Text | Guan Zhe (Master of Public Administration, Minzu University of China, International Certified Management Consultant, Director of Zhiben Consulting Project)
Editor | Yiyi
< p>Introduction
On November 3, 2020, "The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the 2035 Proposals for Long-term Goals" were officially announced. It comprehensively elaborates on my country's key tasks in the fields of economic and social development and reform and opening up in the next five years, involving 12 major areas such as scientific and technological innovation, industrial development, and domestic markets.
In the field of scientific and technological innovation, it was proposed to "improve the organization and management methods of scientific and technological projects and implement systems such as 'unveiling the list and taking command'", which brought the concept of "unveiling the list and taking command" into the public eye again.
In fact, the concept of "uncovering the list and taking command" appeared in the central spirit and can be traced back to 2016 .
In April 2016, it was proposed at the Network Security and Informatization Work Symposium that we can explore the "unveiling the list and taking charge" and put the needed key core technology projects on the list. Regardless of where a hero comes from, whoever has the ability will be recognized.
Since then, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Shanghai, Guizhou, Guangdong, Shandong and other provinces and cities have launched key innovation tasks and major scientific and technological projects.
Entering 2020, the "unveiling the list and taking charge" system has been repeatedly mentioned in central documents.
In addition to the national "14th Five-Year Plan", the 2020 Government Work Report pointed out that it is necessary to "implement the 'unveiling the list and taking charge' of key project research, and let whoever can do it do it." ; The 2020 Central Work Conference requires that "it is necessary to improve the incentive mechanism and science and technology evaluation mechanism, and implement mechanisms such as 'unveiling the list and taking charge' of key research tasks."
At the beginning of 2021, the opening ceremony of a special seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels to study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee pointed out that "the most essential characteristics of building a new development pattern To achieve a high level of self-reliance and self-reliance, we must place more emphasis on independent innovation, comprehensively strengthen the deployment of scientific and technological innovation, gather superior resources, effectively and orderly promote the "unveiling the list and take charge" system and mechanism for innovative research, and strengthen the connection between the innovation chain and the industrial chain." 1 At the same time last month, the work report of the National Science and Technology Work Conference also mentioned that it is necessary to "carry out pilot projects for scientific research project management reforms such as the trust-based scientist responsibility system, the 'unveiling the list', and the 'contract system' for the use of funds."
Looking back at the development history of global science and technology innovation management, we can see that the science and technology bounty model similar to "unveiling the list and taking charge" originated very early and can even be traced back to the period of the first industrial revolution.
In European history, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the economic and social demands of various countries for various productivity-improving technologies have been unprecedentedly high, and independent scientific research activities outside the government system have continued to increase. In order to promote the unification of independent scientific research activities with national economic and social development needs, European governments have begun to use rewards to fund scientific research.
Typical examples include the United Kingdom’s scientific and technological innovation award “Longitude Award” in 1717, France’s “Food Storage Award” in 1795, and Sweden’s “Fire Protection Technology Award”. Since then, Throughout 19th-century Europe, scientific and technological bounties had become the main way for governments to fund and guide independent scientific research activities.
In the 20th century, with the improvement of the science funding system and the standardization of the patent system, science and technology bounties were gradually replaced by science funds.
But by the end of the 20th century, realizing the flexibility of technology bounties and their effective role in promoting the transformation of technology applications, the United States once again launched the technology bounty system, and European governments also followed suit. .
At the same time, enterprises have also become one of the important subjects in the development of the technology bounty system. The bounty projects they recommend or carry out generally have three major characteristics. , The first is the key technology of the enterprise; the second is the revolutionary technology of the industry; the third is the application technology that can effectively realize commercial value.
It can be said that the “unveiling” model of scientific research plan management in the form of science and technology rewards is an important form of foreign research funding management activities and has also become a important measures to promote its technological innovation.
There are also many cases in our country where technology bounties have been used to solve technical problems. Typical examples include the State Administration of Work Safety in 2013, which organized a safety The collection of key technology projects for the prevention and control of major production accidents; in the same year, the Wuhan Municipal Government offered a reward of 10 million yuan to publicly solicit top-level design plans for smart cities.
