Thousands of troops are easy to obtain, but one general is hard to find. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Central Talent Work Conference that it is necessary to vigorously cultivate and use strategic scientists, adhere to practical standards, and find scientists with profound scientific literacy, long-term struggle in the front line of scientific research, broad vision, forward-looking judgment, interdisciplinary understanding ability, and strong leadership ability of the combat organization of the large corps among the leaders of major national scientific and technological tasks.
Strategic scientists are not only scientists, but also strategists, "handsome talents" among scientific and technological talents, "key minorities" who lead the forward-looking layout of science and technology and drive innovation in major fields, and the core force of China's scientific and technological strength to achieve from following to running and then to leading. Where do strategic scientists come from? In the final analysis, it is necessary to temper from the main battlefield of scientific and technological innovation, grow up from the main force of scientific and technological innovation, and emerge from the main direction of scientific and technological innovation.
Cultivating the "fertile soil" of talents in the main battlefield of innovation
Speeding up the cultivation of more strategic scientists is the key to fundamentally improving the original innovation ability, breaking through the "bottleneck" scientific and technological difficulties, and occupying the commanding heights in the new round of international scientific and technological competition.
The growth of scientists can depend on a strong interest in scientific research, excellent academic training, and unremitting personal efforts, while the growth of strategic scientists must rely on major national and even international scientific and technological tasks, and to experience and forge leadership ability and innovation ability in the combat practice of large corps. Strategic scientists themselves are not selected by selection, but are constantly tempered and gradually recognized in scientific practice. It is necessary to change the idea of waiting for strategic scientists to "emerge" on their own, and take the initiative to cultivate "fertile soil" for them to become talents. For high-level compound talents with the potential of strategic scientists, it is necessary to actively create opportunities and platforms for them to undertake major scientific and technological tasks and participate in major scientific and technological innovation practices, and support them to play a leading role in leading major original innovations, participating in the top-level design of education and science and technology strategies, and promoting interdisciplinary integration and innovative development.
Looking back at the development of science and technology since the founding of the People's Republic of China, from the "863 Program" to the "973 Program" and then to the National Key R&D Program, these are the "fertile soil" for the growth of strategic scientists. For example, for the "China Sky Eye" project, it took 12 years for the Nanren East Belt team to select the site, and the entire project has gone through more than 20 years.
It takes a long time to train and produce strategic scientists. This requires us to adhere to a long-term vision, consciously discover high-level compound talents with the potential of strategic scientists, and focus on cultivating strategic scientists of appropriate scale, quality, and structure in accordance with the needs of career development, so as to form a growth echelon of strategic scientists. This is a grand system project, which must be considered holistically, planned in the long run, trained in advance, and systematically implemented, so as to promote more strategic scientists to stand out.
In view of the fields and disciplines that the mainland leads, runs and follows, clarifies the number and distribution of top scientific and technological talents in key areas that are urgently needed and in short supply, formulates a list of talent development needs and policies, and supports, introduces and cultivates a group of scientific and technological innovation talents in a targeted manner. It is suggested that the top-level design should be strengthened at the national level, and a mechanism for the discovery, training and use of strategic scientists should be formulated to meet the national strategic needs, follow the law of scientific and technological innovation, and conform to the law of talent growth.
Build a "new ecology" of deep integration of industry, university and research
As an important symbol of a country's scientific and technological strength and comprehensive national strength, scientific and technological innovation is the core driving force of national development. Only when one strategic scientist after another aims at the world's frontier of science and technology, overcomes difficulties, dares to be the first, and bravely makes breakthroughs, can China's scientific and technological strength achieve a historic leap from following to running and then to leading.
It is suggested that under the overall requirements of national high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-reliance, comprehensively consider the needs of strategic talents, university research institutes, new science and technology enterprises, etc., and explore a new path for the training of strategic scientists in the deep integration of industry, university and research with the new paradigm of "innovation + entrepreneurship", "science and technology + capital" and "strategy + science".
Strengthen the synchronization and coordination of the industrial chain and the innovation chain, and innovate and build new R&D institutions. As an innovative entity that effectively integrates the intellectual resources, government policy resources, and social capital resources of universities, the new R&D institutions have the characteristics of reorganizing the innovation chain, breaking the boundaries of various organizations, and promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and economic and social development at the beginning of its birth. It will help to strengthen the core element function of talents in the integration of industry, university, research and application, and promote the implementation of new joint research models such as "unveiling the leader".
It is necessary to give full play to the role of national laboratories, national scientific research institutions, high-level research universities, and leading scientific and technological enterprises, and accelerate the gathering and focus on supporting first-class scientific and technological leading talents and innovation teams. It is suggested that compound talents with high scientific literacy and strategic thinking should be allowed to engage in scientific and technological innovation and industrial transformation practice in universities and high-tech enterprises at the same time in different roles. With strategic talents as the link, we will realize the deep integration of enterprises and universities and scientific research institutes.
Follow the laws of scientific research to stimulate the "source power"
Scientific and technological progress and innovative development are inseparable from the exploration, pioneering and forging ahead led by strategic scientists, and the experience, wisdom and creativity of strategic scientists need to be valued and guided from the height of national strategy.
Actively support the establishment of high-level national laboratories, adhere to the "four aspects", keep up with the general trend of world scientific and technological development, complete the mission and tasks put forward by the mainland's development for scientific and technological development, and produce more strategic and key major scientific and technological achievements. Give full play to the role of national scientific research institutions, take serving national interests and national goals as the main purpose, and focus on strategic, basic and directional scientific and technological research tasks, and fully embody the advantages of organizational, systematic and institutionalized scientific research institutions. Give full play to the strategic scientific and technological strength of colleges and universities, strengthen goal orientation, promote school-enterprise cooperation, activate the "double engine" of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement of independent innovation of universities and enterprises, and form cross-advantages in basic research and achievement transformation. Attach importance to the mainstay role of the national strategic scientific and technological forces led by central enterprises, and carry out scientific and technological research in the fields of aerospace, shipbuilding, deep sea, high-speed rail, energy, communications, and electronic information.
Pay attention to following the law of talent growth, accelerate the cultivation and expansion of the entire group of strategic scientists, and support and motivate more strategic scientists in accordance with the laws of modern scientific research. We will continue to deepen the reform of the science and technology system, operational mechanism, evaluation system, resource allocation policy, and other aspects, and earnestly create an institutional and institutional environment conducive to the rapid and free growth and effective role of strategic scientists.
The cultivation and evaluation of strategic scientists, a group of top scientific research talents, should be less utilitarian, and more inclusive, proactive, and long-term in the use and motivation. At the same time, attention should be paid to recruiting high-level strategic scientists from all over the world. Focusing on the national development strategic objectives, we encourage the introduction of a group of strategic scientists and leading scientific and technological talents who can break through key technologies, develop high-tech industries, and drive emerging disciplines to serve in national laboratories, national scientific research institutions, high-level research universities, leading scientific and technological enterprises, and scientific and technological academic organizations, so as to attract and unite more international strategic scientists and gather talents from all over the world to use them.
Author: Ren Xiaogang, Beijing Xi Jinping Research Center for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Science and Technology Think Tank Center of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology
Source: WeChat public account "Scientific Observation"
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