International students and admission administration suggest that schools launch a more reasonable evaluation system, engage in more publicity and improve the quality of teaching in English to better select and attract high-quality international students. (Photo: IC)

A university in Central China kicked out 92 international students for poor grades or violating school regulations, which experts said shows the advanced management of universities on overseas students following numerous controversies in July.

Wuhan University in Hubei Province on November 20 had dismissed 92 international students from 44 countries who failed to register on time, failing to pay their tuition, skipping required classes without permission and failing, local media reported. 

The university said they had completed the dismissal procedure for all 92 students on Monday, Changjiang Daily reported.

Mo Yiwen, a deputy director of the university's international school, told media that the school had warned these students a year earlier and tried to inform them, but the students failed to improve. 

At present, 3,500 overseas students from 120 foreign countries and regions are studying at Wuhan University, media reported.

The university has kicked out 474 international students since 2017, 181 this year alone in accordance with school regulations. The figure is higher than previous years, in response to a request from the Ministry of Education to enhance management on foreign students, Mo said. 

The ministry in July vowed to enhance the management of international students following media reports of alleged privileges of foreign students on some Chinese campuses, including generous scholarships and low admission requirements. 

Xiong Bingqi, a deputy director of the Shanghai-based 21st Century Education Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday that the move shows Chinese universities' determination to enhance management of overseas students to increase their global competitiveness. 

He noted that as one of the world's most popular destinations for international students, China should not give special treatment to them as it is not conducive to nurturing high-quality talent or improving the international competitiveness of China's higher education.

China became the world's third most popular destination for international students in 2018, receiving 10 percent of the world's international students, ahead of many long standing host countries, said a report released in Beijing on December 12.

A Japanese undergraduate student of Peking University, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday that he took for granted that universities dismissing students for violated school regulations or laws, or failing class, regardless of where they come from.

The student noted he doesn't think foreign students can be privileged.

Chinese netizens also hailed the move. 

"Whether you are domestic or overseas students, you are supposed to get dismissed if you do not attend classes," a user said on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo, calling on other Chinese universities to enhance teaching quality.

Xiong said that Chinese public opinion, which is positive on the issues, reflected public support for domestic universities to develop higher-quality education offered to overseas students.