The Chinese Central Government has announced the establishment of a significant new education program, the Higher Education Innovative Capacity Improvement Scheme, or the 2011 Project.

 

The 2011 Project, which is jointly administered by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Finance, has been developed in light of President Hu Jintao’s speech at Tsinghua University in 2011, where President Hu challenged Chinese universities to increase both their innovative capacity and the application of their research outcomes. 

 

It is anticipated that the program will attract significant Chinese Government funding.

 

The aim of the 2011 Project is to speed up the establishment of China as an innovative country generating high quality and relevant research outcomes, using collaborative partnerships as the key mechanism.  The program will seek to generate commercially applicable, independent innovation and research, as well as supporting the development of a research workforce. The 2011 Project will have a substantial international focus, with international cooperation and exchange considered key to the success of the program. The project will bring together world class experts and researchers, and promote substantial cooperation with leading foreign universities and research institutes, with the objective of accelerating the internationalisation of China’s Higher Education Institutes.

 

Chinese universities will be asked to form Collaborative Innovative Bodies that include industry, research institutes, and, of most interest to the Australian sector, leading foreign universities and research institutes. It is understood that Collaborative Innovative Bodies can then apply for funding to become Collaborative Innovation Centres. 

 

The program will be formally launched in the second half of 2012. The 2011 Project guidelines and implementation timelines are still under development.  AEI China will continue to share information as it becomes available.