China’s Research Culture
GOVERNMENT RESEARCH FUNDS IN CHINA HAVE BEEN GROWING AT AN ANNUAL RATE OF MORE
than 20%, exceeding even the expectations of China’s most enthusiastic scientists. In
theory, this could allow China to make truly outstanding progress in science and research,
complementing the nation’s economic success. In reality, however, rampant problems in
research funding—some attributable to the system and others cultural—are slowing down
China’s potential pace of innovation.
Although scientific merit may still be the key to the success of smaller research
grants, such as those from China’s National Natural Science Foundation, it is much less
relevant for the megaproject grants from various government funding agencies, which
range from tens to hundreds of millions of Chinese yuan (7 yuan equals approximately
1 U.S. dollar). For the latter, the key is the application guidelines that are issued each year
to specify research areas and projects. Their ostensible purpose is to
outline “national needs.” But the guidelines are often so narrowly
described that they leave little doubt that the “needs” are anything
but national; instead, the intended recipients are obvious. Commit-
tees appointed by bureaucrats in the funding agencies determine
these annual guidelines. For obvious reasons, the chairs of the com-
mittees often listen to and usually cooperate with the bureaucrats.
“Expert opinions” simply refl ect a mutual understanding between
a very small group of bureaucrats and their favorite scientists. This
top-down approach stifl es innovation and makes clear to everyone
that the connections with bureaucrats and a few powerful scientists
are paramount, dictating the entire process of guideline preparation.
To obtain major grants in China, it is an open secret that doing good
research is not as important as schmoozing with powerful bureau-
crats and their favorite experts.
This problematic funding system is frequently ridiculed by the majority of Chinese
researchers. And yet it is also, paradoxically, accepted by most of them. Some believe that
there is no choice but to accept these conventions. This culture even permeates the minds
of those who are new returnees from abroad; they quickly adapt to the local environment
and perpetuate the unhealthy culture. A signifi cant proportion of researchers in China
spend too much time on building connections and not enough time attending seminars,
discussing science, doing research, or training students (instead, using them as laborers
in their labora tories). Most are too busy to be found in their own institutions. Some become
part of the problem: They use connections to judge grant applicants and undervalue
scientifi c merit.
There is no need to spell out the ethical code for scientifi c research and grants manage-
ment, as most of the power brokers in Chinese research were educated in industrialized
countries. But overhauling the system will be no easy task. Those favored by the existing
system resist meaningful reform. Some who oppose the unhealthy culture choose to be silent
for fear of losing future grant opportunities. Others who want change take the attitude of
“wait and see,” rather than risk a losing battle.
Despite the roadblocks, those shaping science policy and those working at the bench
clearly recognize the problems with China’s current research culture: It wastes resources,
corrupts the spirit, and stymies innovation. The time for China to build a healthy research
culture is now, riding the momentum of increasing funding and a growing strong will to
break away from damaging conventions. A simple but important start would be to distribute
all of the new funds based on merit, without regard to connections. Over time, this new culture
could and should become the major pillar of a system that nurtures, rather than squanders,
the innovative potential of China.
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3 SEPTEMBER 2010 VOL 329 SCIENCE www.sciencemag.org 1128
EDITORIAL
10.1126/science.1196916
– Yigong Shi and Yi Rao
Yigong Shi is a
professor and dean
of the School of Life
Sciences at Tsinghua
University, Beijing,
China. E-mail: shi-lab@
tsinghua.edu.cn.
Yi Rao is a professor
and dean of the
School of Life Sciences
at Peking University,
Beijing, China. E-mail:
yrao@pku.edu.cn.
Published by AAAS
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