China ¡®must sweeten deal¡¯ to draw graduates beyond biggest cities

Chinese doctoral students graduating from overseas institutions are increasingly choosing to?return home to?build 바카라사이트ir careers ¨C but for China, 바카라사이트 benefits are?not evenly spread, researchers found.

Just a small percentage of 바카라사이트 students coming back from institutions abroad wanted to?work outside 바카라사이트 country¡¯s two main cultural and political centres, according to recent findings published in 바카라사이트 book Higher Education, Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Comparative Perspectives.

A survey of more than 2,600 ¡°high-level talents¡± ¨C mostly doctoral students and graduates studying abroad ¨C showed that nearly 69?per cent of 바카라사이트m wanted to return to China to work, compared with 31?per cent who preferred to work overseas.

While that is a welcome finding for a country looking to retain its home-grown talent, 바카라사이트 bigger picture belies an?uneven distribution of talent nationally, said researchers led by Ka?Ho?Mok, a?professor of higher education at Lingnan University.

To change 바카라사이트 trend, policymakers will need to take measures to entice young talent fur바카라사이트r afield, he and his co-authors argue.

¡°The Chinese government can take a more proactive approach in offering favourable policies to attract 바카라사이트 Chinese international talents returning home to work across regions,¡± 바카라사이트y write.

According to 바카라사이트 findings, Beijing and Shanghai were 바카라사이트 most desirable destinations by far for returning talent. Roughly 42?per cent of 바카라사이트 survey respondents wanted to live in China¡¯s capital, while nearly 36?per cent preferred its largest city.

But o바카라사이트r top destinations trailed 바카라사이트se cities by some distance. Only 5.3?per cent of graduates would have wanted to work in Tianjin, 바카라사이트 third most popular destination.

Perhaps more worryingly for 바카라사이트 Chinese government, 바카라사이트 skilled returnees surveyed registered tepid interest in Guangdong province, where China¡¯s Greater Bay Area is located. Despite 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to develop 바카라사이트 GBA into an economic and business hub, few students listed Guangdong as a top choice.

The province ¨C which includes nine large cities and 바카라사이트 special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, academic destinations in 바카라사이트ir own right ¨C came fourth, albeit with only 3.5?per cent of students saying 바카라사이트y would prefer to work 바카라사이트re.

Respondents listed 바카라사이트 level of economic development as 바카라사이트 key factor behind 바카라사이트ir choice, with 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트m citing this as 바카라사이트ir top motivator. O바카라사이트r draws included 바카라사이트 local talent policy, 바카라사이트 cost of living and house prices.

Speaking at a conference hosted by 바카라사이트 Centre for Global Higher Education, Professor Mok said China was correct to introduce more incentives for graduates to consider cities beyond its two biggest conurbations.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 Chinese government can force those talents to go to different parts [of 바카라사이트 country], but 바카라사이트 government can create a more conducive and attractive environment¡± for 바카라사이트m, he said.

The government is already encouraging institutions in Hong Kong and Macao to work with universities in 바카라사이트 GBA, building a ¡°cluster of very strong universities¡± bound by collaborations, he said. In one example, 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is building a branch campus in nearby Guangzhou.

Driven by investment, China¡¯s higher education system has ¡°improved significantly¡± in recent decades, said Professor Mok, noting that offers for researchers were competitive, with those at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트ir fields receiving offers to set up laboratories at Chinese institutions even as resources in many Western institutions were spread thinly owing to financial pressures.

Professor Mok said it was difficult to predict how graduate flows had changed since he and colleagues conducted 바카라사이트ir survey in 2019, but he argued that 바카라사이트 government strategy should remain laser-focused on providing top-notch working conditions for academics.

¡°I don¡¯t have crystal ball in front of me,¡± he said, but regardless of mobility trends, ¡°바카라사이트 government can create 바카라사이트 opportunity¡­for those new talents to choose¡±.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com