Chinese academics who studied overseas are favoured in recruitment by leading universities in their home country over those with only domestic qualifications, according to a study.

Researchers from three Chinese universities analysed about 15,000 CVs of faculty members at elite Chinese universities and found that overseas returnees ¨C who had participated in graduate studies abroad ¨C? tend to work in higher-level institutions than their domestic counterparts.

Writing in , they found that the gap between the two groups has widened over time.

¡°Chinese universities have consistently emphasised the importance of international vision and experience, as well as the increasing significance of publishing English-language papers,¡± said Jin Liu, an assistant professor in Beijing Institute of Technology¡¯s School of Education and one of the researchers behind the study.?

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Campus resources on internationalisation in higher education

¡°It is generally believed that returnees possess advantages in these areas, which is why universities tend to recruit them to bolster their international academic standing and institutional competitiveness,¡± he said, despite the ¡°increasing number of returnees and a saturated market¡±.

However, the researchers warn that returnees could ¡°face increasing competition in the future¡± as Chinese universities begin to focus more on candidates¡¯ first degrees and Beijing emphasises the importance of embedding ¡°Chinese characteristics¡± into the country¡¯s knowledge systems.

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¡°Whether overseas returnees continue to be highly valued in employment may depend on their ability to effectively integrate Western education with China¡¯s needs,¡± the researchers write.?

Others agreed.?¡°As China¡¯s research capabilities and global influence continue to grow, domestic institutions are becoming more competitive,¡± said Futao Huang, vice-director of the Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University.?

¡°Some universities are starting to balance their hiring preferences, recognising the strength of their own PhD programmes. But until China¡¯s research output in key disciplines is seen as equal to or better than that of top global institutions, the preference for overseas-trained academics will likely persist, particularly at elite institutions.¡±

Xin Xu, lecturer in higher education at the University of Oxford, added that overseas returnees ¡°do not always enjoy privileges¡±. Previous studies have shown that some?exhibit lower job satisfaction?and may?struggle to bridge?cultural gaps.?

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¡°Some returnee faculty have reported experiencing ¡®reverse cultural shock¡¯ when re-entering Chinese academia, which would affect their long-term development,¡± she said. ¡°In recent years, some ¡®sea turtles¡¯ [a term for returnees] in Chinese academia have also decided to return to the sea¡±.?

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com