Chinas Basic Research System in Transition

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Chinas (Basic) Research Systemin Transition

• Cong Cao
• East Asian Institute
• National University of Singapore
• E-mail eaicaoc_at_nus.edu.sg

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Outline

• Organization of Chinas Research System
• Emerging Research Institutes of Life Science
• Leading Research Universities
• Problems

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Organization of Chinas Research System
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Leading Research Universities

• 211 Program (1995)
• Cheung Kong Scholar Program (1998)
• World First-Class University Program (The 985
  Program) (1998)
• Beijing (Beijing)
• Qinghua (Beijing)
• Fudan (Shanghai)
• Nanjing (Jiangsu)
• Zhejiang (Zhejiang)
• Shanghai Jiaotong (Shanghai)
• University of Science and Technology of China
  (Anhui and Beijing)
• Harbin University of Technology (Heilongjiang)
• Xian Jiaotong (Shaanxi)

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Leading Research Universities

• Characteristics
• Personnel
• Members (yuanshi) of the Chinese Academy of
  Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering
  (11)
• Cheung Kong Scholars (59)
• Outstanding Young Scientists named by the
  National Natural Science Foundation of China
  (40)
• Faculty members with doctorate (30)
• Research
• National labs (50 of the total) and national
  key labs (50 of those university-affiliated)
• Key specialties (31)
• Science Citation Index papers (27, 2001)

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Leading Research Universities Select Statistics
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Emerging Research Institutes of Life Science
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Emerging Research Institutes of Life Science

• Role of returnees and those with experience of
  studying or working abroada way of easing the
  brain drain problem
• Established from scratch, these institutes could
  conduct worldwide search and make merit-based
  appointment
• With government commitment, these institutes have
  received support equivalent to the international
  level
• Excellent publication record
• Isolated islands, show cases, or a new model
  of basic research?

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Problems

• RD force is among the top of the world, but lack
  of the strategic and visionary leaders
• RD expenditure has been rising, but the portion
  on basic research has been low (5 of the total
  RD expenditure)
• The tiao-kuai problem prevents scientists of
  different jurisdictions from talking to each
  other
• Output indicators such as SCI papers have been
  improving, but quality is still low