On September 20, a symposium celebrating the 20th anniversary of the “Hundred Overseas PhDs Visit Jiangsu” initiative was held in Nanjing. The event was jointly organized by the Talent Work Office of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and the Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, with support from the Nanjing Municipal Talent Office and the Nanjing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. Liu Jianyang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, Head of the Organization Department, and Director of the Provincial Talent Office, and Vice Governor Fang Wei addressed the occasion. More than 120 participants attended the meeting, including officials from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, relevant provincial and municipal departments, representatives of past host cities, employers, distinguished PhD recipients who have settled in Jiangsu, and PhD representatives from the 2025 cohort.

Speakers noted that over the past two decades, this brand program’s influence and ability to attract talent have steadily grown, bringing more high-caliber professionals to Jiangsu and driving breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation as well as the development of emerging industries. Along the journey forward, overseas PhDs are expected to be role models of patriotic dedication, pioneers of innovation and entrepreneurship, and promoters of openness and international cooperation, contributing even more to  pursuing new advances of Chinese modernization in Jiangsu.

The meeting called for continued enhancement of the program’s brand image, leveraging its signature events to amplify talent-recruitment effect, and building robust platforms for career development. Future efforts will lay emphasis on   both attracting new talent and empowering existing talent. The meeting also proposed a coordinated strategy that unites regional and sector-based recruitment, builds strong platforms for talent development, fosters deep industry-talent integration, and enhances the service system to draw and retain high-caliber professionals. The approach of prioritizing talent development will enable Jiangsu to better fulfill its role as an economic powerhouse.

Representatives from host regions such as Nanjing, Wuxi, Taizhou Pharmaceutical High-Tech Zone, and Kunshan, as well as employers including Southeast University, Suzhou Laboratory, and Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co., Ltd., shared their experience. Six outstanding PhDs who have built careers in Jiangsu, including Hang Xiaoshu and Tang Jinping, also shared their stories. A 20-year retrospective exhibition was held alongside the symposium, and certificates were presented to the first 10 “Ambassadors for Jiangsu Overseas Talent Recruitment.”