Academia

Are Chinese universities abolishing the ‘iron rice bowl’?

Tongji University’s decision to replace faculty tenure with three-yearly assessments effectively ends the traditional “iron rice bowl” concept for university lecturers. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing explores the issue.

Chen Jing

20 Aug 2026

Fudan targeted as universities become casualties of the tech war

Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have been placed on a US national security list, while China has targeted a European university. The moves signal a new era in which academic research is increasingly treated as a security risk. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei reports.

Sim Tze Wei

18 Aug 2026

Is Washington driving global talent towards China?

Washington’s tougher stance on immigration and academia is reshaping the global race for talent. China is seizing the opportunity, but the biggest winners may lie elsewhere, says researcher Parama Sinha Palit.

Parama Sinha Palit

06 Aug 2026

Why China’s universities stopped fighting AI

Having initially sought to restrict the use of generative AI, Chinese universities are increasingly incorporating it into teaching and research. However, institutions are also grappling with difficult questions over authorship, accountability and how to preserve academic integrity in the age of AI, notes Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu.

Liu Liu

03 Aug 2026

[Big read] Inside China’s arts exam shadow market

Behind China’s arts entrance exams lies a costly world of influence and opaque deals, where talent alone rarely secures a place. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Qi Lu speaks to those who have lived through such experiences, and to academics who explain how the system works.

Qi Lu

23 Jun 2026

Complaints against teachers in China: How much is too much?

A recent case where a Fudan University associate professor was accused of being unprofessional has thrown the spotlight on the larger issue of complaints  — founded and unfounded — against teachers in China. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing gives her take and explores where to draw the line.

Chen Jing

04 Jun 2026

From exception to rule: Top scientists reshape China’s party leadership

Academicians from China’s top scientific bodies, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), are increasingly entering the CCP’s leadership, reshaping elite governance and driving the country’s rapid, innovation-led technological rise, observe academic Li Cheng and pre-doctoral fellow Zhao Xiuye of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong.

Li Cheng, Zhao Xiuye

17 Apr 2026

[Big read] Li Zexiang: The professor behind China’s drone boom and its future engineers

When DJI CEO Frank Wang’s undergraduate project failed, most would have turned him away. But Professor Li Zexiang, a leading innovator in China’s engineering education, recognised his potential and took him under his wing. Han Yong May, deputy editor-in-chief of SPH’s Chinese Media Group, sits down with Li as part of Lianhe Zaobao’s Future 365 interview series, to find out how his new engineering education system is building a new generation of engineers.

Han Yong May

17 Mar 2026

DEI turns coercive: How sinologist Perry Link was punished

When renowned sinologist Perry Link questioned race-based hiring at UC Riverside, he faced censure, public shaming and erased data. His case reveals how America’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, once a tool for inclusion, can be wielded to punish dissent and suppress academic freedom, notes commentator Tao Ray.

Tao Ray

08 Sep 2025

Harvard’s training ground for global leaders — why did China’s participation end?

Most leaders from developing countries take pride in having attended the Harvard Kennedy School. However, the situation in China is different, remarks commentator Qinglian He.

Qinglian He

19 Jun 2025

The end of the American education dream for Chinese students?

Amid visa uncertainty, geopolitical tension and rising costs, Chinese students are increasingly questioning the prestige of an American university education. Attracted by factors such as affordability and stability, many are now setting their sights on universities in places like Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, signalling a decisive shift in the global academic landscape.

Caixin Global

13 Jun 2025

Why a Harvard graduation speech hit a nerve in China

Even as the Trump administration targets Harvard University and Chinese students, a Chinese student at Harvard University has come under the spotlight for her speech at Harvard’s commencement, with questions about her connections and how she got into Harvard. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk explores the speculation and discussion.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

05 Jun 2025