Chinese universities are outperforming Western universities. What are the consequences for science?

Franziska, what does the Nature ranking say about the rise of Chinese universities?
“The Nature Index looks at scientific output per university: how often articles are cited in leading scientific journals, particularly in the natural sciences. The main criticism of the Nature Index is therefore that this measure is too simplistic. For example, it says nothing about the humanities, the quality of teaching, student satisfaction or the connection to the labour market.”

“The British research agency QS, for example, does look at student satisfaction and the relationship between students and lecturers. In the 2026 QS rankings, Chinese universities therefore score lower. Only two Chinese universities feature in the top 20, with the University of Beijing taking the highest spot at place 14.”

Where does this sudden rise come from?
“This rise is not sudden but has been carefully planned by the Chinese government. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (the ruling party that has governed the People’s Republic of China since 1949, ed.) decided fifteen years ago to make the Nature Index a priority in higher education.”

Foto: UvA

Franziska Plümmer

“International reputation is very important to the CCP. For example, the Chinese government also funds Confucius Institutes worldwide, where people can learn Chinese and come to understand the country. These succeed only to a certain extent in making China attractive. The ranking is intended to contribute to that.”

“The authoritarian Chinese government has actively exerted pressure on the scientific community in recent years to achieve that goal. Research groups that did not contribute to that goal were shut down. Such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences at Shanghai University and the Faculty of Humanities at Jilin University. Engineering and science, on the other hand, received additional funding. Academics at some universities – this is the case in Beijing, for example – receive a higher salary if they publish in international journals. Large tech companies, such as Tencent and Alibaba, also work closely with universities, which helps to drive high citation scores in international journals.”

What does China gain from this?
“Self-confidence, I would say. To perform at the same level as, or even better than, Western universities – particularly American universities – is a victory in itself. Many politicians in China are probably celebrating that right now.”

Are Chinese universities now becoming more attractive to students?
“I don’t think so. There are already few students who want to study in China due to geopolitical developments. Moreover, students tend to choose a university for its teaching rather than its research. Jilin University, ranked 13th, is a large university, but it is not known for its international character. That makes it more difficult for English-speaking students to take courses there. Other practical matters, such as student accommodation, are still underdeveloped.”

And what do the rankings mean for research collaborations?
“The rankings won’t make a direct difference there, but I can only speak from the perspective of the social sciences and humanities; the science faculty has a very different relationship with Chinese universities. However, it is true that over the past year the Chinese government has scaled back funding for collaboration with Western universities and now only funds collaborations within China. That makes it harder for Western universities to collaborate with Chinese universities. We still maintain relationships with established academics. But for academics conducting research on China and AI researchers wishing to work in a Chinese lab, things have become more difficult over the past fifteen years.”

Should we still welcome Chinese students here?
“That is already a subject of political debate. At the UvA, PhD students who are pursuing their degrees via the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a scholarship from the Chinese government, are currently still under discussion due to security concerns. The UvA has still not signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the CSC, which means that no Chinese PhD students will be able to start at the university in 2026. I receive an application every week from a Chinese PhD student on a CSC scholarship, often very good ones, but we cannot accept them this year.”

Does China’s rise pose a threat to Western universities?
“China has plenty of money and manpower for research and therefore operates much faster than Western universities in many areas. In other areas, it’s not quite so bad. Most of the times, I can spot which publications are from China, as quantity is often chosen above quality. At the same time, specialist journals and conferences have been inundated with Chinese publications and submissions over the past five years. We need to regulate that process better, otherwise we won’t be able to cope with the workload. I wouldn’t call it a threat, but it is important to have this conversation.”

Is there still any point in having this conversation when Chinese science has already won the battle?
“It is still too early for that. The major publishers, for example, are still American. They hold a position of power and have a responsibility to scrutinise what we wish to publish. They can prioritise quality over quantity. Publishers should focus on slow science, with greater attention to the peer review process. This would enable us to somewhat reduce China’s high position in the rankings.”