CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Program
Supports overseas scholars joining Chinese Academy institutes with professorship and research startup funding.
The CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Program sits under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and its Pioneer Initiative, which restructured the older Hundred Talents line in 2015 after an original launch in 1994. It is a recruitment path for overseas scholars and returnees who are ready to take full-time posts at hosting CAS institutes, with the role package centered on a full professorship and long-term laboratory leadership. The package is substantial: recipients receive roughly CNY 600,000 for resettlement and startup costs, plus about CNY 2 million for research startup funding. The program is organized across three tracks for academic directors, engineering directors, and young talents, and applications move through individual CAS institutes rather than a single central call. The annual cycle is run at institute level, with the same CAS umbrella setting the policy while each institute handles intake. Its strength is the combination of title, cash, and institutional placement. The program is best suited to researchers who can commit to a CAS institute, lead a clear research agenda, and use the startup support to build a durable program of work. The possibility of permanent residency adds to its appeal for overseas recruits, but the core value remains the same: a direct path into one of China's largest research systems.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.