Teachers are where the major strength of organizational control lies in the educational process; it is mainly they who restrict the quality of education and teaching and who are the irreplaceable factor in determining how well a school is run and its overall image. Therefore, once a teacher drain from higher education institutions begins, it is indicative of a serious problem of major proportions. While in recent years the teacher drain from higher education institutions has been well handled in some economically developed regions and key universities, for the vast majority of ordinary institutions around the country it shows no signs of abating and is indeed worsening, becoming almost universal. It is hoped that this study will arouse concern about this higher education teacher drain and promote the development of higher education in China. (Contains 2 notes.) [Translated by Sue Wiles.]