The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; Chinese: 中国科学院) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 106 research institutes, 2 universities, 71,300 full-time employees, and 79,000 graduate students, and ranked first in the 2025 SCImago Institutions Rankings.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republican era and was formerly also known by that name until the 1980s. The academy functions as the national scientific think tank and academic governing body, providing advisory and appraisal services on issues stemming from the national economy, social development, and science and technology progress. It is headquartered in Beijing, with affiliate institutes throughout China. It has also created hundreds of commercial enterprises, Lenovo being one of the most famous.
CAS also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both of which were among the world's top three academic institutions in the Nature Index rankings as of 2024. CAS has also founded and spun off multiple companies, such as Sugon and GoLaxy.
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Membership
Membership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also known by the title Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院院士), is a lifelong honor given to Chinese scientists who have made significant achievements in various fields. According to the Bylaws for Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences adopted in 1992 and recently amended in the year 2014, it is the highest academic title in China. A formal CAS member must hold Chinese citizenship, although foreign citizens may be elected as CAS foreign academicians. Members older than 80 are designated as "senior members" and may no longer hold leading positions in the organization. Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences carry an obligation to advance science and technology, to advocate and uphold scientific spirit, to develop a scientific and technological workforce, to attend member meetings and receive consultation and evaluation tasks, and to promote international exchanges and cooperation. Academicians can give suggestions and influence Chinese state policy related to science and technology.
History
At its founding in November 1949, CAS included many scientists who had studied in Western countries or worked for institutions of the Kuomintang government (like the Academia Sinica or the Beiping Academy). This resulted in worries by some in PRC leadership about the ideological orientation of CAS's members.
In 1956, China formally began its computing program when it launched the Twelve-Year Science Plan and formed the Beijing Institute of Computing Technology under the CAS.
In 1964, CAS debuted China's first self-developed large digital computer, the 119. The 119 was a core technology in facilitating China's first successful nuclear weapon test (Project 596), also in 1964.
Beginning in 1972, CAS began promoting the idea of balancing applied research with more theoretical research and in having scientific exchanges with other developing countries.
As vice premier, Deng Xiaoping in 1975 also sought to re-orient CAS towards more theoretical research, which had not been a focus during the Cultural Revolution. Deng emphasized that "the Academy of Sciences is an Academy of Sciences, not an Academy of Cabbage." Deng assigned CAS vice president Hu Yaobang to draft a plan for overhauling CAS. Deng and his aide Hu Qiaomu revised the draft and in September 1974 issued "The Outline Report on the Work of the Academy of Sciences". The Outline described scientific research in China as lagging behind the needs of socialist construction and the state of the advanced countries, and stated that to catch up, China should emphasize basic science in order to develop a sound theoretical foundation.
This approach to scientific reform fell out of political favor in 1976 when Deng was purged, although it continued to be supported by many members within CAS. A month before Deng's political return in 1977 however, the Outline Report was revived and adopted as CAS's official policy. During the Reform and Opening Up era, CAS discontinued its Soviet-style management model.
Shortly after his return, Deng hosted a series of meetings on science and education in which he stated that science should become the forerunner of China's modernization. Following these remarks, CAS prepared its goals for natural science disciplines to be achieved by 1985, stating that as a developing socialist country, China should strengthen basic scientific research through foreign exchanges.
Organization
The Chinese Academy of Sciences maintains a large number of subordinate institutions nationwide.
Internal organizations
According to the "Regulations on Functional Configuration, Internal Organizations and Staffing of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)", CAS has set up the following constituted departments at its headquarters:
Office of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bureau of Academic Departments
Bureau of Frontier Science and Basic Research
Bureau of Major Science and Technology Tasks
Bureau of Sustainable Development Research
Bureau of Science and Technology Basic Capabilities
Development Planning Bureau
Finance and Asset Management Bureau
Personnel Bureau
Party Committee of the Immediate Organs
Bureau of International Cooperation
Bureau of Supervision and Audit
Bureau of Retired Cadres Work
Directly affiliated institutions
Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science
Institute of Physics
Institute of Theoretical Physics
Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Physical and Chemical Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
National Center for Nanoscience
Ecological and Environmental Research Center
Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Resources
National Astronomical Observatory
Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory
Changchun Artificial Satellite Observatory
Nanjing Institute of Astronomy and Optics Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Enterprise units directly under the Chinese Academy of Sciences
The enterprise units directly under the Chinese Academy of Sciences are wholly owned or controlled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences State-owned Assets Management Co.
Chinese Academy of Sciences Holdings Limited
Legend Holdings
China Science Industrial Group (Holdings) Limited
Oriental Science and Technology Holding Group Limited
China Science & Technology Publishing & Media Group
China Science and Technology Industry Investment Management
Beijing Zhongke Keji
Beijing CAS Software Center
Chinese Academy of Sciences Architectural Design and Research Institute
Beijing Zhongke Resources
Shenyang Institute of Computing Technology
Shenyang Scientific Instrument
Nanjing Astronomical Instrument
Guangzhou Chemistry
Guangzhou Electronic Technology
Chengdu Organic Chemistry
Chengdu Information Technology
Chinese Academy of Sciences Science and Technology Services
Co-builders
Shanghai: Shanghai University of Science and Technology
China National Petroleum Corporation: Institute of Seepage Fluid Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
China National Nuclear Corporation: China Institute of Atomic Energy Science
Shanghai Censhan Botanical Garden
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Guangxi Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ministry of Water Resources: Institute of Water Engineering and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiangxi Province: Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiangsu Province: Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiangsu Province
Shaanxi Province: Qinling National Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guangdong Province: Shenzhen University of Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Xianhu Botanical Garden
Ministry of Education: Research Center for Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Major Special Project Center of National Bureau of Defense Science, Technology and Industry (NDSTI)
Groups and other organizations
CAS Leading Group Office of Network Security and Informatization
Women's Working Committee of Chinese Academy of Sciences
CAS Youth League Committee
Trade Union of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Association of Old Science and Technology Workers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Federation of Literature and Art of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Scientific integrity
On 26 February 2007, CAS published a Declaration of Scientific Ideology and set up a commission for scientific integrity to promote transparency, autonomy, and accountability of scientific research in the country. Around that same time, the Ministry of Science and Technology also initiated measures to address misconduct in state-funded programs.
CAS also publishes the Early Warning List, which notes journals with a lack of rigor and possible predatory practices.
Publications
Together with the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the academy publishes the peer-reviewed academic journal, Science China (also known as Science in China). Science China comprises seven series:
A: Mathematics
B: Chemistry
C: Life Sciences
D: Earth Sciences
E: Technological Sciences
F: Information Sciences
G: Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy
CAS also promotes the China Open Access Journals (COAJ) platform, a national variant of the international Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
Awards
Since 1999, the CAS has issued the annual State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, presented by the President of China to the recipient.
Ranking and reputation
CAS has been ranked the No. 1 research institute in the world by Nature Index since the list's inception in 2014 by Nature Portfolio.
It was the most productive institution publishing articles on sustainable development indexed in the Web of Science from 1981 to 2018 among all universities and research institutions in the world.
The academy also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both of which were among the world's top three universities in the Nature Index ranking as of 2024.
In 2024, Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list contained 308 CSA members. This made CSA researchers the largest group on the list by institution, and the sixth largest by country.
International cooperation
The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth is a branch of CAS. The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth was a customer of Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which provides data transmission services from satellites for a wide range of societal functions. It was reported by Reuters on 21 September 2020 that SSC decided not to renew the contracts with China to help operate Chinese satellites from SSC's ground stations, or seek new business with China.