China: "hunting for intelligence”

Over the past three decades, China has been developing rapidly and has set itself the ambitious task of becoming one of the leading innovative nations. In view of its successes and failures, as well as the rapidly changing situation in the country and the world, China has outlined a fairly realistic perspective of this policy in regards to state plans up to 2020. The specifics of this country’s experience may be somewhat useful for Russia. If not in the implementation of programs to promote the resettlement of compatriots in the homeland, then at least in raising their awareness to the technological modernization of the country, even though it is their former country.

Over the past three decades, China has been developing rapidly and has set itself the ambitious task of becoming one of the leading innovative nations. Given the low economic and educational start of the early 1980s, this goal can be achieved only if at least a part of its qualified personnel are trained abroad. Over the past twenty years, China has been working on the "brain gain" strategy in the country as an alternative to losing it abroad. In view of its successes and failures, as well as the rapidly changing situation in the country and the world, China has outlined a fairly realistic perspective of this policy in regards to state plans up to 2020. The specifics of this country’s experience may be somewhat useful for Russia. If not in the implementation of programs to promote the resettlement of compatriots in the homeland, then at least in raising their awareness to the technological modernization of the country, even though it is their former country.

Leave to go back? The "brain gain" policy against "brain drain"

According to official statisticsfor China, after 1978, the new leadership, which came to power after Mao Zedong, allowed young people leave to study abroad, and the total number of Chinese citizens that received diploma education, training or obtained their dissertations abroad n 2011 reached 224 million. The number of those who left to study in foreign universities in 2011 alone amounted to 339.7 thousand, when compared to 1990 (2950 people), it increased by more than 100 percent (!). Now China ranks first in the world in the number of students studying abroad. One of the new trends is that there is a significant annual increase in numbers and at increasingly early age parents tending to send their children abroad to have secondary education.

We are interested in two questions: why do Chinese youth desire to study abroad, and what is the government's attitude to the "brain drain" problem? The almost unanimous opinion of experts on China, with few exceptions, the motivations differ from those of Russians. Today China already has some very prestigious universities, with places in the top one hundred international ratings. However, due to the fact that in contrast to Russia, economic and demographic indicators in China's higher education (which by the way, are fully paid for) are covering only (by world standards) or narrower (by Chinese standards), 24.2% of youth, so competitions to enroll in prestigious universities are high. Consequently, many young Chinese are unable to enroll in a first-class university at home and prefer leaving in order to return with a prestigious foreign diploma. In addition, the continuing (despite the efforts of the Government) significant non-uniformity of the eastern, central and western regions of the country, especially the urban and rural areas to enroll in advanced universities of big cities, is problematic even for the children of rich peasants, as well as finding jobs after graduation - registration at your residence does not allow you tostay in a big city.

With the advent in the late 1970s of the "reform and opening up" stage of the Chinese government, it was concerned about the training of highly qualified personnel for intensive modernization and was no longer intent on the prevention of the departure of young people to study abroad, however, it was relying on mass return. In a speech by Deng Xiaoping in 1978 it was hoped that 90% of those that had received education abroad would return. In 1992, during the country's transition from a planned to a market economy, the Chinese leader, as a pragmatic and far-sighted politician, confirmed that the country's leadership would not prevent the departure of young people to study in foreign universities, even if only half of them came back, or remained there in ways that would help their homeland. After these words a new policy was formulated, expressed in 12 hieroglyphs: “to support study abroad, to encourage a return to your homeland with the freedom of entry and exit”. Soon, the phrase "go back to serve the country” (huiguo fuwu) was replaced by the slogan "serve the country” (weiguo fuwu). In 2000, in an interview to the “Science” Magazine then President of China Jiang Zemin said that he "fully understood" the position of those Chinese who have decided not to return home.

The fact is that a number of experts in China believe that China has neither the capacity nor the need to take back all those that have received their education abroad. For the government of China, this is a valuable reserve fund, from which it can draw the capital in the future.

After 1992, a narrow stream of those who were leaving the country to study abroad turned into a deep river. An important role was played by the fact that since 1993 China's universities were granted more autonomy, including the right to establish independent contacts with foreign universities. In August 1998 the State Council of China signed a special order, simplifying the procedure of exit from the country. Since 1999, qualified foreign experts and overseas-educated Chinese people have the right to participate in the innovation process and to obtain patents on inventions and discoveries made in China. From 2003/2004 academic year, in order to promote study abroad graduates of regular high schools no longer had the limitations as to the need to work in their home country within five years after graduation and to compensate the state for the costs of higher education.

The government established the "State Scholarship Foundation for the best students leaving to study abroad at their own expense" [1].

Since then, there has been a sharp rise in the number of those departing and returning.

