The Ministry of Education and the administrative committee of Zhongguancun jointly issued a plan recently to promote the technology achievement transfer from academic institutes.

The plan includes 12 measures concerning the establishment of technology achievement transfer offices in 12 universities in Beijing, the construction of concept proof centers, and the setting up of technology achievement transfer funds for colleges and universities in Beijing.

According to the plan, 12 Beijing's top universities including Tsinghua University and Peking University will build technology achievement transfer offices in Zhongguancun on a pilot base, with authorization from the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education and the administrative committee of Zhongguancun. 

Under this scheme, the technology achievement transfer offices will recruit professionals, conduct database management, technology assessment as well as transfer services, strengthen patent management and operation, target the barriers that impede technology transfer, and help market-oriented institutions participate in the transfer work.

More than 10 universities have signed cooperation agreements with Zhongguancun branches, enterprises and incubators; the administrative committee of Zhongguancun and the Harbin Institute of Technology have inked a deal on promoting the technology achievement transfer in the Zhongguancun Demonstration Zone. 

The administrative committee will install qualified technology achievement transfer offices into Zhongguancun's support system for science and technology service platforms, provide performance-based financial support to the offices, and fund equipment purchases, information system construction, real estate rental and talent recruitment.

According to the plan, universities in Beijing will receive support from companies and investment firms in Zhongguancun to build proof of concept centers. These establishments will be used to explore work protocols, evaluate the maturity level of technologies, produce samples and prototypes, conduct testing, assess product value and market prospects, and procure resources needed for the transfer of technology achivements. The administrative committee of Zhongguancun will give the centers financial support for the purchase of equipment, renovation of workspace, information technology development, and R&D verification.

Zhang Pingshu, CEO of AMI Space, a Beijing-based incubator of edge-cutting materials, said that a proof of concept center could help to decide whether a new material developed by a university could become commercially viable, and whether the material can replace imported ones. 

"The proof of concept center is the final step before scientific and technological achievements are applied in industrial sectors," said Chen Baiqiang, deputy director of the Technology Transfer Center of Beijing Institute of Technology.

In order to improve the incentive mechanism for technology achievement transfer, the Ministry of Education and the administrative committee of Zhongguancun will further promote the implementation of a set of supporting policies. For example, the efficiency of technology achievement transfer will be integrated into the evaluation systems of universities and teachers.