Reported by iqilu.com on February 18   Innovation is the primary driving force behind development. Shandong has implemented the innovation-driven development strategy and built itself into an innovative province of higher level more rapidly, striving for the development of the economy oriented by new growth drivers by 2020.

Innovation has become the key in a new round of regional competition and the strongest force to gather resources. In 2019, Shandong will invest RMB 10 billion in science and technology, launch the Big Science Project, the Big Science Platform and Big Science Instruments, construct the Big Science Center, make great breakthroughs in science and technology and promote the revolutionary enhancement of economic industries. Centering on the construction of a province for strong marine economy, high-end equipment and other advantageous fields, Shandong will establish the scientific center and innovative highland which are important for China. A few days ago, the People's Government of Shandong Province issued the Framework Opinions on Establishing Shandong Industrial Technology Research Institute to Promote Innovation and Development.

"We take three core areas, namely Jinan, Qingdao and Yantai, as the center for research institutes and science. Based on the replacement of old growth drivers with new ones, we will establish about 30 industrial technology research institutes led by Shandong Industrial Technology Research Institute in each prefecture-level city to reserve and supply talents and research results," Tang Bo, Director of the Department of Science & Technology of Shandong Province, said.

Top-notch talents are the key to science and technology competition. Shandong has issued the Regulations on the Expert Workstation of the Recruitment Program of Global Experts to attract experts and their innovative teams directly or flexibly; improved the mechanism of "Innovative Offices for Leading Talents in Science and Technology" and published the Implementation Opinions on Supporting and Encouraging Professionals from Public Institutions to Innovate and Start up Business to help professionals from universities, scientific research institutes and other public institutions with their innovation and entrepreneurship from four aspects.

"We can allocate a large part of the revenue obtained through transforming achievements in scientific research to researchers to motivate them. As a result, their projects, topics and scientific research are oriented by the market and transformation of the results at present. Only by transforming these results, can we produce benefits which are good for the country, the society and people," Yang Zijiang, Director of Shandong Institute on Science and Technology Development Strategy, stated. 

Shandong has expanded the scope of the "Innovation Voucher" strategy continuously from technology-based SMEs to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, the fee caused by makers from science and technology incubators, mass innovation space and university science parks above the provincial level for utilizing the accessing equipment to large scientific instrument shared network has been included in the scope. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises can obtain a maximum subsidy of RMB 500,000 every year.

"The 'Innovation Voucher' strategy of Shandong is based on the large scientific instrument shared network. Relying on the strategy, Shandong has revised the regulations on opening and sharing scientific research facilities and instruments. Across the province, scientific research equipment worth over RMB 100,000 purchased with the financial fund should be shared through the network. The instrument suppliers with a large service volume, good user evaluation and outstanding comprehensive benefits should be offered and be granted with a subsidy equaling 10% to 30% of their total service value every year," Zhang Darui, Deputy Chief of the Promotion Center for Scientific and Technical Service Development of Shandong Province, said.

Finding out the focus in replacement of old growth drivers with new ones supported by sci-tech innovation, Shandong has issued the Measurements for Sci-tech Innovation to Support the Replacement of Old Growth Drivers with New Ones and paid attention to the key generic technology, frontier technology, modern engineering technology and revolutionary technological innovation. By 2020, the contribution rate of scientific and technological progress in Shandong will reach about 61%, the output value of hi-tech industry will account for over 38% of the total value of enterprises above state designated scale and the number of hi-tech enterprises will exceed 10,000.