The city of Suzhou has been known as the “heaven on earth” for centuries. Located and deeply rooted in this historical and cultural city and founded 123 years ago, Soochow University is a Key National “Project 211” university, and one of the first institutions selected for “Plan 2011” in China. It is listed into “Double First-Class” Initiative jointly built by the Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government. It is also a provincial key comprehensive university sponsored by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government.

Soochow University currently has thirteen categories of disciplines including Philosophy, Economics, Law, Education, Literature, History, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, Management Science, Art and Interdisciplines. The university now has 36 schools, 50 first-level disciplines with master programs, 31 first-level disciplines with doctoral programs, and 30 post-doctoral research stations. The university boasts 1 national first-class discipline, 4 state key disciplines, 20 advantageous disciplines in universities of Jiangsu Province and 6 Jiangsu provincial key disciplines during the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan. Seventeen disciplines are among the top 1% on the Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators (ESI) ranking. Chemistry, Materials Science, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Medicine rank the top 1‰.

The university now has 1 national 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center (leading party), 1 Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1 State Key Laboratory jointly constructed by Jiangsu Province and the Ministry of Education, 2 National Engineering Laboratories, 2 National Local Joint Engineering Laboratories, 1 National Research Center of Clinical Medicine, 1 National ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ Joint Laboratory, 4 Provincial University Collaborative Innovation Centers, 24 Provincial and Ministerial Key Research Bases on Philosophies and Social Sciences; 33 Provincial and Ministerial Key Laboratories. It also boasts more than 335 national level talents, including 1 Nobel Prize laureate, 10 Academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Academy of Engineering, 12 Academicians of national academies in developed countries.

A new era brings new opportunities and calls for new advancements. Nowadays, based on the favorable timing, location, and harmonious social relationships, Soochow University adheres to improving itself with talents, quality, and culture, and spares no effort in building up a world-renowned research-oriented university. We hereby sincerely invite international scholars to 2023 Soochow University’s Dongwu Forum of International Young Scholars.

I. About the Forum

A renowned city nurtures esteemed institutions; esteemed institutions enhance the city’s reputation in return. Currently, the city of Suzhou and Soochow University adhere to the direction of integrated development of each other, closely collaborating and pooling their strengths. Suzhou fully supports the construction of Soochow University to become a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. The 2023 Soochow University’s Dongwu Forum of International Young Scholars will serve as one of the sub-events of the 15th Suzhou International Elite Entrepreneurship Week in 2023.

The forum aims to gather outstanding young scholars at home and abroad to focus on the latest issues and research frontiers through academic reports and profound discussions, in order to broaden their horizons and to promote interdisciplinary innovations.

II. Requirements

1. The applicants must in principle be under the age of 40 (born after 01/Jan/1984).

2. The applicants must have PhD degrees of prestigious overseas universities, or have PhD degrees of domestic universities and research experience in overseas institutions for more than two consecutive years (including post-doctoral experiencce).

3. The applicants must have outstanding academic achievements, and have the academic potential to grow as national level young scholars.

III. Positions and Pay

3.1 Distinguished Professor (Top-notch Talent)

1. Title: Professor

2. Pay: Not less than RMB 570,000 annually (before tax), performance related rewards without cap;

3. Relocation: RMB 1,500,000-2,000,000 (excluding subsidiaries provided by the national and local governments);

4. Research Support Funding: RMB 300,000 – 500,000 for scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences, RMB 600,000-800,000 for scholars in Non-experimental Sciences, RMB 1,500,000-3,000,000 for scholars in Experimental Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

* Candidates of National Sciences Fund for Excellent Young Scholars (Overseas)

A. Requirements

Candidates should hold a doctoral degree, focusing on natural sciences, engineering technology, etc., with outstanding academic achievements and in principle, under the age of 40 years old. Candidates should in general have a teaching or research position in an overseas university or research institution or R&D department of enterprises with more than 36 months of consecutive working period. For those who have an overseas doctoral degree and excellent achievements, the requirement for working period can be relaxed to a proper extent.

B. Pay and Benefits

Selected candidates of National Sciences Fund for Excellent Young Scholars (overseas) in the name of Soochow University will be employed to the position of Distinguished Professor (Top-notch Talent).

