Liwei Wang & Lixin Chen
Jinan University, China

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.91.30

Chinese scholars returning from overseas normally have a long period of educational and work experience in the universities of advanced Western counties, and most of them keep close links or collaborations with their previous supervisors, colleagues and universities when they return to China.

They normally establish their own laboratories, research group and research programmes within a few years, with the support from the universities where they are working, and from different funding bodies and organizations. For those who are working in universities, their research groups (including research assistants, technicians and postgraduate students) are financially supported mainly by the university; this includes the salaries of all staff, as well as the tuition fees and stipends for postgraduate students. In contrast to most Western countries, the research funding from outside sources is mainly required to cover expenditures on consumable materials and scientific activities, but not the personnel salary.

Chinese physiologists can apply to a variety of research funding bodies and research programmes. Among others, the national foundations and programmes include:

• National Natural Science Foundation of China
• Chinese National Programmes for High Technology Research and Development (863 Programmes)
• Key and Major Projects of National Programmes for Fundamental Research and Development in China (973 Programmes)
• Chinese National Programmes for Science and Technology Development
• National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars
• Chinese National Science Foundation for Outstanding Scholarships

Similar provincial foundations and specific departmental research funding are also available. Research funds have been increased greatly in China in recent years. The funding for an ordinary research project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China has been increased from an average 300,000 RMB (£1 currently equals about 9.4 RMB) in 2009 to 700,000 RMB in 2012.

Although returning Chinese scholars have a good chance of being successful and getting promotion in China, they need time to adapt to a different administration system and working environment. They may need to spend a lot of time attending meeting and social activities, filling in forms, writing research projects and applications for funding and ordering equipment and consumable materials. They need to be patient in waiting for the completion of the complicated ordering process and the arrival of the ordered equipment. Furthermore, some of the returned Chinese scientists have higher responsibility in the administration of the schools and universities where they are working. All these activities may consume their precious time and energy, but this is not so different from academia all over the world!