Chinese Academy of Sciences facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Chinese Academy of Sciences

Seal of the Academy
Other name	中国科学院 (Native Name)
Parent institution	State Council of China
Founder(s)	Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government (emerged to the State Council in 1954)
Established	1 November 1949; 74 years ago (1949-11-01)
Focus	Natural sciences
President	Hou Jianguo
Staff	69,000 (2022)
Key people	Wu Zhaohui, Vice President
Budget	CN¥162.1 billion (2022)
Formerly called	Academia Sinica (1949–1980s)
Location	Nationwide , China
Address	52 Sanlihe Rd, Xicheng, Beijing, China
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	中国科学院
Traditional Chinese	中國科學院
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Kēxuéyuàn

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; Chinese: 中国科学院) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 100 research institutes, 2 universities, 69 thousand full-time employees, and 79 thousand graduate students.

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, which is among the world's top five universities ranked by Nature Index. CAS also holds a stake in the Chinese hacking company I-Soon.

Membership

CAS headquarters building front in 2017

Membership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also known by the title Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese: 中国科学院院士), is a lifelong honor given to Chinese scientists who have made significant achievements in various fields. According to the Bylaws for Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences adopted in 1992 and recently amended in 2014, it is the highest academic title in China. A formal CAS member must hold Chinese citizenship, although foreign citizens may be elected as CAS foreign academicians. Members older than 80 are designated as "senior members" and may no longer hold leading positions in the organization. Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences carry an obligation to advance science and technology, to advocate and uphold scientific spirit, to develop a scientific and technological workforce, to attend member meetings and receive consultation and evaluation tasks, and to promote international exchanges and cooperation. Academicians can give suggestions and influence Chinese state policy related to science and technology.

History

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.

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. Deng emphasized that "the Academy of Sciences is an Academy of Sciences, not an Academy of Cabbage." Deng assigned CAS vice president Hu Yaobang to draft a plan for overhauling CAS. 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". 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.

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. A month before Deng's political return in 1977 however, the Outline Report was revived and adopted as CAS's official policy.

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. 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.

To further promote this agenda, Deng began a campaign to promote the National Science Conference. A team led by CAS vice president Fang Yi instructed schools, factories, and communes to organize youth-focused events celebrating science and technology.

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.

In 2023, the Pasteur Institute suspended ties with CAS.

Organization

Main entrance to Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, CAS, in Ningbo, Zhejiang

Institute of Computing Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing

Scientific integrity

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.

Awards

Since 1999, the CAS has issued the annual State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, presented by the President of China to the recipient.

Ranking and reputation

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.

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.

The academy also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is among the world's top five universities ranked by Nature Index.

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.

International cooperation

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. 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.

See also

In Spanish: Academia China de las Ciencias para niños