In August this year, representatives from Yunnan University in China are planning to come to the Philippines to conduct an admissions seminar.

The 300-hectare Yunnan University is one of the largest universities in China but it also wants to be recognized as a “regional first-class” university throughout the world.

But for a country where English language is spoken and understood by a few, getting more students from other nations is not an easy task.

So to encourage more foreign students to enroll in the university, it has decided to open six English courses which Civil Engineering; Electronic Information Engineering; Computer Science and Technology; Software Engineering, International Economy and Trade;and Business Administration.

“This is to adapt to the development of the University…”Li Wei, Dean at Yunnan’s School of International Education, said in a recent briefing with journalists from South and Southeast Asia nations.

Wei said offering English courses is a “new move”for the university, which offers 94 bachelors degree, 236 masters degree and 115 doctors degree.

“We offer English courses or English majors for the international students so [it would be easier for them to choose a major],”he said.

At present, Wei said about 80  percent of the international students of  Yunnan University  are sponsored by various scholarships, including the Chinese government scholarship, Confucius Institute scholarship, Yunnan Provincial Government scholarship, Yunnan University scholarship, among others.