Pudong New Area's 10 Measures for Postdocs, a new policy released in January, has been playing a key role in helping attract overseas postdoc researchers to the area.

These measures include providing financial support and setting up awards to incentivize employers and professional institutions to recruit overseas postdoctoral fellows.

According to the policy, Pudong is establishing a comprehensive postdoctoral training chain called the "innovation practice base-workstation-independent station". The local government will provide a one-time subsidy of 600,000 ($82,338.23), 400,000, and 200,000 yuan respectively to the three types of postdoctoral cultivation platforms. Awards of 100,000 yuan per person and up to 500,000 yuan for overseas postdoctoral talent recruitment will also be offered.

Following the implementation of the policy, five companies have successfully attracted 10 overseas postdocs to conduct research in Pudong, according to Pudong’s human resources and social security bureau.

Among the companies that have attracted overseas postdocs is China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp Ltd, which hired Yang Shuo and Li Zhiheng.

Yang specializes in the research and development of new seismic isolation devices and disaster prevention technologies, while Li is an expert in the research of carbon fiber and its application in civil engineering.

The addition of overseas postdoctoral fellows is highly beneficial to enterprises. Companies such as Hrain Biotechnology have said that such talents bring international perspectives, advanced technology, and experience, thus improving their research and development capabilities and enhancing their brand image.

Apart from the five units that have already attracted overseas postdocs, other organizations, including Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Research Institute and NYU Shanghai, have also shown interest in recruiting overseas postdoctoral talents.

Since the release of the new policy, Pudong has seen the establishment of four new postdoctoral research workstations and 34 new innovation practice bases, with 29 additional postdocs joining in the first half of the year.

The area has also increased funding subsidies and support for postdoctoral talents to encourage them to stay in Pudong for employment or entrepreneurship.

To further support the growth of postdoctoral talents, Pudong has established a "through train" program that allows postdocs engaged in biomedicine-related research to apply directly for senior professional titles. The scientific research achievements and contributions made during their time in Pudong serve as an important basis for their title reviews.

In addition to policy support, Pudong has actively developed postdoctoral innovation practice bases and provided a platform for communication and collaboration between companies and postdoctoral fellows. In April, six units such as the Zhangjiang Incubator and the Zhangjiang Parma Valley were included in the first batch of Shanghai Pudong Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubation Bases.

Official data show that the area currently has 191 postdoctoral employers, including 50 research workstations, 67 scientific research workstation substations, and 74 innovation practice bases.

Pudong’s human resources and social security bureau said that local authorities have in recent years been actively enhancing the area’s postdoctoral cultivation system to attract postdoctoral talents and encourage them to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship in Pudong. They have also been offering a comprehensive range of services to enterprises and postdoctoral fellows, organizing talent recruitment events, facilitating policy communication through platforms like micro-forums, and utilizing online and offline channels as well as on-site research visits.