Many more Chinese students are studying abroad in Britain and
the US with more visas being granted for these educational trips
through a streamlined application process. Non-English speaking
countries like Italy are also becoming popular destinations.
The figures were released over the weekend at the China
Education Expo 2006 that attracted more than 6,000 visitors and 450
overseas schools from 30 countries and regions.
Between January and September the British embassy approved
18,000 Chinese student visas. Accounting for 90 percent of visas
granted to students Britain is the top destination for Chinese
applicants.
"The rate has jumped by 18 percent from the same period of last
year," said Jarzeel Goh, an official with the education department
of the British embassy. "More students are receiving a quality
education in Great Britain and the British government welcomes the
rising number of international students, allowing them to spend a
year working in the country after they finish their
studies.?Meanwhile, the quality of students' applications is
getting better as well."
Although the US is popular so far Britain and New Zealand are
the two favorite destinations with a total of 60,000 Chinese
students in the UK and 30,000 in New Zealand at present. At this
year's expo the 60-plus British schools were the largest single
group of participants.
Besides the thousands of students studying in Britain and New
Zealand the number of applicants wishing to study in America has
tripled due to the US embassy relaxing its visa requirements
with?95 percent of applicants in the first eight months of
this year being granted admission, a US embassy official told
CCTV.
"No matter whether students have scholarships or not, as long as
they can provide a reasonable income source they'll be treated
equally and without discrimination," he was quoted by CCTV as
saying.
"My parents insist on my going to the US for graduate study," He
Wenwen, a sophomore at Beijing International Studies University,
told China Daily. "I think it's important to have the
overseas experience. It'll broaden my thinking and help me get a
well-rounded understanding of the world. But finally I'll return to
China."
Non-English speaking countries are also attracting more
students. Italy plans to take 2,000 Chinese students this year,
which is 10 times more than the number for 2005, while South Korea
intends to admit over 1,000 -- a rise of 25 percent over last
year.
The Education Expo, organized by the China Education Association
for International Exchange (CEAIE), is seen as an opportunity for
overseas schools to expand their presence in what is potentially
the world's largest recruitment market.
"This year's expo is themed 'quality first'," said Wu Zaofeng,
deputy secretary-general of the CEAIE. "We hope our overseas
participants will be able to bring tailored and quality programs to
our visitors, making it easier for them to find jobs in the
future."
The hot subjects for overseas study include information
technology, engineering, accounting, international communications,
logistics and hotel management.
(China Daily October 16, 2006)