On November 26, the opening ceremony of the Third Science and Technology Work Conference of TJU was held at the Peiyangyuan Campus.

The purpose of this conference is to improve researchers’ ability of scientific and technological innovation so as to recreate TJU as a world-class university. Nearly 1,600 people attended the opening ceremony, including delegates of institutions of higher learning in China and leaders of some organizations at the national and municipal level.

President of TJU Zhong Denghua gave a report titled “Improving Researchers’ Scientific and Technological Innovation Ability so as to Accelerate the Construction of a World-Class University”. A preliminary paper titled “Opinions on the Implementation to Improve Researchers’ Ability of Scientific and Technological Innovation (Draft for Comment)” was released at the conference to seek for more opinions. Vice President Yuan Yingjin of TJU conducted an in-depth interpretation of the draft and introduced the following arrangements of this conference.

Lei Chaozi, Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education, pointed out that scientific and technological work conferences of all institutions of higher learning in China put forward new requirements in the field of scientific and technological work. TJU did quite a good job in this regard. For example, it took the lead in establishing a frontier scientific research center for synthetic biology, constructing research infrastructure for earthquake engineering simulations which is one of the major scientific and technological fields at the national level. TJU has already achieved important breakthroughs in this area. Lei emphasized that scientific and technological innovation in universities should focus on three points. First, to strengthen basic research so as to achieve significant breakthroughs leading throughout the world. Second, to highlight independent innovation in key areas and address bottlenecks. The final point is to reform and innovate existing systems, so as to establish a science and technology-oriented evaluation system that is conducive to research. He hoped that TJU would adhere to taking original innovation as a breakthrough, independent innovation as a guide, and institutional innovation as the driving force, as well as focusing on national strategic demands and the world's scientific and technological frontier, so as to contribute to the construction of a modern socialist country.

Dai Yongkang, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, congratulated the conference and pointed out that, as the first modern university in China, TJU has always been at the forefront of the reform and development of higher education in China. In recent years, with the Scientific and Technological Work Conference as a milestone, TJU has had fruitful achievements in the construction of a “Double First-class” University, the production of originality, the innovation of institutional mechanisms, the construction of significant scientific research facilities, and the cultivation of quality talent. What’s more, the earthquake engineering simulation research facilities and precise synthesis of designer large chromosomes of saccharomyces cerevisiae have been regarded as a representative of major innovation facilities and high-level achievements that make great contributions to the city, the country, and even the world's science and technology community. Dai said that the Bureau will support TJU’s as well as other enterprises’ and institutions’ work with top-level design, policies and regulations, and project platforms, etc., in order to develop science and technology.

Li Jiajun emphasized that since the Second Scientific and Technological Work Conference in 2010, TJU has adhered to the scientific and technological work policies and the national strategic demands, focusing on the world's scientific and technological frontier and improving its ability for independent innovation. In addition, the quality of the research achievements have been significantly improved, and the scientific and technological competitiveness has been improved. As China’s development is stepping into a new era, researchers should work out new and comprehensive scientific and technological work guidelines and improve their innovation capacities, as well as the cultivation of quality talent in universities.

Zhong Denghua talked about the responsibility of a university in his speech, and made an in-depth analysis about the features and the current situation of scientific and technological work in the new era. He outlined TJU's significant achievements in the past decades to highlight the scientific and technological work reform, and said that TJU will continue to aim at the goals of scientific and technological and education powers, keep reforming its scientific research systems and mechanisms, and contribute to top-ranking academics.

During its 123-year history, TJU has added a glorious page in China’s history through education. The past two Conferences have greatly promoted the development of the scientific and technological work at TJU. Since the second Conference, a comprehensive scientific and technological innovation system has been formed, which involves scientific exploration, technological innovation, the transformation of achievements and industrial applications. The research funding has witnessed yearly increase, as well as the number of significant research projects and achievements, thus enhancing TJU’s influence in terms of scientific and technological innovation. The humanities and social sciences have also been developed, with emerging distinctive research directions and fields. The medical and industrial disciplines have been greatly integrated, contributing     to a comprehensive disciplinary layout that involves engineering, science, liberal arts and medical science.

Zhong also pointed out that in the following five years, TJU will commit itself to improving the ability of scientific and technological innovation, and work out a blueprint concerning significant research directions, research platforms and leading innovation teams. TJU will attach importance to common technologies in key areas, cutting-edge technologies, modern engineering technologies and disruptive technologies, to build a research platform that drives original innovation capacities and cultivate innovative talents.

Additionally, TJU will contribute to explore and implement three major plans — one fundamental plan to strengthen basic research, and two supportive ones to serve the country's strategic demands and to reform the research management and evaluation mechanisms, so as to make its overall scientific and technological strength top tier in the world.

Yuan Yingjin emphasized that in the next five years, TJU will focus on improving innovation abilities, solving core technological problems in key areas, and encouraging transformational achievements, just to name a few.

This conference will last for one month. According to the plan, all school-level departments are supposed to hold a scientific and technological work conference. Seminars and will be organized documents released to provide suggestions for the development of scientific and technological work.