Academies’ new charters seek to cut interference
Print Edition
THE Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering have redrafted their charters to cut administrative interference in their operations.
The amended charters, which also vie to rectify a tendency to chase profits, have been ratified during the biennial conference of China’s top two think tanks, which started on Monday and will close today.
The new charters have modified their previous editions, both put forward in 2008, on aspects including nomination and exit mechanisms of members by depriving governments, universities and enterprises of their nominating rights.
Nominating rights are now limited to incumbent members and academic groups.
The CAE stipulated that a candidate has to obtain no fewer than three votes from members of the same division of the CAE to be a viable nominee, and each incumbent member can nominate no more than two candidates.
The CAS required that viable nominees be determined by the presidium of each academic division.
The move is intended to ensure the selection of nominees is based purely on academic grounds.
The biennial selection of members bears the brunt of administrative interference in these two organizations. A lot of nominees have in the past been recommended by governments, localities and enterprises, with many such nominations driven by the interests of administrators.
In China, where they are often referred to as “academicians,” members of prestigious thinks tanks are offered various perks, such as help in getting their works published. Therefore, members can bring benefits to their organizations and represent the prestige of the university or their locality.
Zhai Guangming, a CAE member, believes giving members and academic groups sole rights to nominate candidates will help ensure the right candidate fills the position, because nominees are best known among his or her fellow researchers in the same discipline.
‘Some we barely knew’
“In the past, there were many nomination channels; some nominees we barely knew and could only refer to their application materials,” Zhai said.
Under the redrafted CAS and CAE charters, selection of new members now requires a vote by the whole academy, rather than just one of its divisions.
Xu Rigan, a CAE member, said academy-wide voting is international common practice, and one that helps test a candidate’s recognition among a wider academic circle.
Should a member violate scientific ethics or lack integrity and tarnish the reputation of members or the academy, they will be “advised to resign.”
The CAS said in the most serious cases, membership will be revoked.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the Monday session of the conference. He called for further reform of China’s scientific system and vowed to eradicate ideological and systematic obstacles.
The CAS has 743 members, while the CAE has 802.
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