Teacher - Interview with Professors from the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University

Author: Liu Ying, Niu Xiaohong / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Discussing experiences of studying abroad, Bai Zhong'en quotes a saying by Li Fangjia: "After studying abroad, you won’t be afraid of foreigners." He smiled and said, "There’s no need to be ten Bai, but when you live in a place and immerse yourself in its environment, there will be fewer barriers. Before going to the U.S., I had some understanding of the country through books. When I first arrived, nothing surprised me—it seemed that way on the surface, but there were still many things that could only be truly understood by living there." Compared to the academic environment in China, Bai Zhong'en felt that one major difference is that there is a competitive market abroad. He said, "A scholar doesn’t have to stay in one place forever. If they are well-received in the market and feel that another place can better help them thrive, they can change locations at any time. This has a great motivational effect." Bai further explained, "Meeting a good leader in a place is great, but not everyone is so lucky. Abroad, the leader may not be as important as relationships with colleagues. If you can’t get along with people around you in a place and it’s not a fluid environment, you’ll find it very difficult. So, 'mobility' is a very important factor."
"During this process of mobility, there is also the issue of evaluating scholars. Beyond the generally recognized standards, who is considered a good scholar and who isn’t is mainly based on peer evaluation, not by counting how many articles they publish or how many times they are cited by SSCI. For example, if someone is changing jobs, their new employer will ask for recommendation letters. Different people have different styles when writing recommendation letters—some always write very positively about others, while others may be more objective. Perhaps because the market has been running for a while and has accumulated some experience, people interpret the content of recommendation letters based on past experiences, making this evaluation process quite effective. It is also because the academic market abroad has an effective evaluation system, and this evaluation directly affects a scholar’s market value, that many scholars remain highly motivated even after receiving tenure."
When asked about his views on the domestic academic environment, Professor Bai Zhong'en paused and thought for a full minute. I assumed he had reservations, but he said, "This isn’t hesitation; I want to be precise."
"China differs from abroad in many ways, possibly due to different market demands. The U.S. has a relatively mature academic environment, with many economists specializing in narrow fields, allowing them to delve deeply into their research. In China, the supply side is insufficient, while demand is strong. When demand exceeds supply, everyone tends to study big issues, and with so many research topics, they may not have enough time to delve into them deeply. In China, there is also a phenomenon of 'fortress mentality,' where academics highly value who first proposes an idea, so everyone tries to be the one to propose ideas. In doing so, they may not be as cautious, and some may even propose many ideas. Meanwhile, the market demand side has limited judgment ability, so the ideas can be a mix of good and bad, even misleading. In the long run, this is not a healthy situation."
Professor Bai Zhong'en’s point resonated deeply with me. Part of my job involves media relations, and I often find it puzzling that Tsinghua professors are reluctant to speak publicly. When a hot topic is being widely discussed in society, Tsinghua professors often remain silent, largely due to their rigorous academic attitude. However, in an era where fame can be achieved overnight, it’s truly a pity for them at times. Professor Bai Zhong'en shared the same sentiment, saying, "This is a common issue faced by Tsinghua professors. As more people engage in research, the market demand side will become more selective, and their judgment ability will also strengthen. I believe this situation will improve in the future." P5-6