Who is more popular in the faculty recruitment of Chinese elite universities: overseas returnees or domestic graduates?

Chinese universities typically demonstrate a preference for individuals with overseas educational experience in their faculty recruitment policies. However, there is a notable lack of research examining whether and to what extent overseas returnees possess an advantage over domestic graduates in securing employment at higher-ranking universities. To address this research gap, this study employs propensity score matching to compare the probability of being employed as academic faculty by prestigious universities between these two cohorts. This study entails the compilation of curriculum vitae data from faculty members at prestigious universities in China, totaling ~90,000 resumes. The results substantiate a positively skewed influence of overseas education on academics’ career advancement. Overseas returnees are more likely to obtain academic positions at higher-ranking universities compared to domestic graduates, with this effect demonstrating a consistent upward trend over time. Further subgroup analyses revealed that the advantage of overseas education varies among faculties graduating from different undergraduate institutions and undergoes changes over time. The latest trend indicates that those who attended Project 985 universities during their undergraduate stage derive the most significant advantages from studying abroad during their doctoral phase.