China taps private sector for sci-tech leaders in expanded academic recruitment drive
In biggest hiring spree in a decade, state academies open more doors to innovators, foreign academics, with less attention to seniority or titles
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) began the biannual nomination process last week for leading academic staff, or yuanshi – the country’s highest academic title, awarded only to top scientists and engineers.
Both academies aimed to enrol up to 100 new academic members each in this round, according to statements last week, marking the largest such hiring spree in at least a decade.
The CAE designated eight slots to “support candidates from leading private tech firms”, it said in its announcement.
In another statement, the CAE stressed that these academic nominations would prioritise experts from leading tech companies, particularly the private sector, and suggested that about 30 per cent of candidates would come from “corporate research front lines”.