Private domestic universities may apply to accept students from overseas beginning July 1 this year, when the Law on Administrative Licensing goes into effect.

Currently, only full-time government-operated universities are permitted to register foreign students.

"With the abolishment of local administrative licensing over the issue in July, schools-whether public or private--only have to pass inspections of teachers, management and living conditions to be licensed to accept foreign students," 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, with 40 percent of them in Beijing.

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

"We expect the number of foreign students in Beijing to top 80,000 by 2008, and that foreign students will account for 10 percent of the total number of university students in the city," he said.

Geng was speaking at a press conference held to introduce the Beijing International Education Expo, which will be held from August 24 through 26.

A total of 200 domestic and foreign universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Peking University will participate, together with 70 vocational schools, 60 middle and primary schools, 80 Sino-foreign cooperative educational organizations and 45 Beijing-based overseas study intermediary organizations

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.

Visa officers from the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand will answer questions about visa policies during the expo.

At the same time, 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 educational opportunities to overseas students.

(China Daily May 20, 2004)