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University research becomes more commercialized

Author  :  SHE HUIMIN     Source  :    Chinese Social Sciences Today     2020-06-19

The 2019 Annual Report on the Transformation of China’s Scientific and Technological Achievements (Colleges and Research Institutes) was recently released by the National Center for Science & Technology Evaluation and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China. In 2019, these organizations processed the cases of 3,200 universities and research institutes across the country, adopting the approaches of mathematical modeling, expert consultation, telephone interviews and field surveys.

In 2018, research from 3,200 universities and institutes was transformed into products by the means of transfer, licensing and valuation investment. Specifically, 11,302 contracts worth 17.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.7% and 52.2% respectively were signed. Of their organizations 32 reached deals totaling more than 100 million yuan, 14.3% more organizations than the year before. The research projects supported by government finance gained momentum and produced more money. The total value of their contracts skyrocketed by 78.4%, hitting 5.6 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, the average value of the contracts also rose significantly to 1.6 million yuan, a growth of 42.6%. Institutes became companies’ shareholders as they transferred their research achievements through valuation investment. They won contracts worth 7.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 56.2%, and the value of each deal averaged 15.6 million yuan. By means of transfer, licensing and valuation investment, 30 commercialization contracts exceeded 100 million yuan each.

The report also showed that the cooperation among companies, universities and institutes remarkably improved the country’s ability to pursue innovation-driven development. The 3,200 surveyed universities and institutes won contracts worth 93.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 16.6%. The contracts cover transfer, development, consulting and technology services. Their cooperation with companies cradled a total of 8,247 research organizations, transfer organizations and service platforms, an increase of 14.8%. In addition, 2,155 companies were established, an increase of 16.2% year on year.

Universities and institutes explored how to make their scientific and technological achievements fit the market based on their characteristics. The report summarized the patterns.

Some universities and institutes straightened out all relevant parts concerning policy implementation, making efforts toward a more sound transformation system. Some promoted the industrialization of high-value results based on national strategy and market demand. Some tried to formulate a working mechanism that conformed to the law of technological transfer and transformation, forming distinct transfer and service models. Some created various forms of company-university-research cooperation systems. For example, the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences formulated specific implementation measures, explored the establishment of professional market-oriented service models such as “enterprise plus scientific research team.” With intellectual property as a bond, it opened 30 industrial research institutes in cooperation with many companies. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, a total of 110 crop varieties have been commercialized and applied.

Some universities strengthened the training of personnel skilled in technology transfer to promote the professional level and continuous improvement of technology transfer. For example, Sun Yat-sen University set up an intellectual property service company focusing on the professional aspects of result transformation. It formed a professional technology transfer team and created a four-layer talent system, including school management personnel, part-time professional managers, companies’ professional teams and scientific research personnel. The value of commercialization contracts through transfer, licensing and valuation investment increased fivefold year on year.

The report pointed out the deficiencies in China’s transformation of scientific and technological achievements presented by inadequate policy implementation and underdeveloped professional services.

In response to these shortcomings, the report proposed to further optimize the implementation mechanism, vigorously promote the construction of specialized technology transfer institutions and personnel training, improve the market demand-oriented docking mechanism, and reform the evaluation and assessment system of professional talent. China also needs to increase financial support for the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements and accelerate the establishment of consulting and training platforms.

The print edition of the report can be bought across China. The first report was released in 2018.

 

This article was translated from Economic Daily.

 

(Edited and translated by Ma Yuhong)

Editor: Yu Hui

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