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| Changjiang Scholars Program | |
|---|---|
| Name | Changjiang Scholars Program |
| Established | 1998 |
| Founder | Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), Li Peng |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Type | Academic award |
Changjiang Scholars Program
The Changjiang Scholars Program is a Chinese national professorship initiative established in 1998 to recruit and recognize leading academics in science and the humanities. It was instituted by the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China) with involvement from the State Council (People's Republic of China), and it has been affiliated with major institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Fudan University. The program interfaces with projects like the 211 Project and the 985 Project and interacts with international partnerships involving universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, and Stanford University.
The program was launched in 1998 amid broader initiatives including the 211 Project and Project 985 to elevate research capacity at universities such as Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Nanjing University. Early administration involved the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), provincial authorities like the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and municipal universities including Tongji University and East China Normal University. Over time the program intersected with national campaigns such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China funding expansion and collaborations with state science bodies like the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Periodic reforms responded to scandals and governance reviews involving institutions including Central South University and Wuhan University.
The stated objectives align with promoting excellence at institutions including Sun Yat-sen University, Sichuan University, and Harbin Institute of Technology, strengthening fields represented by awardees such as Tsinghua School of Life Sciences researchers, and attracting returnees from universities like Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, and Imperial College London. Structurally the program designates titles for distinguished professors at host universities such as Beijing Normal University and Renmin University of China, integrates with national initiatives like the Double First Class University Plan, and coordinates with funding agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (People's Republic of China) and provincial departments. Administrative mechanisms invoke selection panels composed of members from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, and external referees from institutions like Princeton University and University of Cambridge.
Appointments often require endorsements from university leadership including presidents of Tsinghua University and deans at schools like Peking University School of Life Sciences. Candidate pools have included faculty with backgrounds at California Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, ETH Zurich, and Max Planck Society institutes. Committees reference achievements such as grants from the National Science Foundation (United States), publications in journals like Nature (journal), Science (journal), and Cell (journal), and prizes such as the Fields Medal, Turing Award, and Lasker Award. Provinces including Jiangsu Province, Guangdong Province, and Sichuan Province administered local variants and supplementary appointments at universities such as Xi'an Jiaotong University and Hunan University.
Financial packages incorporate salary supplements, research funding, and laboratory support coordinated by entities like the Ministry of Finance (People's Republic of China), provincial treasuries, and municipal education commissions such as the Beijing Municipal Education Commission. Host institutions—including Fudan University and Zhejiang University—provide startup funds, laboratory space, and administrative support. Benefits mirror incentives used by other programs such as the Thousand Talents Plan and complement grants from agencies like the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the China Scholarship Council. In-kind support often involves partnerships with state-owned enterprises and research parks linked to companies such as Huawei Technologies and Tencent research labs.
Proponents cite contributions to research output at universities like Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University measured by citations in outlets such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America and collaborations with labs at Harvard University and Yale University. Critics point to issues raised in media involving integrity investigations at institutions such as Central South University and disputes over appointment transparency at Nanjing University. Observers compare the program with international recruitment efforts like Fulbright Program and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, noting debates about brain drain, returnee integration, and incentive structures paralleling controversies around the Thousand Talents Plan and research governance at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Policy reviews have involved stakeholders including the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), provincial authorities, and university senates.
Recipients have included scholars with affiliations to Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Beijing Normal University, Renmin University of China, Sichuan University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Xiamen University, Ocean University of China, Shandong University, Dalian University of Technology, Beihang University, University of Science and Technology of China, South China University of Technology, Central China Normal University, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Chongqing University, Tongji University, Jilin University, Lanzhou University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Institute of Computing Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University, Northeastern University (China), China Agricultural University, China University of Petroleum, Nanjing Agricultural University, Harbin Medical University, Shanghai University, Beijing Forestry University, Hebei University of Technology, Anhui University, Shandong Normal University, Guangxi University, Soochow University, Yunnan University, Guangzhou University.
The program operates alongside national initiatives including the 211 Project, Project 985, Double First Class University Plan, and recruitment initiatives such as the Thousand Talents Plan, Cheung Kong Scholars Program, and provincial talent programs in Guangdong Province and Jiangsu Province. Universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University play central administrative roles, coordinating with funding agencies like the National Natural Science Foundation of China and organizations including the China Association for Science and Technology. International engagement involves partnerships with institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, Max Planck Society, CNRS, and RIKEN.