TAIPEI - TAIWAN'S President Ma Ying-jeou called on Sunday for more university classes to be taught in English if the island is to attract talented foreign students.

Mr Ma, himself fluent in English, said he believes that if educational institutions are to lure foreign students, they must begin delivering courses entirely in English.

'Why so? Because I found not only schools in Singapore, Hong Kong or Europe, but schools in non-English speaking countries have begun English courses to attract foreign students,' he said.

Just over half of the 70 colleges and universities on the island ran over 9,000 English-medium courses last year, with foreigners comprising just 1.3 per cent of the student body, Mr Ma said.

'Hopefully, that number can be doubled,' Mr Ma said in his latest video presentation on the website of the presidential office.

His appeal comes as Hong Kong Polytechnic University offered a scholarship package worth around US$62,000 (S$86,000) in financial support during a presentation at one of Taiwan's most prestigious boys' high schools last week. -- AFP