But from the perspective of "improving the organization and management of scientific and technological projects", "focusing on key core technology projects", and "effectively and orderly promoting the 'unveiling the list' system and mechanism for innovative research" Starting from the beginning, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Guizhou Province, and Guangdong Province will be the first to carry out the work of "unveiling the list and taking charge".
In 2017, Guizhou Province launched a technology list system to overcome the core technologies that have long restricted the transformation and upgrading of Guizhou coal, especially targeting the automation and intelligence of mining. A worldwide problem.
In 2018, Guangdong Province issued the "Notice on the Collection of Demands for Major Science and Technology Projects Suitable for the Listing System" to screen out the new generation of information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, biomedicine, and green In Guangdong Province's strategic emerging industries such as low carbon, key leading technologies in major industries with clear goals will be "listed" nationwide through an unveiling system to recruit the best R&D teams and best solutions.
In the same year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the "Work Plan for Unveiling Key Tasks for New Generation Artificial Intelligence Industry Innovation", which solicited and selected a group of innovators who mastered key core technologies and had strong innovation capabilities. Main body, carry out technical research projects.
In terms of enterprises, in September 2020, at the 2020 Science and Technology Innovation Conference of State Grid Co., Ltd., Chairman Mao Weiming clearly proposed to trial and promote the "unveiling the list and taking command system".
Subsequently, the list of the first batch of State Grid's pilot "unveiling and commanding system" projects was released, and the five people who revealed the list, Sun Huadong, Guo Qiang, Ju Dengfeng, Liang Yun, and Hu Chengbo, bravely picked the list. To shoulder the heavy responsibility, we launched an assault on five basic and forward-looking scientific research projects.
On September 29, 2020, China Southern Power Grid issued the "Work Plan for "Revealing the List and Taking Command" of Science and Technology Projects" to promote the implementation of the "Revealing the List System" and "Reporting the Command System" for science and technology projects.
Facing the front-line needs of production and operations, the company's high-quality development, and the industry's technological frontiers, it is guided by the country's and the company's major scientific research needs, and the effectiveness of solving problems is the criterion. The "three public" approach of open information, fair competition, and fair selection stimulates innovation vitality, promotes the deep integration of innovation chain, industry chain, and talent chain, and creates a scientific and technological innovation ecosystem in which "core technology leads, innovative talents emerge in large numbers, and innovative achievements emerge", and continuously Expand the "breadth" and "depth" of the company's technological innovation.
At present, the State Grid and China Southern Power Grid’s “unveiling the list and taking charge” work is still in its infancy. Let’s take a closer look at the artificial intelligence of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The progress of the work of "unveiling the list and taking command" can also provide useful reference for our vast number of central enterprises and state-owned enterprises to carry out the work of "unveiling the list and taking command".
Overall, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s artificial intelligence “unveiling the list and taking charge” work can be divided into four links, namely the list formulation link, the evaluation and selection link, and the key research link. and results evaluation.
1. List formulation
In the list formulation process, the list serves as a target for innovative research and is also a leader in technology. The formulation of innovation vane follows two basic principles. The first is to put forward rigid target requirements around key core technologies; the second is to select technical fields in which many innovative entities participate.
The so-called putting forward rigid target requirements around key core technologies means focusing on key core technologies, highlighting rigid target requirements, and allowing the announcers to clarify whether their strengths and capabilities can meet the target requirements. , put an end to those who lack strength, those who are sensationalists, and those who are good at following the trend and imitating others.
When choosing a technical field with the participation of many innovative entities, take artificial intelligence as an example. As an emerging field that is still in its early stages of growth, it has high market popularity, large technology demand, and application With broad prospects, many innovative entities, and a large number of potential unveilers, it is easy to create a situation of chasing each other. It is very suitable to use the tool of unveiling the list.
