Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; 中国科学院)[3] is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China.[4] It is the world's largest research organization, with 100 research institutes, 2 universities, 69 thousand full-time employees, and 79 thousand graduate students.[5]
This article is about the national academy of China. For the separate institution located in Taipei, see Academia Sinica.Other name
中国科学院 (Native Name)
Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government (emerged to the State Council in 1954)
1 November 1949
69,000 (2022)[1]
Wu Zhaohui, Vice President
CN¥162.1 billion (2022)[2]
Academia Sinica (1949–1980s)
中国科学院
中國科學院
Zhōngguó Kēxuéyuàn
Zhōngguó Kēxuéyuàn
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republican era and was formerly also known by that name until the 1980s. The academy functions as the national scientific think tank and academic governing body, providing advisory and appraisal services on issues stemming from the national economy, social development, and science and technology progress. It is headquartered in Beijing, with affiliate institutes throughout China. It has also created hundreds of commercial enterprises, Lenovo being one of the most famous.
The academy also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,[6] which is among the world's top five universities ranked by Nature Index.[7][8] CAS also holds a stake in the Chinese hacking company I-Soon.[9]
History[edit]
Beginning in 1972, CAS began promoting the idea of balancing applied research with more theoretical research and in having scientific exchanges with other developing countries.[12]: 74
As vice premier, Deng Xiaoping in 1975 also sought to re-orient CAS towards more theoretical research, which had not been a focus during the Cultural Revolution.[12]: 74 Deng emphasized that "the Academy of Sciences is an Academy of Sciences, not an Academy of Cabbage."[12]: 74 Deng assigned CAS vice president Hu Yaobang to draft a plan for overhauling CAS.[12]: 74 Deng and his aide Hu Qiaomu revised the draft and in September 1974 issued "The Outline Report on the Work of the Academy of Sciences".[12]: 74 The Outline described scientific research in China as lagging behind the needs of socialist construction and the state of the advanced countries, and stated that to catch up, China should emphasize basic science in order to develop a sound theoretical foundation.[12]: 74
This approach to scientific reform fell out of political favor in 1976 when Deng was purged, although it continued to be supported by many members within CAS.[12]: 75 A month before Deng's political return in 1977 however, the Outline Report was revived and adopted as CAS's official policy.[12]: 81
Shortly after his return, Deng hosted a series of meetings on science and education in which he stated that science should become the forerunner of China's modernization.[12]: 82 Following these remarks, CAS prepared its goals for natural science disciplines to be achieved by 1985, stating that as a developing socialist country, China should strengthen basic scientific research through foreign exchanges.[12]: 82
To further promote this agenda, Deng began a campaign to promote the National Science Conference.[12]: 82 A team led by CAS vice president Fang Yi instructed schools, factories, and communes to organize youth-focused events celebrating science and technology.[12]: 82
In 1977, the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences was split off of CAS and reorganized into the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and led by Hu Qiaomu.[12]: 86–87
In 2023, the Pasteur Institute suspended ties with CAS.[13]
Scientific integrity[edit]
On 26 February 2007, CAS published a Declaration of Scientific Ideology and set up a commission for scientific integrity to promote transparency, autonomy and accountability of scientific research in the country. Around that same time, the Ministry of Science and Technology also initiated measures to address misconduct in state-funded programs.[14]
Language
English
Sci. China
Together with the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the academy publishes the peer-reviewed academic journal, Science China (also known as Science in China). Science China comprises seven series:[15]
CAS also promotes the China Open Access Journals (COAJ) platform,[16] a national variant of the international Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
Awards[edit]
Since 1999, the CAS has issued the annual State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, presented by the President of China to the recipient.[17]
Ranking and reputation[edit]
CAS has been ranked the No. 1 research institute in the world by Nature Index since the list's inception in 2014 by Nature Portfolio.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
It was the most productive institution publishing articles on sustainable development indexed in the Web of Science from 1981 to 2018 among all universities and research institutions in the world.[24]
The academy also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,[6] which is among the world's top five universities ranked by Nature Index.[7][8]
In 2023, Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list contained 270 CSA members. This made CSA researchers the largest group on the list by institution, and the sixth largest by country.[25]
International cooperation[edit]
The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth is a branch of CAS. The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth was a customer of Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which provides data transmission services from satellites for a wide range of societal functions.[26] It was reported by Reuters on 21 September 2020 that SSC decided not to renew the contracts with China to help operate Chinese satellites from SSC's ground stations, or seek new business with China.[27]
