Fueled by economic development and government policies to improve the country’s innovation, research capabilities, and human capital, China is increasingly a global academic powerhouse. As a result, more and more leading higher education research and teaching professionals are looking beyond ‘traditional’ academic job markets in North America and Europe to China.
However, Chinese academic life brings both challenges and opportunities, professionally and personally. Here is Discovery Hub’s quick guide for non-Chinese faculty or soon to be PhD holders weighing up a move to the Middle Kingdom.
Sino-Foreign vs. Local Institutions
Higher education institutions in China that seek to hire leading foreign faculty typically fall into two main categories. First, there are Sino-foreign joint venture (JV) schools such as New York University Shanghai, Duke Kunshan University (my home institution), or Wenzhou-Kean University, which cater mainly to Chinese undergraduates looking for an international education at home, and international students who want to explore China while pursuing a liberal arts education.
For international faculty, Sino-foreign JV universities have several advantages. They typically offer competitive salary and benefits packages, a fully-English language working environment, academic freedom on campus, and the chance to work with colleagues and students from all over the world. However, faculty keen to engage with local life in China may find this harder to do within the ‘bubble’ of a JV.
The second type of institution seeking to attract leading foreign scholars includes Chinese universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Fudan University (China’s top 3 schools), as well as other members of the prestigious ‘C9 league’ of elite public universities. International faculty without Chinese language ability can face professional and practical difficulties in fully local institutions, but working at these schools offers unparalleled access to China’s top students and research partners.
Having done my PhD at Fudan University in Shanghai and taught at two US-China JV universities, both types of institutions offer fantastic opportunities, so long as faculty come with an open mindset and an awareness of the challenges as well as the benefits.
Sunrise at Shanghai’s Fudan University
Challenges and Advantages of Doing Research in China
Mainland China presents both benefits and challenges for academic researchers. On the one hand, social scientists in particular may find internet regulations a barrier to data gathering, and nationality requirements block foreign researchers from access to some national and local funding schemes. (Finding a local collaborator is usually a good method of resolving problems related to citizenship requirements).
On the other hand, China has a growing and dynamic STEM sector, and great opportunities for connections between academic research and business and technology innovation.
Likewise, social scientists and humanities scholars who study China also enjoy significant benefits from being located in the mainland in terms of access to data, interview subjects, and connections with Chinese research networks, particularly if they have Chinese language ability. (In my honest opinion, it is almost impossible to really understand China without spending significant amount of time within the country).
The national library of China in Beijing
Adapting to the Classroom in China
Teaching is one of the great joys of academic life in China. Contrary to some stereotypes, most Chinese students are extremely intellectually curious and great problem solvers. They are also tend to be very hard working, and keen to engage with faculty research. Likewise, international students who have taken the brave step of moving to China for their undergraduate study tend to be open-minded and have a pioneering and curious mindset.
However, international faculty must enter the classroom with an awareness that students for whom English is not a first language will need extra support with writing and reading, and more patience around contribution to classroom discussion, particularly in their first one or two years of study. These challenges extend beyond language to a need for more guidance on how to structure arguments and use evidence, and are compounded by the emergence of generative AI tools that allow students to produce passable written work without actually learning to write.
For these reasons, it’s really important to set clear expectations for students and – crucially – explain to them why those expectations and norms exist. For example, my students often enter university with little idea of what referencing and citation are or why they are needed, but once the importance of acknowledging the intellectual contribution of others and grounding one’s argument in existing research is explained, they cite and reference well.
Practical Considerations
Moving to any foreign country, including China, comes with a range of practical considerations. For people who speak and read Chinese, China is an unbelievably convenient and affordable place to live. I find public transportation, food delivery, online shopping, and mobile payments much more convenient than in my home country (the UK). But, for my colleagues and friends without Chinese language ability all of these things are much more difficult, and I would advise anyone considering a move to China for an extended period of time to invest energy into learning at least some Chinese.
Likewise, faculty with families face both challenges and opportunities. International school fees are extremely high, and foreign children in general cannot access local public education. Spouses may also suffer from isolation unless they have their own work and/or invest a lot of effort in building new social networks.
However, the chance to learn Chinese and live in another country and culture can offer family members a rich and exciting new experience, and I personally know many international academic professionals with very fulfilling family as well as professional lives in China.
How to say and write “hello” in Chinese
Conclusion – Should You Consider an Academic Job in China?
In short, yes!
China is full of research, pedagogical, social, and cultural opportunities. However, international faculty weighing up a potential move to China should also bring an open mind, an acceptance of the fact that academic life in China is not necessarily the same as in North America or Europe, and a willingness to adapt and engage.
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