摘要：Xue Qikun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Southern University of Science and Technology, and Profess
Developing power of IP to support China's science and technology
Those who can focus intently on seemingly "useless" fundamental research often have a keen sense of "invisible forces".
Xue Qikun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President of Southern University of Science and Technology, and Professor at Tsinghua University, has received China's highest honor in science and technology for his pioneering work in condensed matter physics, including research on the Quantum Anomalous Hall Effect and High-temperature superconductivity.
How can the "uselessness" of fundamental research produce immense value? As a member of the National Intellectual Property Expert Advisory Committee, Xue often contemplates how to leverage the "invisible hand" of the intellectual property (IP) system to drive thriving technological innovation, creating a powerful synergy between "uselessness" and "invisibility" that underpins high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
Circulating information through laboratory and production line
IP connects innovation on one end and the market on the other. It acts as both a protective net for innovative achievements and a catalyst for new quality productive forces. In Xue's view, IP has a natural ability to link the laboratory with the production line.
During his tenure as Vice President of Tsinghua University, Xue led efforts in commercialization and utilization of technological achievements. "Tsinghua University adopted the approach of 'letting professionals handle professional tasks' by establishing a technology transfer institute and a corporate cooperation special committee. It also actively connected with high-level patent agencies and technology transformation platforms to carry out the identification, evaluation, and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements," he explained.
Xue believes efforts should focus on key national projects, such as implementing the special action for patent commercialization and utilization, establishing National Graduate College for Engineers, to "untie the hands" of both universities and the market through policy guidance and institutional reform.
On one hand, traditional thinking about the regulation of state-owned assets must be broken, respecting the inherent laws of innovation and transformation. Bold reforms should be pursued to streamline authorization mechanisms, improve fault-tolerance systems, and strengthen incentives for innovation. This will accelerate the creation of high-level operational systems that enable multiplying the benefits of state-owned technical assets. On the other hand, efforts should use joint technological research and IP cooperation as bridges to connect talent cultivation, technological innovation, and market application. This will allow the market to play a leading role and drive the innovation ecosystem toward continuous improvement.
Xue places a strong emphasis on cultivating IP talent. "We are now focusing on training high-level, interdisciplinary, and international IP professionals, which is very meaningful. The goal is to develop talents who understand technology, law, and market, possess an open global perspective, and can both protect the nation's independent research outcomes and promote their transformation and application. Strengthening the talent base in IP will better integrate innovation and industry chains, empowering high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and supporting high-quality economic and social development," Xue said.
Making IP key for innovation development
Xue believes that the key to improving the efficiency of market-wide "investment" in innovation and driving high-quality transformation lies in high-quality technological supply. IP serves a dual role in this process—providing both technological and institutional supply. It can act as a "benchmark" to measure the level of innovation and as an effective market mechanism, empowering high-quality technological supply and transformation output.
"In the past, IP was a pain point that constrained China's scientific and technological development. However, by objectively and actively engaging in the IP competition in the international arena, we have discovered that such competition has actually driven many disruptive and high-quality innovations. Today, IP has become a 'milestone' and 'key' for us to achieve high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology step by step," Xue remarked.
Over 40 years of relentless efforts have resulted in the establishment of a relatively complete and smoothly operating IP protection system in China. The importance role of IP for innovation-driven development and high-quality economic and social development has become increasingly evident.
"Through institutional arrangements, IP embodies social fairness and justice, providing clear protection expectations for technological innovation. Domestically, it incentivizes innovation; internationally, it promotes openness. Moreover, the concept of 'comprehensive protection' for IP continues to expand. Based on IP, a highly regulated market chain has emerged, encompassing valuation, commercialization, and further application. The certainty provided by the IP system injects stronger confidence for technological innovation to transition from the 'ivory tower' to the 'big market'," Xue assessed.
"The purpose of the IP system is not just to protect innovative achievements, but also to promote collaborative innovation and the sharing of results," Xue suggested. He advocated for continued specialization and high-quality development of high-end and specialized IP think tanks, urging them to deepen IP awareness among broader innovation entities and markets. Supporting and helping these entities realize the value of IP will create tangible impacts.
