ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights returnees and knowledge Diaspora as important sources for China’s human resources development, with identification of the push and pull factors that also contribute significantly to the innovation of the higher education sector. By outlining China’s key projects and schemes on recruiting international professional workers, the paper argues that bringing advanced knowledge and skills back to the country of origin through international education and experiences is not new, nor limited, to China. At the same time, the rise of worldwide Chinese knowledge Diaspora is now of global importance as they promote transnational scientific and business networks that underpin both research and development (R&D), and the quest for world-class universities. While China’s size and weight and its determination to boost development and improve its higher education system, as well as the willingness of both Diaspora and returnees to contribute, constitute its advantages, there are also limitations to its success, notably a lack of high-quality research, reservations regarding new ideas, low awareness of international collaborations, too much attention to material rewards and quick results, corruption, and burdensome administrative controls and government regulations.
