Many people in mainland China believe that the job of a university teacher is easy, with flexible hours and respectable status, but the reality is far from this stereotypical image. University teachers face multiple pressures in teaching, research, and job title evaluations, with some teachers preferring to pay a penalty of 100,000 yuan (RMB) rather than resign.
According to a report by the mainland biweekly magazine “Nanfengchuang” on February 6, in China, some individuals entered university teaching with the expectation of “teaching being easy,” only to choose to leave early after experiencing overwhelming work stress.
Li Li (alias) is one such example. In 2022, she entered an ordinary university as a lecturer, signed a five-year contract, with a monthly salary of 11,000 yuan and a settling-in allowance of 200,000 yuan. However, after just two years, she decided to resign. The multiple responsibilities at work made it unbearable for her – besides writing natural science fund applications, she had to be a homeroom teacher, serve as a teaching secretary, and assist other teachers.
Li Li stated that work stress left her mentally and physically exhausted, leading to a decline in her health. Eventually, she returned the settling-in allowance and paid a penalty of 100,000 yuan, choosing decisively to leave.
Another teacher at Hubei University, Mr. Zhang (alias), described the unique situation of Taiwanese teachers at the university.
Mr. Zhang told Central News Agency that Taiwanese teachers enter universities based on the “Cross-Strait Policy.” They usually don’t need to engage in administrative or party work. Despite higher salaries, the course arrangements for Taiwanese teachers are often taken over by local teachers because Chinese teachers have relatively lower salaries and need to teach more classes to earn extra income, with priority given to them by the school.
However, these Taiwanese teachers still face enormous academic pressure. Mr. Zhang has not been able to meet the school’s requirements for paper publications and related project applications. He admitted that the academic field is highly competitive, often requiring “connections” to advance projects rather than solely relying on merit.
Reported by “Nanfengchuang,” Liu Ye (alias), teaching at a prestigious university, also faces significant challenges. He stated that in academia, applying for funding does not solely depend on one’s abilities but on relationships. Without connections, even a well-written grant application may struggle to get approval.
Additionally, Lin Hao’s (alias) experience is another typical example. After entering a university as a provincial high-level talent in 2017, he found a significant gap between the school’s promised favorable conditions and actual treatment. Eventually, due to a conflict with the finance department, he decided to resign and seek job opportunities overseas.
In such a work environment, many teachers’ mindsets have gradually changed. Taiwanese teacher Mr. Zhang lamented that policy uncertainty and academic pressure made him increasingly anxious, while the school’s attitude towards Taiwanese teachers has become indifferent. This series of factors has led many who originally chose to teach at universities to eventually give up and seek a more balanced work environment.