This paper focused on the research of the appointment system in interdisciplinary research institutions of world-class universities in China and the United States. The positive effects of different employment and evaluation systems as well as existing problems were sorted out and analyzed, and some suggestions were put forward to optimize and innovate the teacher appointment system and promote the interdisciplinary construction of Chinese universities.

This paper focused on the new teacher appointment system adopted by representative universities in China and the United States to promote the development of interdisciplinary research and used the methods of literature research, questionnaire survey, case analysis, and in-depth interview to sort out and analyze the different systems.

Based on the broad perspective of the ″new concept-(artificial) selection-stabilization″ system change, the implementation of an interdisciplinary joint appointment in our country has experienced a stage of ″new concept generation″ at present, but it is still in the stage of ″institution establishment and stabilization″. The personnel management system for teachers engaged in interdisciplinary research still needs to be improved, and there are still outstanding problems in the areas of evaluation and promotion pressure, financial resources guarantee, teachers′ sense of belonging, administrative costs, etc.

Referring to the advanced experience at home and abroad, Chinese universities should focus on breaking the barriers of distributing the interests of results, improving interdisciplinary talent evaluation mechanisms, adopting a variety of flexible appointment systems depending on demands, and building a benign flow ecology of interdisciplinary human resources. Apart from these, urgent attention should be paid to improving the administrative work system and interdisciplinary cultural system construction.

Universities; Interdisciplinary; Teacher appointment system; Comparison between China and the United States