Postdoctoral study in China needs development

Given China's focus on innovation as one of the ways to drive forward the economy – and pushing Chinese companies into higher value-added production while moving from "Made in China" to "Created in China" – the importance of postdoctoral research should be emphasized. It is hoped that an upcoming workshop on China's postdoctoral system in Guangdong Province (December 9-12) will address several related issues.

China is the world's second largest economy, but its postdoctoral research system is underdeveloped when compared to the world's largest economy, the USA. California's Silicon Valley is probably most peoples' ideal representation of the innovation that America is famous for. China's postgraduate system started much later than in the USA, not being founded until 1985. Since then, around 690,000 postdoctoral students have enrolled in the USA compared with around 105,000 in China (National Science Foundation Statistics).

Both systems rely heavily on government funding for research fellowships, and, in the last decade, China has been expanding research support (National Bureau of Statistics – NBS), whereas the Research and Development (R&D) funding in the USA has seen limited growth (National Science Foundation). However, the evidence suggests that the quality of postdoctoral research has long been higher in the USA. One reason for this is believed to be the shortage of opportunities for postdoctoral fellows in the USA on temporary funded work to secure permanent academic appointments. A second reason is that the USA has been successful on an ongoing basis in attracting the best candidates from overseas. In fact, typically, around half of postdoctoral researchers in the USA are from overseas. By contrast a very small proportion of China-based postdoctoral researchers are from outside the country – as few as 2 to 3 percent (National Academy of Sciences)

This is unfortunate as it means Chinese researchers do not get the benefit of collaboration with international colleagues and of sharing prior doctoral experience. It also means that there is less competition faced by Chinese PhD holders in seeking research fellowships. China needs to raise the bar by attracting more international researchers to its universities. This will be a challenge because of significant differences in stipends to postdocs in the two economies. A postdoctoral fellowship at middling Oklahoma University offers up to $47,500 per year, whereas the highly ranked Peking University is offering in CNY 150,000 for a similar position – or just $21,750 – well under half the amount. Of course, living costs and additional benefits adjust this, but not by that much (current advertised vacancies).

Research into the economic benefits of investing in human capital has long suggested that lifetime earnings stream gain over costs are weaker for going to PhD level over undergraduate and Masters degrees. This is partly the result of income forgone in postponing employment for study. Thus, those undertaking postdoctoral fellowships also look at the salaries they can achieve in academia and if they are able to secure permanent positions in universities. In the USA, entry level academic posts are around $60,000 a year, and in China only $12,000. (Adapted and updated from "Low Salaries Discouraging Overseas Academics," China Daily, August 2013)

This will make it difficult to attract international researchers to China who wish to stay in academia at their universities after completing their fellowships. By the same token, there is a strong incentive for good Chinese PhD holders to seek postdoctoral positions abroad.

The Chinese system relies on local PhDs willing to settle for a research life where they know the salary will be modest. They give priority to the academic life over the material life. Since 1994, some postdoctoral positions have been established in industries in China, and this aspect needs to be developed. It also raises the possibility that such positions can be better funded in profitable business organizations. However, the resources available to support research are strongest in the university sector.

The reality is that the USA has progressively tightened visa regulations on foreign nationals, and there could be a further tightening under an incoming Donald Trump administration. By contrast, China has recently introduced more visa friendly policies to attract foreign talents to the mainland. These policies will need to be developed further to bring international researchers into China and increase the opportunity for collaboration with local research fellows.

Colin Speakman is an economist and director of China programs at CAPA International Education, a U.S.-U.K.-based organization that cooperates with Capital Normal University and East China Normal University.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.