively. Other
countries, which have over 1,000 students in China, are Thailand
(1,554), Germany (1,280), Russia (1,224), Nepal (1,199) and Mongolia
(1,060).
ĦĦĦĦAccording to the agreements
or programs signed by Chinese government and the governments of
other countries as well as international organizations, China's
Ministry of Education offered to 163 countries Chinese Government
Scholarships in 2003.With the 1,879 new numbers, actually 6,153
foreign students were admitted, making up 7% of total number, of
which Asia students amounted to 3,076,covered 50% of the total,
European students 1,442, 23%, Africa 1,244, 20%, America 305, 5%,
Oceania 86, 1.4%. With the principle of raising the level of scholarship
students, Ph.D students increased to 609,Master Degree students
added up to 1,350,and undergraduate students 1,754 .In addition,
123 students were benefited from the other scholarship provided
by Chinese Government, including the Great Wall Scholarship, the
Excellent Student Scholarship, the HSK Winner Scholarship, the short-term
program for foreign teachers of Chinese and the Chinese culture
research program. As for the self-financed students, the enrolment
has expanded to 71,562, among them, short-term students (who studied
for less than 6 months) numbered 13,202, whereas long-term students
who studied in China for over 6 months (including 6 months) numbered
58,360.
ĦĦĦĦIn accordance with the relevant regulations on the management
of Chinese Government Scholarship formulated by the Ministry of
Education, to reinforce the management of Chinese Government Scholarship
and to bring its benefits and effects into full play, the Ministry
of Education of China entrusts China Scholarship Council (CSC) to
take charge of the organization and implementation of Annual Review
of the Chinese Government Scholarship students. And the institutions
are entitled to give Annual Review to their own scholarship students.
ĦĦĦĦTo convenience international students, along with some consulting
booklets, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Chinese Service
Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), directly under the Ministry
of Education, also provide on-line enrollment and information consulting.
ĦĦĦĦOn February 16, 1998, the Conference on Study by Foreign Students
in China was convened, which, coming up with the policy of "deepening
reform, improving management and guaranteeing educational quality
to achieve vigorous and steady development", the former State Education
Commission, analyzed the new circumstances faced by the international
students education and consequently laid down tasks to be fulfilled
in recent years. This is a milestone in Chinese international students
education.
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