Westlake University launches global recruitment drive

Westlake University, originating from the Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, is located in the Cloud Town of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

Westlake University, China's first private university aimed at cultivating high-level personnel in advanced technology, announced that around 200 job openings have been made available to both Chinese and foreign talents on March 18.

The research-oriented university, originating from the Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, was approved by the Education Ministry last February and held its founding ceremony on Oct 20, 2018 in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province.

As of today, there are over 500 students and faculty members at the university. However, with the establishment of some new research platforms, there is an inevitable increasing need for professionals.

Nearly half of the positions offered by the university are research-related and the rest are for administrative staff.

Westlake University operates a number of independent laboratories.  Every laboratory is empowered to build its own team. A total of 54 laboratories have opened their arms to global talents this time, including those guided by world-renowned scientists such as Shi Yigong, president of the university.

A staff member said Westlake University has an innovative system to evaluate candidates' academic achievements which won't attach much importance to the amount of papers or the citations of their research findings. Instead, the university will follow a peer review model and the review panel will judge a researcher or a project by considering if the research is the most advanced and if there is any substantial progress that has been made.

To date, the university has received more than 1,200 resumes, mostly from overseas, with the interviews for candidates commencing in Hangzhou on March 23.