By LI Linxu, LIU Yin and LU Chengkuan

An increasing number of graduates are considering research assistant positions, which is seen as a stepping stone to becoming fully fledged researchers, or an opportunity for further study down the line.

Setting up research assistant posts is not only an important means to help graduates get jobs, but also an important measure to deepen the sci-tech management reform and build a professional support team for scientific research, said an official from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).

“During a one-year research assistant period, I had opportunities to be involved in the second comprehensive scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, which helped me make decisions to press ahead on the road of scientific research,” said Zhang Mengqi, a former research assistant who is now pursuing PhD studies at Lanzhou University.

Of particular note is that more research assistant posts are expected to be offered to fresh university graduates this year, according to MOST.

This year 10.76 million students are expected to graduate from college, an increase of 1.67 million year-on-year, according to official statistics.

Universities, research institutes and high-tech enterprises, the major forces providing such research assistant posts, are encouraged to tap employment creation potential for graduates in the field of academics, sci-tech achievement transformation, and R&D.

Research assistants are indispensable helpers in our lab, playing an important role in the project, financial and instruments management, said Rao Zhiming, a professor at Jiangnan University.

Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone is holding a job fair in Anhui University. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

Preferential policies at various levels have been set up for institutes and enterprises to recruit fresh graduates as research assistants.

For those undertaking key research projects, they are required to recruit university graduates as research assistant. 

Supporting mechanisms for such posts will be strengthened, including salary, social security and career development, according to a document recently released by seven government bodies including MOST.