The Composition and Evolution of China’s High-Level Talent Programs in Higher Education

Purpose: This article provides an overview of the composition and evolution of China’s high-level talent programs in higher education. Design/Approach/Methods: This article reviews key talent policies adopted by the Chinese government since the 1990s, using content analysis methods to identify policy characteristics and reform trends. Findings: Talent programs in China operate at four levels: the national level, provincial level, city level, and institutional level. The main objectives of China’s high-level talent programs are to support and promote the development of young talent and to encourage overseas scholars to return to China. China’s high-level talent programs have undergone various changes since 1993. The evolution is characterized by the following five major aspects: individual program optimization; replacement, integration, and separation; preventing overlapping funding; mitigating the unbalanced impact the programs have on higher education institutions across regions; and strengthening risk assessment for programs focused on attracting overseas talent. Originality/Value: This article offers a comprehensive assessment of the talent programs implemented by Chinese universities and explores the key trends and content of recent policy changes.