Problems and issues concerning recruitment and professional development of academic staff at higher education institutions in China are identified, and successful faculty development programs are described. Problems include: low qualifications of a significant proportion of the staff; low percentage of senior faculty; abnormal age distribution of academic staff (i.e., 85% of professors are over age 60 and 99% of associate professors are over age 45; imbalances in the distribution of academic staff by geographic regions, institutions, and disciplines; lack of mobility; and overspecialization. In addition to short-term institutes/courses and workshops/seminars, faculty development programs provide intensive training over two years for qualified teachers/researchers in a certain field. Faculty can also participate in research programs related to the field of teaching, as well as curriculum development and teaching material development. Along with recruiting professionals to teaching part-time, teachers lacking practical experiences in their field should be allowed to acquire experience. Additional dimensions of faculty development include research in the field of professional development with an emphasis on effective teaching, and international educational exchange and communication. (SW)