Chinese academies promise cleaner elections

摘要

Being elected as an academician in China can be a passport to political influence and financial reward. Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) are supposed to represent the cream of the country's research, and are often invited to sit on powerful government committees. In some provinces they are offered the same official ranking as a vice-minister, and are favoured with prize money, cars, houses and personal doctors. The pursuit of these prestigious posts can involve intensive lob-bying and even bribery. This year's academy elections are already in full swing, and both societies are promI ising to clean up the process through transparent and rigorous oversight. They are publishing their shortlists and inviting public comment at every stage of selection, and saying that they will take allegations of misconduct more seriously than ever before. This new openness is throwing prospective academicians under increasing scrutiny.