China's only technology transfer center for chemical rubber industry began operation in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on July 11.

The center was built by the Chemical Industry Productivity Promotion Center of China, the China Technology Exchange and Rubber Valley Co Ltd, and aims to facilitate the commercial application, evaluation and trading of rubber technology by integrating resources from enterprises, universities and research institutes involved in the industry.

Zhang Yan, general manager of Rubber Valley Co Ltd, said that the center will focus on increasing industry-university-research cooperation and identifying outstanding projects, technology and talents, and will combine the transfer of scientific achievements with talent training and market application.

Six universities, including Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Shandong University, signed strategic cooperation agreements with the center at the opening ceremony.

Wang Xiujiang, vice director of the Chemical Industry Productivity Promotion Center of China, said the new center would help authorities to evaluate scientific achievements, provide training programs on technology development and management, interpret technical policies, and map out the development of industries - and would also have other responsibilities.

"The center will certainly promote an optimal industry-university-research cooperation program," Wang added.

In addition, a national contest to advance student innovation and entrepreneurship was also launched, and university students are competing in projects involving rubber, plastics, functional materials and macromolecules.