This year, the National Natural Science Foundation of China party group meeting reviewed and approved the "National Natural Science Foundation of China Partial Talent Funding Policy Adjustment Plan". According to the requirements of the plan, starting from July 4, 2023, the restriction that postdoctoral fellows are not allowed to change their supporting institutions for general projects, youth science fund projects, and regional science fund projects will be cancelled. If it is stipulated and the unit can support and ensure the normal conduct of research work after the change, it is allowed to change the relying unit.
This document is a school announcement. For details, please consult relevant personnel at your school or unit.
However, views on the policy are polarized online. The following is a compilation of widely held views online.
The pros outweigh the cons
Opinion 1: Youth is the ticket to college
High-level institutions have regarded the National Youth Fund as an entry threshold rather than a bonus item, so it is a wise choice to rush to obtain this fund. Especially for high-quality scientific research platforms, they have already regarded the National Youth Fund as one of the criteria for judging researchers and regard it as a symbol of independent scientific research strength. Therefore,it may not be rational to entertain the idea of going to a new employer first and then applying. In today’s fiercely competitive scientific research environment, winning the National Youth Fund as early as possible is not only a shortcut to gain recognition, but also a key link in the development of scientific research.
Opinion 2: Golden opportunities should not be lost
Postdocs typically last two or three years, while National Youth Fellowships take a full three years to complete. This means that the cycle of a postdoctoral fellow, from entry to fund application to exit, is tight and just meets the time requirements for fund completion. However, it is difficult to be so precise in the actual situation, and some postdocs only successfully applied for the National Youth Fund when they were nearing the end of their studies.
In the field of scientific research, every year's postdoctoral opportunity is like a passing meteor. Once missed, it means that the golden opportunity of that year is lost. Whether you can stay in a postdoctoral institution is not only a test of your personal scientific research ability, but also the key to getting the first pot of gold on the road to scientific research. The one-year application process is like a competition. Success will prove your ability to conduct independent research and is also an important step in starting a scientific research career.
Do more harm than good
Opinion 1: Qingji has become a weakness
In the past, the policy of not allowing changes in units discouraged many postdocs, because even if they successfully applied for the National Youth Fund, they could not move across units as individuals, which in turn affected their exit status Freedom to find a job later. In this case, applying for youth funds is more likely to be blocked by the postdoctoral station unit, which makes researchers feel troubled when faced with career development choices. The existence of this dilemma is obviously contrary to the individual development needs of scientific researchers.
Opinion 2: Do you count a project twice?
The Youth Fund is a key link in a researcher's career. Although it can follow an individual across units, a project can only be counted once. In a new unit, you need to win another fund to complete the assessment. However, actually facing the fund application has become extremely difficult. This situation makes the assessment of scientific researchers in the new unit more complex and severe. They not only need to perform well in the new job, but also deal with additional pressure to apply for funds.
neutral view
On the surface, this rule appears to be a positive change. After the announcement, the funds successfully applied for by postdoctoral fellows have truly become their personal assets to a certain extent, rather than just belonging to the supervisor’s research group. This means that postdocs will be able to bring at least some research funding with them when they move to a new unit. In the field of research, research funding is regarded as a kind of capital. Even if it is small, it has a certain value. At least there is no need to constantly ask for help from others.
However, this provision is only "permitted", not "mandatory". In short, this just provides an additional option for postdocs, but the final funding affiliation is not entirely up to them. Many teachers who leave colleges and universities are not bound by clear regulations, but they rarely succeed in bringing research funds to new institutions. why? This is because the heads of schools, scientific research offices and research groups are usually reluctant to let them go. Even with this provision, if there is no provision that clearly spells out the penalties for postdocs who are still rejected after applying for normal compliance, the role of this provision in solving practical problems is relatively limited. If the postdoc's co-supervisor is a well-known figure in the field and directly demands the confiscation of the fund, the postdoc may not dare to challenge this authority even if this provision is in place.
As mentioned above, bringing the National Natural Science Foundation to the new unit is a bonus and will have a positive effect on the development of subsequent work. However, one thing needs to be made clear: The assessment of the new unit will not disappear just because you bring the country with you. Although successfully obtaining a national title may naturally lead to a higher starting point for professional titles, assessment will still be an important evaluation criterion. Postdocs are reminded that if the assessment requirements include the recording of XXX funds within a few years, they should ensure that the funds they brought over are also included in the assessment during negotiations. This is a reasonable requirement.
In general, the formulation of this policy highlights the nature of the talent project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. When postdoctoral fellows consider changing their supporting institutions, they can make wise decisions based on comprehensive consideration of personal development needs and actual circumstances.
• Source of material for this article: Zhihu, Sohu
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