China's universities: Are they congenial to a changing academic profession?

1. China's universities: Are they congenial to a changing academic profession? May 1, 2012

2. Main drivers • Evolution of China’s universities • The changing academy

3. Drivers • 33 years of R&O • Prioritizing economic development • Global economic competition • Role of S&T • Deepening participation in global community

4. Changing Drivers of Growth Toward 2050 Low Cost Labor Drives Growth Low Cost Capital Drives Growth Low Cost IP Drives Growth 1985 1995 2005+ Source: DeWoskin and Stevenson, April 2005.

6. Drivers (domestic) • Market of demands • Knowledge and skills • Status culture • State control/social harmony • Soft skills • Demography

7. System evolution • 2 million students in 1990 • 30 million now • 2020 – 40% • 2050 – 50% • Private universities, about 15 percent of enrollments. • Over three hundred independent colleges, enrolling about 400,000 undergraduates

8. Evolution • Elite > mass & WCUs • Consolidation • Governance and finance • Specialized > comprehensive • Selection (exam reform and interviews) • Curriculum • Internationalization • Experimentation

10. Difficulties • Access & equity • Student engagement • Over administration/governance • Grad unemployment • Attracting returnees • Campus culture

11. Creating an innovative nation MEDIUM-TO-LONG TERM EDUCATION REFORM PLAN Strategic Innovation Triangle 15 YEAR MEDIUM-TO-LONG TERM S&T PLAN 2006-2020 MEDIUM-TO-LONG TERM TALENT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

12. 2020? ?

13. World’s second in scientific publications • World’s share 1999 • (4.4% in 1999 to 10.2% in 2008) • Heavy in engineering subjects • including nanotechnology

14. %GDP on R&D • 0.6% in 1995 • 1.3% in 2005 • 1.44% in 2007 • 2.5% by 2020 • Growth of about 20% per year

16. Rising but….. • Lion’s share of research funding goes to flagships universities • Share of citations • 4% compared to 30% for US • 6th in world rankings.

17. The changing academy • Academic profession • with Chinese characteristics • Expansion - attracting the best • Culture of the academy

18. Difficulties • Salaries • Access • “guanxi” system • Weakness of professional organizations • Tiers and talent flows • Flow of academic talent to Beijing&Shanghai

19. The academic profession -- reforms • Beida • Addressing: deadwood & inbreeding • Up or out • International recruitment

20. The Second International Survey Total samples:24,652

21. GDP/per capita, gross participation ratio in higher edu., 2008

22. Mainland China Higher Education System

23. Age

24. Academic degrees, un-weighted

25. China survey: structure of terminal degrees

26. Findings: Top tier/bottom tier Research Collaboration: Institutional Institutional collaboration

27. International Research CollaborationTop tier/bottom tier

28. Perceptions on research and social responsibility Top Tier/bottom tier (% of agreement) Social responsibility

29. Institutional culture: Top tier/bottom tier Academic freedom

31. Comparison: Research Activities • Source: CAP 2007 • a. Co-authored with colleagues in other countries, • c: Published in a foreign country

32. * Source: CAP 2007 Survey

33. Perception on Teaching * Source: CAP 2007 Survey

34. Teaching Activities * Source: CAP 2007 Survey

36. Congeniality • Career perspective (B5[4]) • Commitment to the profession (D5[5]) • Job strain (D5[6]) • Job Satisfaction (B6) • Working conditions (B7) • Restrictions (D6[1&2]) • Academic freedom (E5) • Organizational culture E4 (2,4,6)

37. Table 1: Self-Reported Research Productivity (Hong Kong, Mainland China, & the United States) Notes: HH = Research productivity is higher than that of two other system; H = Research productivity is higher than that of one other system; * p<.05; ***p<.001.

38. Congeniality • US academics report higher levels than China • HK academics fall between China&US on most

39. Research productivity (D4) • Books authored • Books edited • Articles in journals/books • Funded research report • Conference papers • Newspaper/mag. articles • Patents on inventions • Computer programs • Artistic works • Videos or films • Other

40. Results (self-reported productivity) • China academics report higher levels than USA • Except conference paper + artistic works • HK academics report higher levels than both • on Articles, research reports, conference papers & newspaper/magazine articles

41. Table 2: Perceived Congeniality of Work Environment (Hong Kong, Mainland China, & the United States) Notes: CC = Perceived level of congeniality is higher than that of two other systems; C = Perceived level of congeniality is higher than that of one other system; **p<.01; ***p<.001.

42. Significant results Congeniality > Productivity • China • job satisfaction (positive) • Increased restrictions on publication of results from publically funded projects (negative) • USA • Poor time for a young academic to begin a career (Negative) • Hong Kong • Job satisfaction (positive) • Collegiality (negative) • Poor time for a young academic (negative) • Increased restrictions on publication of results from publically funded projects (negative)

43. Conclusion • Evolution continues • Strong areas: • Traditions • Talent pool • Ascending research productivity • Weak: • System differentiation • Lack of research doctorates/overseas returnees • Governance for creative learning and open access

44. Thank you 謝謝

45. Congeniality > Productivity • job satisfaction • (positive) CHINA&US • Increased restrictions on publication of results from publically funded projects • (negative) CHINA&HK • Poor time for young academic to begin career • (Negative) HK&US • Collegiality • (negative) HK

46. Table 3: Predicting Research Productivity from Perceived Congeniality (N Mainland China = 1,862; N Hong Kong = 676; N U.S. = 1043) Notes: L = Listwise cases exclusion was used; restrictions_publicly = restrictions on the publication of results from my publicly-funded research have increased since my first appointment; collegiality = collegiality in decision-making processes; satisfaction = how would you rate your overall satisfaction with your current job; poor time = this is a poor time for any young person to begin an academic career in my field; *=p.<.05; **=p<.01; ***=p<.001.

47. 国际研究合作你是否与国际同事合作？ International Research CollaborationDo you collaborate with international colleagues? AR=阿根廷，AU=澳大利亚，CH=中国，FI=芬兰，DE=丹麦，IT=意大利， JP=日本，MY=马来西亚，NO=挪威，UK=英国，US=美国

48. 过去三年你的著作在国外发表的比例是多少？ 国际发表著作情况 International PublicationsWhich percentage of your publications in the last three years were coauthored with colleagues located in other countries? AR=阿根廷，AU=澳大利亚，CH=中国，FI=芬兰，DE=丹麦，IT=意大利， JP=日本，MY=马来西亚，NO=挪威，UK=英国，US=美国

49. 过去三年你的著作在国外发表的比例是多少？ 国际发表著作情况 International PublicationsWhich percentage of your publications in the last three years were published in another country?Hong Kong Ranks #1 香港位居第一

50. 在现在（或过去）一个学年之中， 你的研究经费来自国际组织/团体额外资助的比例是多少？ 来自国际组织/团体的额外资助 External Funding from International organizations/entitiesIn the current (or previous) academic year, which percentage of the external funding for your research came from International organizations/entities?