It should be noted that more than 80% of young Chinese people go to study abroad at their own expense (see Table. 1), so they are harder to convince to come back, though the facts prove the successes of the Chinese leadership in this regard.

So, in 2011 in comparison with 2003 the proportion of trainees educated at their own expense increased from 66% to 90% of the total number of the Chinese that returned after receiving an education abroad.

According to the Ministry of Education of China, the proportion of returnees declined from 38% in 2000 to 24.3% in 2004, but then began torise slowly. A total of 2.24 million young people who went to be educated abroad after 1978, 818.4 thousand returned to their homeland by 2011, i.e. almost a third of those who left. And in 2011 in comparison with the previous year, this figure grew by 38%.

It seems that one of the reasons was the economic crisis in Western countries, which increased unemployment there (and at the same time the salary expectations of applicants decreased substantially). This played an important role with the new directions of the government of the PRC on the "brain gain" issue.

Solving the problem of return is important, and the fact is that, according to estimates by Chinese specialists, by 2014 the number of citizens of China, traveling to study abroad, will increase to 550-600 thousand people. Moreover, if in previous years, most went to obtain a master's degree, but only 30% enrolled at the undergraduate level, by 2015 the ratio may change and foreign universities will be flooded with secondary school graduates, their adaptation will be easier and they will have better chances.

The PRC government is actively controlling the process, in particular, determining which foreign universities will be recommended to send students for education at the public expense.

"The Motherland is Calling"

Having carefully studied its international experience, China is gradually developing a comprehensive and versatile system for providing services for the Chinese to be educated abroad and returned to their homeland. At the government level, all activities in this direction are coordinated by the State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs. However the central and provincial governments face different problems: the first one focuses on the "hunt" for highly qualified specialists and scientists, while the second one is interested in the entrepreneurs in order to develop high technologies. It is crucial that local authorities have the right to develop their programs and to supplement them, without direct control from the central government.

Since 1994 the central government has launched several national programs under the auspices of various departments to attract highly skilled native Chinese. The key word for the improvement of such programs is "flexibility", and this includes the sources of funding. Programs are differentiated by the age and skills of the scientists, as well as the duration of their stay abroad, they clearly state the requirements for the qualification and experience of those invited (see Table. 2).

Comments on the Table

As for section 3 of the program, the Foundation supported scientists successfully working in the following fields of knowledge: mathematics and physics, chemistry, life science, earth science, engineering and materials science, computer science and management. After receiving the grant they had the right to continue their studies. Grants are made available initially for three years, working in the field of experimental and technological research received 600 thousand Yuan (72 thousand dollars), and dealing with theoretical development – used only half that amount. After five successful years of the program, in 1999 the government approved fund budget increase from 70 million Yuan (8.4 million) in 1998 to 180 million Yuan (21.7 million), extending the validity of the grants up to 4 years. Funds allocated to experimental and theoretical studies increased to 800 thousand and 550 thousand Yuan (96 thousand dollars and 66 thousand dollars), respectively. This also increased the number of recipients of grants to up to 1200 young scientists, 80% of whom had experience of studying or working abroad (). Since 2005, the National Natural Science Foundation of China has allocated grants for an unlimited number of overseas Chinese residents - leading scientists and doctors, visiting universities or research institutes with annual payments of one million Yuan (120 thousand dollars) for a period of 4 years.

The “Yangtze” Program is designed not only for foreign scientists, initially Hong Kong tycoon Li Kayshin invested $ 9.5 million, and a substantial amount was added by the Ministry of Education of China. Visiting professors should have to teach in Chinese universities for at least 4 months. Since 2004 the annual quota for the project was increased from 10 to 100 people, and by 2009 it was attended by 1308 leading scientists (90% of them are Chinese) [2].

The party and government program in 2008, unlike previous ones, was designed not only to support universities and research institutes but also experimental laboratories, large enterprises, state-owned commercial and financial organization and areas of high technology. According to the State plan for the development of science and technology in the medium and long term perspective, public research universities were given grants to work in two directions: the creation and development of key scientific disciplines and research by foreign specialists and repatriated Chinese scientists. Approximately half of the amount of the grant was allocated to them in the form of salary, and the rest was used to create the necessary conditions for their studies (pay assistants, purchase equipment, etc.) [3].

In addition to these programs, since the mid-1990s they have attracted overseas Chinese residents back home in the areas of technological development with cities' industrial parks to open business "with tax incentives, favorable lease terms and loans for starting a business. They are aimed primarily at assisting in creating of own businesses (business incubators). Loans available for this purpose were established in 1990 for the "Foundation for emigrants to run scientific and technological research" (by 2003 about 11 thousand scientists received 350 million Yuan in total from the Fund). In 2009, there were about 70 such incubators, and in 2011, 150 and they provided a launching pad for eight thousand enterprises and 20 thousand immigrants. By 2015, there are plans to have 200 starting business incubators with 15 thousand enterprises operated in full or with the participation of immigrants. To this end, China is going to attract at least 500 thousand specialists from overseas Chinese residents, as well as entire teams working in the area of innovative science and technology, equipment and manufacturing, information technology, biotechnology, new materials, aviation, environmental protection, energy resources and modern agriculture, which can help the country make a technological breakthrough.

