China’s Competition for Global Talent in Higher Education: Evidence from Chang Jiang Scholars Programme

For decades, developing countries have been suffering from “brain drain” of their talented people. China is not an exceptional case. This problem became more severe for China in the era of the massification of higher education, as the government has been making great attempt to develop higher education for sustainable development and grooming elite universities to become “world-class” universities. In addressing the pressing demand of talent in higher education institutions, the government developed strategies of talent development. Attracting global talents as faculty members of Chinese universities is one of the most important strategic plans. Chang Jiang Scholars Programme (CJSP) is one of the largest and most influential national programme of recruitment of global eminent scholars.

Against above background, this study critically examines how the CJSP attract and recruit global talents to Chinese universities. Drawing on more than 3000 cases of CJSP over 17 years, as well as government documents, this study investigates the achievements and challenges of the development of this Programme. This study also discusses some reflections and policy
implications for revisiting the strategies in attracting global talent in universities and promoting equality for the development of higher education.