Private domestic universities may start taking in students from overseas on July 1, when the Law on Administrative Licensing kicks in. 

Currently, only full-time government-owned universities can have foreign students.

"With the abolishment of local administrative licensing over the issue in July, schools only have to pass expert appraisal of teachers, management and living conditions to be permitted to receive foreign students, regardless if they are public or private," said Cao Guoxing, director of the international cooperation department of the Ministry of Education yesterday.

There are more than 80,000 overseas students in China, 40 percent of them in Beijing.

Geng Xuechao, director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission Wednesday vowed to provide more convenient services for schooling, living and part-time work for overseas students in Beijing.

"It is expected that the amount of foreign students in Beijing will be more than 80,000 by 2008 and foreign students will cover 10 percent of the total amount of university students in the Chinese capital city," he said.

Geng made the remarks at the press conference introducing the Beijing International Education Expo, which will be held between August 24-26.

Organized by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and the China Scholarship Council, the event will be the first international educational expo organized by governmental agencies.

A total of 200 universities from home and abroad, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, Harvard University and Peking University will take part in the expo.

Meanwhile, 70 vocational schools, 60 middle and primary schools, 80 Sino-foreign cooperative educational organizations and 45 Beijing-based overseas study intermediary organizations will also take part.

Furthermore, educational and cultural counselors from the embassies of Japan, South Korea, the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Australia will speak about educational cooperation under the World Trade Organization.

A long-term communications system is expected to be set up among the counselors, sources said.

Visa officers from the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand will address visitors at the expo over their different visa policies and answer questions.

During the expo, a Sino-foreign educational cooperative project fair will also be held to provide a stage for schools or educational organizations seeking international business opportunities.

Beijing has vowed to further open up its education to overseas students.

(China Daily May 20, 2004)