In closing, Xue encouraged young talent: "The acquisition of knowledge is vital, but so is its application. I hope that through your efforts, you will continue to drive the creation, application, and development of knowledge in China, providing an endless source of momentum for advancing Chinese modernization." （by Li Yangfang）
能沉得下心埋头做“无用”的基础研究的人，往往对于“隐形的力量”有着敏锐的感知力。
中国科学院院士、南方科技大学校长、清华大学教授薛其坤，凭借在量子反常霍尔效应和高温超导等凝聚态物理领域的超前探索，获得国家最高科学技术奖这一中国科技界的崇高荣誉。
无用之用何以生大用？同时作为国家知识产权专家咨询委员会专家成员的他，常常关切如何运用知识产权制度的“无形之手”来推动科技创新的蓬勃跃进，让“无用”与“无形”碰撞出支撑高水平科技自立自强的强劲能量。
让“实验室”和“生产线”充分交换信息
知识产权一头连接着创新，一头连接着市场，既是创新成果的保护网,也是新质生产力的催化剂。在薛其坤看来，知识产权天然具有串联“实验室”和“生产线”的能力。
任职清华大学副校长期间，薛其坤主抓学校的科技成果转移转化工作。“清华大学采取的办法就是‘把专业的活交给专业的队伍干’，设置技术转移研究院和企业合作专门委员会，同时积极对接高水平的专利代理机构和技术转化运营平台等，来实施科技成果的挖掘、评价和转移转化。”
薛其坤认为，应该紧抓实施专利转化运用专项行动、开展国家卓越工程师学院建设等国家重点专项工作，从政策引导和机制改革等方面，继续为高校院所和市场“两头松绑”。
一方面，要打破传统的国有资产监管思维惯性，尊重创新与转化的内在规律，大胆改革，从畅通赋权机制、健全容错机制、加强权益激励等方面持续出实招，加快建立完善能够让技术类国有资产“效益倍增”的高水平运行体系。另一方面，要以联合技术攻关、知识产权合作等为纽带，打通产学研用衔接路径，把人才培养、科技创新和市场应用密切联系起来，让市场充分发挥主导作用，牵引创新生态持续向好。
薛其坤非常关注知识产权人才培养。“我们现在强调并且在着力培养高层次、复合型、国际化知识产权人才，这是非常有意义的。这类人才的培养目标是懂科技、懂法律、懂市场，具有开放的国际视野，能够保护国家自主的科学研究成果，也能做科技成果的转化推广。不断夯实知识产权人才保障，才能更好地促进创新链与产业链融合，赋能高水平科技自立自强和经济社会高质量发展。”薛其坤表示。
让知识产权成为创新发展的“确定性”
薛其坤认为，广泛调动市场全要素“投资”效率、推动高质量转化输出的根本，在于高质量的技术供给。知识产权具有技术供给和制度供给的双重作用，既可以作为创新水平的一种“度量衡”，也可以作为一种有效的市场机制，同时赋能高质量的技术供给与转化输出。
“曾经，知识产权是中国科技发展的痛点。我们客观、积极地看待国际竞争中的知识产权博弈，就能发现这些博弈实际倒逼出了很多颠覆性创新和高质量创新。如今，知识产权已经成为我们一步步实现高水平科技自立自强的‘问路石’和‘敲门砖’。”薛其坤表示。
如今，经过40多年马不停蹄地追赶建设和发展超越，中国已经建立起一个比较完整、运行流畅的知识产权保护体系，知识产权对于创新驱动发展和经济社会高质量发展的重要性越来越明显。
薛其坤评价：“知识产权通过制度化安排体现了社会的公平正义，为科技创新提供了明确的保护预期，对内能够激励创新，对外能够促进开放。不仅如此，知识产权‘大保护’的内涵正在持续丰富，基于知识产权，已经发展出一条整体规范度较高，包含评估作价、经济效益化、进一步推广应用等环节的市场化链条，用知识产权机制的确定性，为科技创新从‘象牙塔’走向‘大市场’注入了更加笃定的信心。”
“知识产权制度的目的不仅仅是保护创新创造成果，更重要的是推进共同创新、成果共享。”薛其坤建议，要持续推进知识产权高端智库和特色智库的专业化建设和高质量发展，充分发挥智库作用，面向更广泛的创新主体和更广义的市场厚植知识产权的功能观念，支持并帮助创新主体和市场让知识产权的价值产生实实在在的影响力。
采访的最后，薛其坤寄语广大青年人才：“知识的获取非常重要，知识的运用同样重要。希望通过你们的努力，不断推动中国知识的产生、运用与发展，为推进中国式现代化注入源源不断的动力。”（李杨芳）
来源：新浪财经