Study On Student Mobility Between Mainland And Taiwan

With the globalization and internationalization of higher education, student mobility has been a main form of educational exchanges among countries and regions in the world nowadays. Student mobility between mainland and Taiwan, a special regional mobility, differs not only from student flow between two countries, but also from that between mainland and HK or Macao. By using the methods of literature and interview, this paper describes the evolution of student mobility policy between mainland and Taiwan since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, analyses practice development of student mobility across Taiwan Strait and explores reasons for their mobility, and living and learning status of two sides’students.Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, student mobility policy across Taiwan Strait has developed from scratch, and gone through four stages from one-way to two-way:the stage of no policy for recruiting student from the other side (1949-1978), the initial stage of policy for recruiting Taiwan students by mainland (1979-1989), the gradually standardized stage of policy for recruiting Taiwan students by mainland (1990-2007), two-way student mobility policy stage (2008till now). Political factor has been the key factor which influences the policy. The policies of both sides are asymmetry and purposes of them are different as well.The student number and mobility level across Taiwan Strait prove to be very different and unbalanced. Mainland and Taiwan students who study across the strait are relatively concentrated in some regions. In terms of majors, the advantaged ones in both sides and finance and trade-related departments are popular among students.The drive of curiosity, the desire for culture and life experience of the other side and the consideration for future are the common reasons for study across Taiwan Strait. Besides, professional interest, coincidence, move to mainland with parents and etc. also account for student mobility. Common language and culture, short distance and low cost are also factors that attract students across the strait to study at the other side. Family members, teachers and classmates more or less influence students’ choices. Students mainly focus on the ranking, popularity and location of the universities when they make a decision. The living and learning status of students across Taiwan Strait varies from person to person, and their experiences differ too much from each other.