However, operating systems, chips and other technologies require a long investment cycle, and there are relatively few potential entities, making it difficult to achieve breakthroughs in the short term. Therefore, we can consider concentrating our efforts on long-term research.
2. Evaluation and selection
In the evaluation and selection process, current scientific and technological innovation activities have shown that the innovation subjects are more diverse. , the characteristics of innovation links are more diverse and innovation models are more complex. To select the best among many innovation entities, it is necessary to explore and formulate a complete evaluation and selection procedure.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s artificial intelligence "unveiling the list and taking charge" work follows three principles in the evaluation and selection process: smooth participation channels; selection of shortlisted candidates; and participation of multiple parties in the evaluation.
In terms of smooth participation channels, there is basically no threshold for selecting those who reveal the list, and they are recruited from all over the world. As long as they have intellectual property rights, no property rights disputes, good social reputation, and no bad records, they are all welcome. Qualification revealed.
In terms of shortlist selection, after the revealer submits complete registration materials and written solutions, the expert group will determine 2 or 3 shortlisted teams for each reveal project, and all of them may receive a partial Start bonuses and carry out research and development in parallel.
Multiple parties participate in the evaluation, and people from industry, law, finance and users are invited to participate in the evaluation.
At the same time, through on-site inspections and third-party agency testing, we will understand the scientific research strength of the people who revealed the list.
3. Carry out research
In the process of carrying out research, although the announcers are the main research subjects in various professional fields, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Proceed from the overall situation and coordinate and manage key research work.
Through three measures, including promoting comprehensive cooperation between industry, academia and research, improving echelon construction to form positive complementarity, and decentralizing authority while strengthening process supervision, we ensure the effective development of scientific and technological research work.
This time the list is released, focusing on cooperation between industry, academia, research and application. For example, the "Chuangchuang" robot in the "Intelligent Public Service Robot" project unveiled by Chuangze Intelligence was developed in cooperation with Professor Yang Chenguang of South China University of Technology.
This time, the main track and the auxiliary track are set up to form a relationship between the main track and the substitute. If the main track company does not act, the auxiliary track company will take over the main track. The enterprise completed the research work and formed a research echelon.
In this unveiling, while decentralizing decision-making and management rights over funds, human resources and other resources, we will continue to track the innovation and application progress of the products of the unveiling units, conduct stage evaluations, and continuously optimize Task implementation path.
4. Results evaluation
In the results evaluation process, although most projects have not generally entered the results evaluation stage, In principle, problem solving should be the criterion, and multiple parties should be involved in the evaluation of results. This has become common knowledge between those who issue the list and those who reveal it.
In terms of solving problems as the criterion, the original intention of "unveiling the list and taking charge" is both oriented by practical problems and measured by the effectiveness of solving problems.
Therefore, in the final results evaluation process, on the basis of following the unveiling tasks and expected goals, we must also use the effectiveness of solving practical problems as the evaluation criterion to promote scientific and technological achievements. Effective application and transformation.
The multi-party participation in the evaluation of results is consistent with the selection process of multi-party participation in the evaluation and selection stage.
In the achievement evaluation process, in addition to technical experts, people from the fields of industry, law, finance and users should also be invited to participate in the evaluation to comprehensively evaluate the scientific and technological value of scientific and technological achievements. Application value and market value.
From the development process of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s artificial intelligence “unveiling the list and taking charge” work, the key points of the work in each link of “unveiling the list and taking charge” are summarized. In the process of formulating the list, two basic principles must be followed in formulating the list. First, The first is to put forward rigid target requirements around key core technologies; the second is to choose technology fields that involve the participation of many innovative entities.
In the evaluation and selection process, relevant work must follow three principles: smooth participation channels; selection of shortlisted candidates; and participation of multiple parties in the evaluation.
In the process of carrying out key research, we must ensure scientific and technological research through three measures: promoting comprehensive cooperation between industry, academia and research, improving echelon construction to form positive complementarity, and decentralizing authority while strengthening process supervision. the effective conduct of work.
In the results evaluation process, the evaluation work should be carried out based on problem solving and multi-party participation in results evaluation.