Tianjin launches an ambitious program to develop innovation and entrepreneurship practices among faculty and students at the 9th Tianjin University Innovation and Entrepreneurship New Year Forum. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
At the 9th Tianjin University Innovation and Entrepreneurship New Year Forum on Sunday, the municipality launched an ambitious program to develop innovation and entrepreneurship practices among faculty and students.
The Haihe Innovation and Entrepreneurship Young Leaders Program supports national goals for technological self-reliance and talent development by creating a replicable "Tianjin model". This model establishes systematic support for university innovation and provides a benchmark for national innovation education and industrial integration.
Tianjin launches the Haihe Innovation and Entrepreneurship Young Leaders Program at a Tianjin University forum. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaiy.com.cn]
According to Tianjin University's President Chai Liyuan, who spoke at the event's opening ceremony, higher education institutions shoulder the responsibility of cultivating the talent that will build the bridges for technology to transition from the laboratory to the real market.
The program targets young faculty members, university students, and institutions of higher education. It supports young faculty through an innovation and entrepreneurship fund and related services such as coaching and industry linkage. It engages students through national-level innovation and entrepreneurship competitions that foster creativity and cross-regional collaboration. It strengthens institutions by promoting a university innovation and entrepreneurship alliance between Tianjin and surrounding universities to support joint course development, shared mentorship, and coordinated base operations.
A guest tours the recent achievements and progress made by Xuanhuai College of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Tianjin University. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/ chinadaiy.com.cn]
Tianjin University simultaneously released a white paper about the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The university's Party Committee Secretary Yang Xianjin proposed a clear training objective: "We aim to ensure that 100 percent of Tianjin University students are immersed in an innovation and entrepreneurship environment, 10 percent have the opportunity to study relevant courses, 5 percent can participate in various entrepreneurial practice training and receive mentorship from entrepreneurship advisors, and 1 percent of students start their own businesses after graduation, with a portion achieving success."
Hundreds of government officials, entrepreneurs, scholars, and others gather at the forum. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaiy.com.cn]
Looking ahead, as the program is implemented, Tianjin intends to establish a policy framework to support the program and drive universities to become engines for scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading.
Zang Yifan contributed to this story.