In 2000, a new stage was introduced - active job fairs conducted for overseas Chinese residents in different countries, for both public and private companies from China (in this case in 2008-2009. The number of applicants exceeded the number of vacancies), as well as being carefully planned and supported by the Government, the activities of recruiting companies, in "the hunt for minds," for example, the company Wang & Li Asia Resources was involved.

An effective measure is the organization of thematic conferences in China, in particular, on science and technology, and forums for overseas Chinese scholars. The organizers of these events are the Ministry of Education, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and local government.

The role of a "bridge" between foreign scholars and Chinese organizations is played by the “Shen zhou xue ren” magazine.

The policy of "hunting for minds" conducted by China was a success. In 1980, the PRC employed only 468 foreign specialists; in 2009 their number reached 300,000. In his speech at the beginning of 2010 the Prime Minister of the Chinese State CouncilWen Jiabao called that figure insufficient and said that the strategic direction of China for the long term were "raising capital" and "brain gain" [4].

Nevertheless, the experience of previous decades has shown that the most difficult problem was to persuade those to return home in whom the government of China is interested in most of all - really outstanding scientists, doctors, and the guaranteeing of a permanent full-time position - in the best case, they agree on moonlighting. In general, only a third to a half that arrived in China on the above mentioned programs have doctoral degrees from foreign universities, the majority finished as undergraduates in China and spent several years abroad for postdoctoral internship. Thus, only 11.6% of 466 scientists as immigrants, attracted to work in the Chinese Academy of Sciences since 1994, had the rank of professor or associate professor, and another 10% that of that number – assistant professor.

The return of "prodigal sons"

So, for nearly a quarter of a century, following the changing socio-political situation in the country and given growing global challenges, the PRC Government thinks and invents new instruments of attraction for the best minds that have obtained advanced knowledge in developed countries, mainly former compatriots. The main thing is that this policy is systemic; it also involves government agencies and private companies.

First of all, it makes use of economic instruments. In addition to grants and awards there is salary. Thus, among the highest category of managers for foreign companies in China the annual salary of immigrants is higher than for the rest of the Chinese (in 2008 it amounted to 150 thousand dollars compared to 90 thousand dollars for their colleagues), but lower than among specialists from Hong Kong (200 thousand dollars) or Europe (180 thousand dollars). [5] All foreign scientists and specialists have the privilege to exchange and export foreign currency (in China currency exchange operations are under strict supervision). The especially talented receive special grants from the departments concerned. They have the opportunity - depending on their position and contribution - to "regulate" their income (a so-called negotiated salary). So, for those working in banks, insurance companies, universities and research institutions, the employing party, depending on the positions and contributions involved, is allowed toraise ing 2-3 times the salary bar from the initially set level. For work in universities and research institutes monthly bonuses are paid five times in the amount of the set salary, and to those considered to have made a special contribution the bonuses may exceed the salary, but not by more than 10 times [6]. Highly skilled immigrants are more quickly promoted.

But there are other "magnets." Thus, this category of persons is not subject to the residence restrictions of the passport system, staffing and basic wage rate. They are provided with housing subsidies (and in some urban areas a 20% discount) and a package of social benefits, an opportunity for their children to go to the best schools and universities, and their family members are provided with work. They receive simplified visa procedures for entry into China, and the procedure for granting work visas. Authorities in Shanghai even provide the status of resident to immigrants who have made a special contribution to the modernization of research in China. They are not required to renounce citizenship of another country, it is true, but as long as they do not, they are deprived of many of the benefits entitled to citizens of China.

It is important that professionals that have come to work in research institutes or universities after studying abroad do not revert to old ways, but create new units which produce modern scientific production, and in the English language.

For many Chinese immigrants, as polls show, the attraction of going home is a sense of their social identity and wider career opportunities.

At the same time, as evidenced by the facts, immigrant scientists at home face a lot of tests. First of all, there is the lack of contact over the years in the social and scientific climate (which is a decisive factor in a country where personal relationships traditionally decide everything.) Therefore, the key issue for the leadership is that of creating a favorable atmosphere for the re-emigrants: the government has established a service center for students abroad which helps them find work, and a base for further research for doctoral degree holders.

