Research findings could get boost from draft plan

Beijing will boost the commercialization of scientific and research findings by the city's researchers, according to a draft regulation submitted to the capital's top lawmaking body on July 24.

The new regulation would address problems such as insufficient motivation for researchers in universities to transfer their scientific research findings and the lack of a mechanism to help transform some scientific research achievements into actual products.

"The proposal also provides new direction for researchers, giving them more opportunities in further developing their scientific research achievements," Li Fuying, director of the Beijing Justice Bureau, said in the recent session of the 15th Beijing Municipal People's Congress.

According to the regulation, universities and research institutions can give the intellectual property of products to the person who completed the scientific research, and the researchers can also apply for the intellectual property by themselves or in cooperation with others.

The draft also suggested that a resource platform be set up by local scientific administration departments to manage the capital's major research infrastructures and large scientific instruments.

Small and medium-sized enterprises, along with entrepreneurs who would use the scientific resources through the platform, will be given subsidies by the city's scientific technology department.

"It's the right time to put the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into legislation," said Liu Yufang, deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress. "As a national scientific innovation center, Beijing sets a good example for other places to transform the capital's technological resources advantage into a driving force for regional economic development."

But she also mentioned that some aspects of the new regulation - for example, researchers' right to transform their achievements into actual products themselves, as well as the standard for income allocation - needs to be further clarified.

"We should increase the protection of intellectual property rights to spur the researchers' enthusiasm, as a move to further promote the application of research findings," Liu said.

Beijing Mayor Chen Jining said during the annual session of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress in January that the city will widen channels to bring in global talent and fuel the city's efforts to establish a science and technology innovation center.

In 2018, the capital formulated 20 new policies to better serve skilled workers and create a favorable environment, including creating a rule that foreign talent can lead scientific research at the national level and simplifying their entry and exit procedures.

A science and technology innovation fund of 30 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) was set up in 2017 for new technology incubation.

The regulation also said the city will make it easier for foreign talent to handle entry visas, permanent residency and employment permits to lure more top brains in scientific development, according to a new regulation submitted to the capital's top lawmaking body on July 24.