China taps private sector for sci-tech leaders in expanded academic recruitment drive

China has launched an unprecedented drive to recruit leading scientific and technological experts for its top academic institutions – expanding the selection quota and, for the first time, granting dedicated access to private-sector researchers.

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”.