China’s drive for tech progress stifled by ‘title-driven’ research approach
- As China pours funds into scientific research to find the next big discovery, a fixation on titles and prestige is limiting its chances of success
- Funding and grant allocation based on certain notable programmes, as well as a preference for quick results, holding country’s scientists back
China’s attempts to boost scientific research and technological innovation have yet to overcome setbacks caused by a “title-driven” system of academic resource allocation, analysts warned.
But the current research environment, a major factor in the training of new talent, is still “distorted to a certain extent” due to how grants are disbursed, the magazine Liaowang – a publication under state news agency Xinhua – cautioned in an article this week.
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Many Chinese scientists still face hurdles overcoming biases in research, where grant applications are evaluated by “heavyweights” in the field who tend to favour those who have already gained “titles” from certain prestigious programmes.
It has formed a “cycle that keeps resources circulating among a small group of people”, according to the article.
“Since having those titles naturally brings more power and funding … it has led to researchers preferring research that leads to results quickly instead of taking time for projects that require long-term effort,” wrote the article authors, quoting multiple practising scientists in China.