(3 Jul 2026) China’s main research funding agency will increase its number of prestigious grants for early-career scientists by 50%. The move is part of the country’s promise to step up support for young scientists, who face intense competition to secure funding and jobs. Early-career researchers have welcomed the news, but some academics say it won’t be a silver bullet.
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the country’s main funder of fundamental research, intends to finance an extra 12,000 projects this year through its Young Scientists Fund, equivalent to a budget boost of around 3.6 billion yuan (US$531 million). Projects are typically proposed by individuals, rather than groups.
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