Science1月《中国学术界期待择优资助》（Hopes for Merit-Based Grants in China）

tomorrow

1月21日出版的《科学》杂志刊登了四川大学王启智教授一封名为《期待中国按学术优劣资助科研经费》（Hopes for Merit-Based Grants in China）的来信，信中对早前施一公和饶毅联合发表的《科学》社论——《中国的科研文化》（China's research culture）提出自己的看法。以下为信件内容：原文及译文如下：

中国学术界期待择优资助
      
在社论“中国的科研文化“（2010年9月3日，第1128页）中，Y. Shi 和 Y. Rao谈到了在中国的科研困境。这种情况甚至超过了该社论形容的程度。成千上万的草根教授和研究员由于缺乏足够的研究资金支持，正在苦苦挣扎。作为一名普通的教授，我从来没有感觉到政府的研究方面投入的资金保持增长超过20％的年增长率。可悲的事实是，四川大学大约30％的教授和70％副教授的人没有一个由其主管项目资金。此外，在这些有项目的教授，以及资助资金的分配取决于官员的青睐。
       我同意这个社论所说的，“简单而重要的开端将是择优资助，而不是靠关系。“没有这种改变，拉关系以获得资助这种风气将愈演愈烈。



Hopes for Merit-Based Grants in ChinaHopes for Merit-Based Grants in China

In their Editorial “China's research culture” (3 September 2010, p. 1128), Y. Shi and
Y. Rao commented on the plight of research in China. The situation is even worse
than that described in the Editorial. Hundreds of thousands of grassroots professors
and researchers are struggling, lacking sufficient financial support for research. As
an ordinary professor, I have never sensed that “[g]overnment research funds in China
have been growing at an annual rate of more than 20%,” as claimed by the Editorial.
The sad fact is that about 30% of full professors and 70% of associate professors
in Sichuan University do not have funds for a single research project left in their charge (1).
In addition, among those professors with projects, the distribution of funding is extremely biased
in favor of officials.

I agree with the Editorial that “[a] simple but important start would be to distribute all
of the new funds based on merit, without regard to connections.” Without such a change,
seeking connections to win grants, either big or small, will by necessity continue to be
rampant in China.