The Ministry of Science and Technology and eight other departments have issued the "Pilot Implementation Plan for Granting Researchers Ownership or Long-term Usage Rights to Their Official Scientific and Technological Achievements."

Currently, to deeply implement the innovation-driven development strategy and achieve high-quality economic growth, it is necessary to further refine policies that incentivize the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, deepen reforms regarding the rights to use, dispose of, and benefit from these achievements, and—by granting researchers ownership or long-term usage rights over their official scientific and technological achievements—implement property-rights-based incentives. This will boost researchers’ enthusiasm for innovation and entrepreneurship, promote the deep integration of science and technology with the economy, and accelerate the building of an innovative nation. February 14, 2020 On [date], General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the 12th Meeting of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform and reviewed and approved the “Pilot Implementation Plan for Granting Researchers Ownership or Long-Term Use Rights to Institutional Scientific and Technological Achievements” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). To implement the spirit of the meeting, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Intellectual Property Administration, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences—nine departments in total—have... The department has issued the “Plan,” providing comprehensive arrangements for piloting the granting of ownership or long-term usage rights of scientific and technological achievements resulting from official duties to researchers.
　　The “Plan” proposes establishing the principle that scientific and technological achievements can truly realize their innovative value only when they are commercialized—and that failure to commercialize them represents the greatest loss. It calls for exploring mechanisms and models that grant researchers ownership or long-term usage rights over their official scientific and technological achievements, developing replicable and scalable best practices, and promoting the refinement of relevant laws, regulations, and policy measures. This will further boost researchers’ enthusiasm for innovation and facilitate the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.
　　The “Plan” stipulates that the scope of application, management systems, work processes, decision-making mechanisms, and revenue-sharing arrangements for explicitly granting researchers ownership or long-term usage rights over their official scientific and technological achievements must be clearly defined. It calls for implementing distribution policies oriented toward enhancing the value of knowledge, ensuring that researchers’ incomes are commensurate with their actual contributions to the commercialization of research outcomes. The plan also aims to optimize the management approach for state-owned assets related to technology transfer, fully empowering pilot institutions with autonomy in managing scientific and technological achievements and exploring the development of a state-owned asset management model that aligns with the inherent principles of technology transfer. Furthermore, it emphasizes strengthening comprehensive management and services throughout the entire process of technology transfer, reinforcing the management of technological security and ethical considerations in empowered technology transfer initiatives, establishing a mechanism for due diligence and exemption from liability, and fully leveraging the role of specialized technology transfer institutions.
　　The “Plan” calls for strengthening organizational leadership. Under the guidance of the Leading Group for National Science and Technology System Reform and Innovation System Development, the Ministry of Science and Technology, together with relevant departments, will establish a coordination mechanism for pilot programs, promptly address major policy issues, and provide guidance to advance these pilot initiatives. It also emphasizes enhancing evaluation and monitoring by establishing an expert advisory mechanism and leveraging the role of third-party assessment agencies to monitor and evaluate the progress of the pilot programs. Furthermore, it stresses the importance of promoting and scaling up successful practices, summarizing the new reform measures developed during the pilot phase, and promptly refining and improving relevant policies and measures.
　　Next, the Ministry of Science and Technology will work with relevant departments to select a group of higher education institutions and research organizations established by the state and fully launch the pilot program.

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