A direct title appraisal system was launched on August 4 for high-end talents at all 16 branch parks of the Zhongguancun Science Park, in order to speed up building Zhongguancun as a talents community.

The system was previously a pilot project in two branch parks of Zhongguancun - Haidian Park and Yizhuang Park. The move means that high-end talents can now apply for the title of professorate senior engineer without having to wait for a promotion or to demonstrate any particular language proficiency – or even to show proof of a required number of years of experience in their field.

The traditional method of defending a thesis during the appraisal has been replaced by a statement of achievements. High-end talents who are eligible to apply for a professorate senior engineer title include: professionals who hold a position in the field of engineering technology research and development in any corporation registered in the Zhongguancun national innovation demonstration zone, or who have won a science and technology award, or have been responsible for a large science and technology project - all at the national level - and those who have made great achievements in innovation and commercialization of scientific outputs.

?An official at the Beijing Human Resource and Social Security Bureau said that the direct title appraisal system is a government initiative which has been efficient in practice as a pilot project.

A total of 643 professionals applied for the title during the pilot phase at the two test parks over the past two years, and 98 of the applicants were approved after interviews and a vote by the committee of experts led by academicians of the Chinese Academy of Science.

Edited by Wang Yifei and Niva Whyman