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

Author: Liu Ying, Niu Xiaohong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Discussing the experiences of studying abroad, Bai Zhong'en quotes a saying by Li Fanghongjian: "After studying abroad, you won’t be afraid of foreigners." He smiled and said, "There’s no need to be a hundred percent white; just by living in that environment, you’ll have fewer barriers. Before going to the U.S., I learned about it through books, and when I first arrived, nothing surprised me—it seemed that way on the surface, but there were still many things you could only truly understand by living there." Compared to the academic circles in China, Bai Zhong'en felt a significant difference was that there was 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 believe another place can better help them thrive, they can change locations at any time. This greatly boosts motivation." Bai further explained, "It’s great to meet a good leader in a place, but not everyone is so lucky. Abroad, a leader might not be as important as relationships with colleagues. If you can’t get along with people around you in a place that isn’t dynamic, it can be very uncomfortable. So, 'mobility' is a very important factor."
During this process of mobility, there’s also the issue of evaluating scholars. Beyond widely recognized standards, whether someone is a good scholar or not is mainly based on peer evaluation, not just by counting how many articles they’ve published or how many times they’ve been cited by SSCI. For example, if someone is changing jobs, their new employer will ask for recommendation letters. Different people write recommendation letters differently—some always praise others highly, while others might 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 precisely 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 thought he might have reservations, but he said, "This isn’t hesitation; I want to be precise."
There are many differences between China and the U.S., which may stem from different market demands. The U.S. has a relatively mature academic environment, with many economists specializing narrowly, allowing them to delve deeply into their fields. In China, the supply of researchers 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’s also a phenomenon of "fortress mentality" in academia, where everyone highly values who first proposes a viewpoint, so they all strive to be the one to propose ideas. When doing so, they may not be as cautious, and some may even propose many, many viewpoints. Meanwhile, the market demand side has limited judgment ability, so the views are 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 dominates public discourse, Tsinghua scholars often remain silent, largely due to their rigorous academic attitude. But in an era where fame can be achieved overnight, it’s truly a pity for them. Professor Bai Zhong'en shared the same sentiment. He said, "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 improve. I believe this situation will change in the future." P5-6