Taiwan legislature Thursday adopted amendments to three laws, allowing local colleges to take in students from the mainland.

According to the amendments, the island will allow mainland youths to go to college in Taiwan and also recognize the diplomas granted by mainland colleges except for medical schools, according to the legislature.

However, mainland students can not apply for schools and colleges related to the island's security nor attend the exams of civil servants and professionals such as doctors and lawyers.

Taiwan's education department said in a statement that it would issue two detailed regulations in line with the amendments in September. The first group of postgraduate students are expected to arrive next March and the first college students can enroll next September.

The number of mainland students would only account for 1 percent of the total number of freshmen in Taiwan universities, the statement said, adding that the total number could be 2,000 in one academic year.

Due to the dropping birth rate and increasing number of colleges, many colleges in Taiwan are finding it difficult to attract enough students.

The three associations of public, private universities and colleges of technology in Taiwan issued statements welcoming the law amendments.

They urged the education department to issue detailed rules "as early as possible" and called for the two sides to set up offices in charge of cross-Strait education affairs.

Dr. Michael J.K. Chen, president of the Association of Private Universities and Colleges of Technology, said Taiwan universities are confident of competing with mainland counterparts to attract young talents.

"But we should also work harder to provide good education as the mainland is spending more and more resources on education," he said.

The island's education department also said they would first recognize diplomas granted by 41 best mainland universities. The mainland has already recognized diplomas granted by all 164 universities and colleges in Taiwan.

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said at a meeting Wednesday that allowing mainland youths to study in Taiwan and accepting mainland college diplomas would be a landmark event for cross-Strait relations.

Education exchanges would help young people know more about each other and lay the foundation for long-term peace across the Taiwan Strait, he said.

The policy will also make full use of Taiwan's spare education facilities, he added.