Management Center Innsbruck of Austria, a university amid the Alpine mountains, is trying to attract more Chinese students.

It has enrolled about 1,000 international degree-seeking students and 350 international exchange students from all over the world, including some 20 Chinese exchange students.

"We are eager to receive more students from China as we highly value ambitious people from this wonderful country," MCI's Daniela Koeck said.

"We have extended the Global Scholarship program to China, allowing Chinese students to enjoy tuition discounts of 25 percent, 50 percent and 75 percent or, in exceptional cases, even 100 percent," Koeck said. "There are several activities and plans to attract more students from China."

More than 459,000 Chinese students studied overseas last year, an increase of more than 11 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Education said. Their top choices were the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore and South Korea.

Last year, MCI started an undergraduate program in business administration. Mainly delivered online, it allows students from abroad to take classes in a more convenient way. The program will launch an English version next year.

MCI has also introduced a global online MBA program which starts in the autumn. The global executive program leads to a master's degree in business administration.

Although Austria is not a top choice among Chinese students, Koeck said MCI is still competitive due to a strong practical focus.

In the recently published Trendence Graduate Barometer Europe 2015, MCI was rated higher than both the Austrian average and the European average.

"All MCI study programs benefit from a strong focus on practical relevance, an effective international mix of faculty from academia and relevant industries, a project-based design, optional semesters abroad, the availability of internships throughout the world, and MCI's emphasis on service," Koeck said.

"Every week, guest speakers from all over the world enrich MCI's curricula. Close collaboration with the business community ensures that MCI graduates are much sought after on the employment market," she said.

The most popular major for Chinese students overseas is business management. However, it is getting harder for these students to find satisfying jobs after returning to China.

MCI's degree programs include a one-semester internship in the business world toward the end of the study program to help in this regard.

"Students will also do their bachelor thesis focusing on a specific problem at the company where they do their internship. All these and many further elements contribute to the high employability of MCI graduates around the globe," Koeck said.

"MCI also supports students and graduates with startup support and other entrepreneurial services and activities," she said.(Chinadaily)