Shanghai has secured the second spot nationwide in the number of candidates for this year's academician elections, highlighting the city's strength in life sciences, biomedicine, and healthcare. The Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering released the latest candidate lists this week.

A total of 117 candidates are based in Shanghai, including 66 from CAS and 51 from CAE. They represent 9 percent of all candidates nationwide, placing the city just behind Beijing.

This year, CAS has 639 candidates, of whom 66 are from Shanghai. That group includes 50 university scholars and 16 from research institutes, comprising 57 men and 9 women. Their ages range from 45 to 64, with an average of 56.1. Life sciences and medicine dominate with 27 candidates, while Shanghai researchers are also represented in every CAS division except geoscience.

At CAE, 660 candidates were named, with 51 from Shanghai. They include 35 from universities, 9 from research institutes, and 7 from enterprises. Among them are 46 men and 5 women, aged between 51 and 69, with an average of 60.5. Medicine and health contribute the largest share with 12 candidates, and Shanghai experts are represented in all CAE divisions, including agriculture.

The 2025 CAS and CAE elections will select no more than 100 new academicians each, from a total pool of 1,299 candidates. The overall success rate is expected to be below 15 percent.

Shanghai currently has 181 academicians, including 106 from CAS and 75 from CAE, again ranking second nationwide after Beijing.

Source: Jiefang Daily