Transforming Well-Educated Talent Into Elite Professionals
3 April 2025 路 Uncategorized 路
Source: 路 https://www.cnr.cn/tech/mxhrdt/20241015/t20241015_526940279.shtml
The expansion of doctoral student enrollment has always been a topic of great concern. In July this year, the State Council Degree Committee released 'The Public Notice on Expert Verification and Evaluation Results for New Doctoral and Master's Program Authorization Reviews.' Compared to the previous round in 2020, there is an intention to significantly increase by about 831 new doctoral programs during this review cycle. This means that the scale of doctorate student training will further expand.
According to comprehensive data, China currently has over one million PhD graduates but its ratio of PhD students per thousand people remains relatively low compared with other countries around the world. Therefore, there is a view suggesting that while there's still considerable room for expansion in terms of quantity, it鈥檚 also important to improve quality alongside increasing numbers.
Currently, profound changes are taking place within China's labor market due to factors such as accelerated population aging, economic structural adjustments and industrial transformation upgrades, along with the global wave of new technological revolutions. These developments present both opportunities and challenges for employment conditions in our country. In recent years, social demand shifts have had a significant impact on job prospects for high-education talents represented by PhD students; some professional fields face certain difficulties when it comes to finding jobs.
It can be said that doctoral education is at the pinnacle of national education systems and serves as an important force within China's innovation system. Optimizing the structure of disciplines in doctorate training programs represents a crucial aspect for improving higher educational discipline layouts across universities nationwide. In recent years, rapid development has occurred within our country鈥檚 PhD education sector, making it one of the world leaders.
However, there still exist mismatches between supply and demand as well as imbalances in distribution when it comes to doctoral student cultivation. From regional perspectives, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta account for about 40% of all PhD students from universities with authorized doctorate programs; meanwhile, underdeveloped regions that truly need such talents face shortages.
From a disciplinary standpoint, the continuous expansion in some fields has intensified job competition among graduates. Yet, nurturing new productive forces requires large numbers of high-education professionals鈥攅specially those who engage in original and disruptive scientific innovations, dare to venture into uncharted technological territories, or pioneer competitive 'new tracks'. These strategic scientists, top-tier tech leaders, innovative teams, young talents, as well as highly skilled technical personnel are still insufficiently supplied.
Moreover, we need to reflect on the current model of PhD education鈥攕ome employers have noted that while hired PhDs may excel in writing papers, they often lack practical skills such as hands-on abilities or teamwork capabilities needed for work tasks.
Each individual's situation varies and career path choices differ accordingly; however, if a group collectively views their 'PhD' degree merely as an entry ticket rather than leveraging its full potential, it would be wasteful both personally and socially.
In my view, to fully utilize the value of PhDs and transform highly educated talents into truly high-level professionals requires efforts in several areas:
Firstly, innovating university doctoral education models. Fully leverage universities' role as a source for talent cultivation by supporting collaborations between educational institutions and innovative enterprises on research-industry-university joint training programs.
Secondly, optimizing the scientific innovation environment for PhDs. Utilize international science and technology innovation centers to lead in foundational and applied technological studies within fields like quantum mechanics, optoelectronics, healthcare; attract outstanding young doctoral talents with boldness into these areas through disruptive technical innovation funds.
Thirdly, improving mechanisms for joint talent cultivation between universities/research institutes and enterprises. Focus on key industries needed for new productive forces by supporting top STEM institutions in establishing specialized colleges to recruit PhD students alongside innovative research bodies while collaborating deeply across training programs, dual appointments of mentors, professional development with high-tech companies; create integrated platforms combining education-teaching-career-training-technology-transfer.
Lastly, improving mechanisms for the mobility and support of doctoral talents. Implement projects aimed at gathering outstanding professionals in enterprises so that more doctorate holders can flow into economic construction main battlefields while ensuring their rights regarding title evaluation, salary benefits, social security etc.; promote societal professional certification around new fields like AI, big data; establish a digital talent recognition system prioritizing joint assessment mechanisms with companies.
According to comprehensive data, China currently has over one million PhD graduates but its ratio of PhD students per thousand people remains relatively low compared with other countries around the world. Therefore, there is a view suggesting that while there's still considerable room for expansion in terms of quantity, it鈥檚 also important to improve quality alongside increasing numbers.
Currently, profound changes are taking place within China's labor market due to factors such as accelerated population aging, economic structural adjustments and industrial transformation upgrades, along with the global wave of new technological revolutions. These developments present both opportunities and challenges for employment conditions in our country. In recent years, social demand shifts have had a significant impact on job prospects for high-education talents represented by PhD students; some professional fields face certain difficulties when it comes to finding jobs.
It can be said that doctoral education is at the pinnacle of national education systems and serves as an important force within China's innovation system. Optimizing the structure of disciplines in doctorate training programs represents a crucial aspect for improving higher educational discipline layouts across universities nationwide. In recent years, rapid development has occurred within our country鈥檚 PhD education sector, making it one of the world leaders.
However, there still exist mismatches between supply and demand as well as imbalances in distribution when it comes to doctoral student cultivation. From regional perspectives, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta account for about 40% of all PhD students from universities with authorized doctorate programs; meanwhile, underdeveloped regions that truly need such talents face shortages.
From a disciplinary standpoint, the continuous expansion in some fields has intensified job competition among graduates. Yet, nurturing new productive forces requires large numbers of high-education professionals鈥攅specially those who engage in original and disruptive scientific innovations, dare to venture into uncharted technological territories, or pioneer competitive 'new tracks'. These strategic scientists, top-tier tech leaders, innovative teams, young talents, as well as highly skilled technical personnel are still insufficiently supplied.
Moreover, we need to reflect on the current model of PhD education鈥攕ome employers have noted that while hired PhDs may excel in writing papers, they often lack practical skills such as hands-on abilities or teamwork capabilities needed for work tasks.
Each individual's situation varies and career path choices differ accordingly; however, if a group collectively views their 'PhD' degree merely as an entry ticket rather than leveraging its full potential, it would be wasteful both personally and socially.
In my view, to fully utilize the value of PhDs and transform highly educated talents into truly high-level professionals requires efforts in several areas:
Firstly, innovating university doctoral education models. Fully leverage universities' role as a source for talent cultivation by supporting collaborations between educational institutions and innovative enterprises on research-industry-university joint training programs.
Secondly, optimizing the scientific innovation environment for PhDs. Utilize international science and technology innovation centers to lead in foundational and applied technological studies within fields like quantum mechanics, optoelectronics, healthcare; attract outstanding young doctoral talents with boldness into these areas through disruptive technical innovation funds.
Thirdly, improving mechanisms for joint talent cultivation between universities/research institutes and enterprises. Focus on key industries needed for new productive forces by supporting top STEM institutions in establishing specialized colleges to recruit PhD students alongside innovative research bodies while collaborating deeply across training programs, dual appointments of mentors, professional development with high-tech companies; create integrated platforms combining education-teaching-career-training-technology-transfer.
Lastly, improving mechanisms for the mobility and support of doctoral talents. Implement projects aimed at gathering outstanding professionals in enterprises so that more doctorate holders can flow into economic construction main battlefields while ensuring their rights regarding title evaluation, salary benefits, social security etc.; promote societal professional certification around new fields like AI, big data; establish a digital talent recognition system prioritizing joint assessment mechanisms with companies.