Author Information
Qijia Zou, Beihang University, ChinaShikui Zhao, Beihang University, China
Abstract
This study examines the restructuring of doctoral funding schemes in the Greater China region through the dual lenses of the global knowledge economy and East Asian governance traditions. Focusing on Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, it argues that doctoral scholarships function not merely as financial support but as policy instruments where global paradigms of competitiveness intersect with locally embedded logics of statecraft and educational governance. The analysis draws on a corpus of 45 policy texts and regulations on doctoral scholarships, including seven issued by regional governments and thirty-eight by leading universities. In Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, scholarships open to both undergraduate and postgraduate applicants were also included. Methodologically, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling and thematic clustering were applied to identify recurrent rationales, allocation mechanisms, and governance patterns.The findings reveal four distinctive models. In Mainland China, scholarships are embedded in a centralized framework that fuses performance evaluation with ideological and administrative obligations. Hong Kong sustains a meritocratic and internationally oriented scheme that reinforces global excellence while deepening stratification. Macau reflects an institution-led, resource-constrained model with weak integration into global networks. Taiwan demonstrates a decentralized and pluralist arrangement balancing state industrial priorities with diverse academic interests. While the reliance on official documents limits insights into lived practices and longitudinal change, the study offers a macro-political perspective, showing how global neoliberal imperatives are refracted through East Asian governance traditions to produce distinct yet interconnected funding ecologies.
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