Technology Transfer on the Agenda of Chinese Universities
Vera Vishnyakova, Director of the Centre for Transfer and Management of Socio-Economic Information at HSE University, visited leading Chinese universities on a working trip to learn about their technology commercialization practices.
The trip included meetings with representatives from the technology transfer centers at Fudan University (Shanghai) and Shenzhen Technology University.
Patent Strategy as a Foundation for Development
Similar to Russian universities, Chinese institutions are addressing the challenge of enhancing technology transfer efficiency to the real economy. The Chinese government views patents as a key driver of economic growth, prompting universities to focus resources on expanding their patent portfolios.
In this process, law schools and legal institutes play a crucial role by identifying research with patent potential and handling the registration process. Fudan University follows this approach by establishing a specialized technology transfer centre within its Law School.
Innovative Approaches of Young Universities
Shenzhen Technology University, which was founded in 2016, demonstrates advanced practices in technology transfer. The technology transfer centre under Dr. Ma's leadership not only commercializes existing R&D outputs but also conducts methodological research in this field.
Among its current projects is developing a framework for creating verification centers at universities in the Greater Bay Area (Pearl River Delta). These centers would evaluate research hypotheses for their commercial potential and attract investments to develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) to Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9).
The meetings concluded with agreements to develop partnerships between HSE University and its Chinese partner universities. This collaboration will include sharing best practices and launching joint projects in technology transfer.