Up or Out: The Ruthless Tenure Race for Young Chinese Scholars

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In many Chinese universities, young academics grapple with the pressures of a competitive tenure system, balancing research, teaching, and administrative duties. They have six years to meet specific criteria and secure a promotion, or face dismissal. By  Luo Yahan  and  Wang Jingyang At 35, Du Yueqin is up against a ticking tenure clock. Since accepting a teaching assistant position in 2021, she has just over one year to clear a daunting checklist — publish in top journals, earn grants, teach courses, and complete administrative work. Or risk getting fired. After earning her Ph.D. in 2020, her first and only offer came from Soochow University’s art and literature department in the eastern Jiangsu province. “I desperately needed a start. So when they offered me an ‘up or out’ contract, I signed immediately,” Du tells Sixth Tone.  Modeled after the American tenure track, China’s “up or out” system operates under a probationary employment contract. Universities give ………………………………