The Shaping of China’s Postdoctoral Community

Andrea Lynn Stith, PhDShanghai Jiao Tong University

AC21 Annual Forum 2010October 19-20, 2010

Research

• Characterize postdoctoral researchers in China– Limited discussion, information, and data

• Understand impacts of policy and internationalization

• Add to global conversation – purpose – mechanisms– effectiveness

Significance of internationalization

• Key issue for nations, institutions and individuals

• Researchers with highest and best qualifications

• Researchers increasingly mobile

Significance of postdoc population

• Products of the education system

• Key to research productivity

• Important to future competitiveness

Key measures

• Demographics– Total population– Length of appointment– Employability– Research productivity

• Individual– Satisfaction– Accomplishments/productivity– Career prospects

Internationalization and postdocs

• United States– Growth in postdoctoral population– Increasing likelihood, duration and number of

positions held– Low salary– Increased professionalization of the postdoc– Increasing concern about career prospects– International collaboration

Postdoc systemChina

• Established 1985– Boost national competitiveness– Attract returnees from abroad

• Centralized System

• Postdocs, mentors, and departments are government approved and assessed

• Two-year appointments (3 with approval)

• Six-year maximum

Postdoc systemChina

• Postdoctoral training now a permanent element of the Chinese research system

• Designed to attract elite Chinese talent, both abroad and in China

• Chinese students have demonstrated their preference for foreign doctoral degrees

• Low return rates

Postdoctoraltrends

• Expansion of system

• Number of postdocs continues to rise

• Most postdocs are domestically trained

• Concerns of quality and competitiveness

• Employability a rising concern

• Little diversification within the system

Postdoctoralappointments

Returnees as portionof new appointments

Data Sources: (National Postdoctoral Management Committee, 2008; Yao, 2007)

Postdocs by discipline

Postdoctoral“stations”

Postdocs by region

Data Source: National Postdoctoral Management Committee.

http://www.chinapostdoctor.org.cn/program/issue/pop_win.asp?id=5511

Out-bound postdocemployment

Out-bound PekingUniversity postdocs

1988-1990 36 11 30.6% 1 2.8% 15 41.7% 9 25.0% 0 0.0%

1991-2000 508 78 15.4% 7 1.4% NR NR 148 29.1% 16 3.1%

2001-2005 770 NR NR 73 9.5% 147 19.1% 330 42.9% 53 6.9%

2005 NR NR NR NR NR NR 10.0% NR NR NR NR

DestinationTotal Number of

"Outbound" Postdocs

YearsAbroad Industry Government

DifferentSame

University/RI

Employment Prospects for Peking University Postdoctoral Scholars, 1988-2005

SJTU postdocs

Postdoctoral Fellows Employed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU),

2003 to 2009

Male Female Total

Percent Female

Under contract 258 68 326 20.9

Finished Post 222 90 312 28.8

Withdrew 42 13 55 23.6

Total 522 171 693 24.7

Source: SJTU Human Resources. (2010). Personal Communication.

Demand for talent

• Continued investment fed steady demand for postdoctoral researchers – Meagerly paid and temporary postdoctoral positions

• Returnees receive generous packages– Central government policies and inter-city

competition encourages returnees – Competition among universities, research

laboratories and enterprises provide incentives

Concerns aboutpostdoc experience

• “Dual identity” as trainees and researchers

• Funding mechanism

• Quality

• Diversity of participation

• Career opportunities

Returnee bias

• Returnees generally higher quality– Due to overseas training – Those who go abroad are most talented

• Overseas experience requisite for faculty appointments

Source: Zweig (2006) Competing for Talent.

Returnee bias

• Zweig finds through survey analysis: – Returnees possess skills, information and

research methodologies generally unavailable to people who have not gone abroad.

– Have stronger global networks.

• Receive more grants and fellowships.

• Publish more in international journals

Source: Zweig (2006) Competing for Talent.

Sample returnee programs

• Changjiang Scholars Program (1998)– 14000 scholars, 130 Chinese universities

• Spring Light Program (1997) – 12000 scholars, on short term basis

• Hundred Talents Program (1994)– by Chinese Science Academy

• Business enterprises– 50 returnee entrepreneurial parks– over 10000 enterprises set up by returnees

Source: Wang Huiyao, Center for China and Globalization (CCG)

• New “Thousand Talent Program” (2009)– 5 to 10 year deadline– Raise research level– Improve academic environment – Attract top talent from overseas– Central government to attract 2000– Nine provincial governments to attract 1000

each

Sample returnee programs

Returnee concerns

• “Truly” talented people stay abroad

• Getting returnees to stay is a problem

• Readjustment can be a problem

• Example: there are signs that the quality of people accepted by CAS under the Hundred Talents Program may be declining

Source: Zweig (2006) Competing for Talent.

Impact on domestic trainees

• Postdoc is a career requirement but careers stymied by preferences for returnees

• Postdoctoral system not effective at boosting domestically trained talent

Future questions

• Are domestic postdocs members of a sub-class of elite scientists?

• How can playing field be leveled?

• Is the continuing growth of the postdoctoral community in China of concern?