SHANGHAI, May 24 -- Fudan University will send 500 "young teachers" over the next five years to study or carry out research in well-known overseas universities and give them full pay for up to one year, the Oriental Morning Post reported today.

The 102-year-old university will send about 100 young teachers abroad each year and each program will last for at least nine months, according to a scheme released yesterday.

Candidates, who must be around 35 years old, should have worked in the school for two to six years.

The age limit can be extended to 40 for excellent teachers with high academic credentials.

Fudan will pay full salary and allowances for qualified candidates for at most one year.

Fudan will keep records on all the beneficiaries of their academic progress when they are abroad and will conduct a three-year evaluation on their works after they return.

At least 60 percent of the school's young teachers will have the opportunity to learn abroad by 2010 according to the scheme.