China creates super-profs

Between 300 and 500 young and middle-aged professors in China will be paid unprecedented salaries over the next three to five years in an education ministry scheme to raise academic standards, writes Geoffrey Parkins.

Authorised universities will hire the best of China's professors at 100,000 yuan (Pounds 7,500) a year.

The move is part of a 70-million-yuan (Pounds 5.25 million) project to boost academic programming and research efforts in fields crucial to China's economic development, science and technology.

Professors wishing to apply can do so directly to universities. Applicants will be evaluated by a seven-member ministry committee.