1. Pay: Not less than RMB 700,000 annually (before tax), performance related rewards without cap (RMB20,000-200,000 in general); tailor-made for those who are extremely excellent.

2. Relocation: Not less than RMB 4,500,000 (including subsidiaries provided by the national and local governments);

3. Research Support Funding: Apart from the fund of RMB 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 by NSFC, the university will provide 1:1 matching budget with the amount supported by NSFC (RMB 3,000,000 literally for experimental science, engineering and medicine). Large-scale equipment and apparatus may be provided as needed.

4. Livelihood security: resolving employment for family members and ensuring children’s access to quality education.

3.2 Distinguished Professor (Elite Talent)

1. Title: Professor

2. Pay: Not less than RMB 450,000 annually (before tax), performance related rewards without cap;

3. Relocation: RMB 800,000-1,500,000 (excluding subsidiaries provided by the national and local governments);

4. Research Support Funding: RMB 100,000-200,000 for scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences, RMB 400,000-600,000 for scholars in Non-experimental Sciences, RMB 800,000-1,800,000 for those in Experimental Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

3.3 Young Distinguished Professor

1. Title: Associate Professor;

2. Pay: Not less than RMB 380,000 annually (before tax), and performance related rewards without cap;

3. Relocation: RMB 500,000-800,000 (excluding subsidiaries provided by the national and local governments);

4. Research Support Funding: RMB 100,000 for scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences, RMB 200,000-400,000 for scholars in Non-experimental Natural Sciences, and RMB 500,000-1,000,000 for those in Experimental Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

IV. Other Benefits

4.1 Talents Programs and Subsidiaries

1. Priority recommendations for applying “Innovation and Entrepreneurship program”. Successful group applicants will be funded with RMB 3,000,000-8,000,000 by the provincial government within 3 years. Successful PhD applicants will be funded with RMB 150,000 by the provincial government within 2 years.

2. Priority recommendations for applying “Distinguished Professor of Jiangsu Province”. Successful candidates will be awarded RMB 120,000 / year (tax free) for three years in the employment term, and a research fund of RMB 1,000,000 (RMB 2,000,000 for excellent ones) and 500,000 for natural sciences and liberal arts respectively. For talents with assistant professor or higher position overseas, direct application can be submitted through “Recommendation Channel”.

3. Priority recommendations for applying the “Gusu Leading Talents in Innovation and Entrepreneurship” (including Leading Young Talents). Support for applying to various Suzhou municipal and district-level science and technology and talent projects, such as the “Talent Subsidy” program for higher education institutions and research institutes in Suzhou, the “Easier Settling Project”, and the “Outstanding Talent Contribution Award”.

* For successful candidates of more than one above-mentioned program, the benefits are eligible for stack-up according to relevant regulations.

4.3 Other Support

1.To the above-mentioned talents that are recruited full-time, apart from the above supportive policies, the university will also provide permanent employment according to relevant policies. If the applicant is a foreigner, the relevant provisions of the province, city and school shall apply.

2. Distinguished professors or higher-level talents will be supported with spatial offices and labs, support for establishing research groups, priority for recruiting lecturers, post-doctoral researchers and research staff. No limits in the number of post-doctoral researchers recruited. Priority for recruiting post-graduate students. Job and school recommendations for spouse and offspring and convenient medical care.

V. Timeline

This forum consists of two parts, the university academic central forum and Schools’ specific academic sub-forums.

Applications are open from May 26th to June 25th 2023.

Invitations will be issued from June 20th -26th 2023.

The registration will open on July 9th 2023.

The Forum takes place on July10th -11th 2023.

VI. To Apply

Please register and submit the application form in the system of “Soochow University’s Dongwu Forum of International Young Scholars”: http://rckf.rsc.suda.edu.cn (copy the link to the browser to open).  

VII. Transport and Accommodation

The university will reimburse the return plane ticket (economy class). The reimbursement allowance: Europe and North America RMB 20,000 / person, Asia RMB 15,000 / person, China RMB 6,000 / person. The meals and accommodation will be arranged by the university.

VIII. Contacts

Scholars Recruitment Office, Personnel Department, Soochow University

Contacts: Yin Kui, Yan Tingkai, Yang Shiqi

Tel: +86-512-67503248

Email: rczp@suda.edu.cn