SHANGHAI, China: China’s sustained investment in science and technology is reshaping global academic flows, with growing numbers of international researchers choosing to build their careers in Chinese universities and laboratories, attracted by generous funding, cutting-edge facilities, and the promise of rapid real-world impact.
While the Chinese government has long pursued initiatives such as the Thousand Talents Plan to attract leading experts in strategic fields, researchers say that the appeal of China’s institutions now extends well beyond official recruitment schemes, reports AFP.
Universities and laboratories are becoming destinations of choice, particularly for early- and mid-career scientists seeking resources, scale, and speed that are difficult to match elsewhere.
“You hear about these amazing advanced labs and the government providing money for things like AI and quantum research,” said Mejed Jebali, an artificial intelligence PhD candidate from Tunisia studying at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. “The scale of the research and how fast things get built is really amazing.”
Historically, China’s incentives focused on established researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to support Beijing’s ambition of becoming a global technology leader. Today, however, China’s expanding academic ecosystem is drawing a broader mix of international talent, according to AFP.
Although no official database tracks foreign or returning scientists, at least 20 prominent STEM experts have relocated to China in the past year, according to university and personal announcements reviewed by AFP. Among them are cancer specialist Feng Gensheng, who left a tenured post at the University of California to join Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, and German medical scientist Roland Eils, now serving part-time at Fudan University in Shanghai.
“It appears that a significantly greater number of overseas scientists — particularly those of Chinese origin — have returned to work in China compared with around 10 years ago,” said Futao Huang, a professor at Hiroshima University in Japan.
More funding, resources and real-world impact
Academics frequently cite China’s vast market and rapidly developing industries as a major attraction, offering opportunities to connect research directly with real-world applications.
Lingling Zhang, who joined the China Europe International Business School after two decades in the United States, said she was drawn by the country’s pragmatic approach to research. Career considerations, rather than nostalgia, shaped her decision.
“I actually have great access to a large number of entrepreneurs and business people,” she said, highlighting the strong links between academia and industry.
A materials scientist who moved from a European university to China echoed this sentiment, noting that the pace of industrial development creates fertile ground for “academically grounded but application-oriented research”.
“The quality of papers produced by top Chinese institutions today is in no way inferior to that of leading US or European universities,” he said. “In some areas, they are highly competitive or even leading.”
China’s academic standing has risen sharply in global rankings. According to a 2025 index by the journal Nature, four of the world’s top five research institutions in natural and health sciences were Chinese — a striking shift from a decade ago, when US and European universities dominated.
“I wouldn’t have done it 15 years ago,” said Jason Chapman, a world-renowned expert on insect migration who recently began a long-term secondment at Nanjing Agricultural University. But over the past five years, he said, the “funding, resources and support” available in China — often exceeding those overseas — changed his perspective.
Navigating differences, embracing opportunity
For some academics of Chinese descent working abroad, changing political and regulatory environments in the United States have also influenced decisions. Huang noted that tighter research security rules, visa scrutiny and political sensitivities have created uncertainty.
A 2023 study found that departures of China-born scientists based in the US rose by 75 percent following a 2018 policy aimed at investigating potential espionage risks in research.
Despite the strong pull factors, scholars acknowledge challenges in relocating. Concerns around academic autonomy, geopolitical tensions and international collaboration remain part of the decision-making process. Some researchers also note restrictions on sensitive research areas and partnerships.
Cultural differences can require adjustment as well. The materials scientist described adapting to an academic culture that places greater emphasis on personal relationships and social interaction, compared with more process-driven Western systems.
Still, many researchers remain optimistic. “For young faculty who are motivated to build a research programme and make tangible progress,” the scientist said, “moving to China is a very reasonable — and in many cases attractive — option.”