There is a different climate felt by scientists even in specialized departments because they are - part of the general staff, and in intra-high management in China there is still a system of "responsibility under the leadership of the Party Committee." Furthermore, in China, like in Russia, scientific work is rated by quick results, while scientific advances often take a long time. Failures in the experiment there are not perceived as a milestone in the search for truth, but as failures. Often, immigrants are faced with open hostility and envy from colleagues. As for the social sciences, the scientists working in this field choose not to return (except economists).

Conclusion: A new strategy for changing labels

In the next decade, all activities to bring about the implementation of national plans for the modernization of highly qualified personnel from abroad will be held under the slogan changing the "Made in China" label to the proud - "Created in China" which will apply to high technology products.

"The National Development Plan of talent for the medium and long term" which is a spin-off from the "State Plan for Development of Education in the medium and long term," shows how hard the government of China is ready to work in this direction. The main trend is to make agreements on the mutual recognition of diplomas. The Chinese government has signed an agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas from 64 countries and regions, including Russia, Britain, Germany, Italy, etc. At the same time in April 2012 the Ministry of Education of China issued a document tightening the procedure for issuing diplomas of joint Sino- foreign universities and regulating their activities.

Work is underway to improve the detection, the use and promotion of talent, including compatriots abroad, ranging from those privileges and preferences already available to them to finalizing a system to improve the provision of rights for permanent residence. The government of China has announced the granting of five-year multiple-entry visas for scientists working in Chinese universities and centers of high technology. Now the question of providing an outstanding scholar residency rights is being considered. It is a fact that under the Constitution of the PRC in 1982 citizens who left the country and obtained citizenship of another country are deprived of the nationality of China. As a result, for a long time the lack of dual citizenship has hindered the process of attracting "brains" (no wonder it was to this purpose in 2005 in India 2009 in Vietnam, and in South Korea in 2011 dual citizenship was allowed). Moreover, in learning the lessons from the previous two decades, the PRC government has realized that Chinese scientists with a reputation in foreign universities and research centers and industrial parks, preferred short-term visits to their homeland as part of academic exchanges. It expects to attract them to modern scientific projects receiving from them scientific information and technical consultancy.

The plan for attracting talents is secured on a solid financial base. It includes funds for research projects (1-3 million Yuan over three years), and large state awards to young talents (from 500 thousand Yuan - about 78.8 thousand dollars). The program known as "1000 Talents” was one of 12 key projects which expanded the possibilities: as for May 2010 the program attracted 662 specialists, and after the adoption of the Plan by August 2011 it had already attracted 1,510 people.

Reflecting the official position, senior managers of Chinese universities claim that they "preferred to import talent rather than capital or technology”.

Overall, despite the fact that China has not quite managed to attract the most "highbrow" of scholars, this program to compensate for the "brain drain" has been quite successful in general.

And so what about Russia? The experience of the return of Chinese compatriots from developed countries in Europe and America can hardly be applied in Russia. It needs a number of conditions, including political stability, personal security and continued economic growth. It is worth paying attention to the fact that China does not just promise to provide skilled immigrants with their interests, it guarantees it.

Yet, the experience of China in attracting foreign experts and scientists can be partially used, if it considered seriously. It is about creating government programs (in particular, through the various ministries and academies) to attract highly skilled foreign scientists, including former Russians to participate in three-and five-year research programs at universities and research institutes and to attract sponsors to finance these programs. It is necessary to encourage joint research projects, and to establish joint laboratories with large Western institutions, but the main thing is to develop mandatory subject areas of specialties and projects, based on the priorities for Russia. Moreover, the development plans should consider not only the central government but local leaders must also take the initiative. It is necessary to apply the experience of many countries, including China, to create job fairs and recruiting companies to "hunt for minds." Another conclusion is that it is necessary to intensify cooperation with scientists from not only the West but the East, especially China.

And yet, it appears that the main thing for Russia to do is to wake up from our slumber that we "know it all," and consider a strategy of active involvement of overseas Russian professors and specialists. If not to return home (which is still unlikely), then at least to participate in joint projects, lecturing in Russian universities, and with fellow businessmen to invest in the development of national science and technology, regardless of their political sympathies, but simply for "the good of the Country."

1. Borevskaya N.E The state and the school: the experience of China on the eve of the III millennium. M., 2002. S. 58.

2. Afanasyeva A. Involvement of qualified personnel from the overseas Chinese to work in China / / Problems of the Far East. In 2010. Number 5. S. 88.

3. Borevskaya N.E Capacity-building for competitiveness in the global market. New actors: China / / Internationalization of Higher Education: Trends, strategies, future scenarios. M., 2010. S. 103.

4. International Talent (Beijing). In 2010. Number 3. C. 5.

5. International Talent (Beijing). In 2008. Number 2. S. 51.

6. International Talent (Beijing). In 2010. Number 1. S. 48.