Integration of Production, Education and Research
"In response to Mr. Yao's question, Lin Zhenhua said: "That's right, Teacher Yao. I've already introduced it to you earlier. Our factory is an enterprise that pursues independent innovation. To better carry out technological innovation, we first innovated in our mechanisms and established a pilot joint-stock cooperative enterprise through collective cooperation among the laboring masses, called Hanhua Industrial Development Company. Our company plans to promote technological innovation through the integration of production, education, and research, and drive development with technology."
"What's this 'shareholding partnership'?" Yao He-liang was somewhat surprised. He could naturally guess the implications of such a system, but he couldn't believe that it was still allowed to exist domestically.
Lin Zhenhua said: "Yes, our company has been approved by the central leadership and is a pilot enterprise. Professor Li Ning of Peking University once attended the company's founding conference."
"Oh, it seems my thinking is a bit outdated." Yao He-liang nodded and said. Although he and Li Ning were from different industries, they had met at the Ministry of Education's conference before. He knew that the company Li Ning was attending the founding meeting for must be quite reliable.
"So, what you just mentioned about the integration of production, education and research, what does it refer to?" Yao He-liang continued to ask.
"Industry-University-Research integration means linking the teaching and research activities of universities with our factory's production activities to form a mutually promoting mechanism. Specifically, our company wants to invest money in supporting some universities to carry out research activities, of course, the content of the research should be related to the development of our company. These research results will be transformed into actual productive forces in our company, creating profits for our company. And part of these profits, we will reinvest them back into research. This way, a mutually promoting relationship can be formed."
"You're thinking of taking over the university's research results for free and seeking private benefits for a small group, aren't you?" Yao Heliang said bluntly.
Lin Zhenhua was crying and laughing, it's no wonder, this kind of cooperation method which is very common in later generations, at that time was still very sensitive, Yao Helang reacted like this at the first time, also made sense.
"Professor Yao, we didn't plan to compete with the country for research achievements. We just hope to obtain some research results that the country doesn't bother to adopt. If the country doesn't want them, we'll take them and turn them into products, which will still serve the country's development. What's wrong with that?"
"Lin Dage, it's not right for you to say that. How could the country be unwilling to adopt scientific research results?" Du Xiangyang interrupted from the side.
Lin Zhenhua smiled slightly and looked at Yao Helang: "This question, I think Teacher Yao will have an answer, right?"
Yao Heliang was somewhat embarrassed, and he stammered: "At present, there are many things to do in all aspects of the country. Some research results can't find application opportunities for the time being, which is also a normal thing."
Lin Zhenhua smiled secretly in his heart, knowing what made Yao Helang feel embarrassed.
Originally, Yao Heliang had developed an automatic tool-changing system on machine tools with his team, which was at the leading level in the global machine tool industry at that time. As a result, after this technology was developed, no machine tool company was willing to adopt it, and the technology was shelved. Years later, a Japanese machine tool company developed the same technology and applied for a patent. Until Lin Zhenhua's graduate school era, Chinese machine tool companies still had to pay patent fees to the Japanese when using this technology.
This matter was a huge blow to the old man. After many years, when he mentioned this matter again, he still looked dejected. It is said that he had run several Ministry of Machinery Industry to promote this technology, but they all sent him back with various reasons. If Lin Zhenhua didn't remember wrong, now it's just the old man's stage of "running ministry", and that Japanese machine tool company hasn't come up with this design yet.
"Professor Yao, as far as I know, you yourself have some research achievements that are still lying in your office drawer, with no one paying attention to them. I'm worried that if such achievements are left for a few more years, they might be preempted by foreigners." Lin Zhenhua directly broke the ice.
As soon as these words came out, they hit Yao He's weakest heart knot. He sighed and said: "Alas! How could I not know this point? But, there is no way, the country is now in a state of devastation, and many things are indeed not entirely satisfactory."
Lin Zhenhua knew that Yao He Liang did not want to criticize the bureaucratic style of the ministry in front of the students, so he didn't refute it. Instead, he continued along the conversation and said: "Teacher Yao, our Hanhua Enterprise has 30% shares from state-owned enterprises, while the remaining 70% belongs to collective ownership by company employees, which also falls under public ownership. Even if we take a step back and say that we are just a small collective, after all, it is still an enterprise owned by Chinese people, right? Can you really bear to see your achievements being applied first by Japanese people?"
"Kobayashi, tell me in detail, how do you plan to operate this industry-academia-research integration?" Yao Heliang's attitude relaxed. The old man was not a dull person, as Zhuangzi said, "When people use cleverness, they give birth to cunning minds." The old man had spent his whole life dealing with machinery, and his mind was also as agile as machinery.
"We hope to sign a cooperation agreement with the Mechanical Department of Huaying University, and for now, the scope of cooperation can be limited to your team. We will provide you with a portion of research funding every year, currently 10,000 yuan, and in the future, as our company expands, we will gradually increase it. Your research results, we will take them to transform into products, I promise that 10% of the sales profit of these products, we will use as additional investment, return to Huaying University. In addition, we are willing to be the internship base for students of Huaying University's Mechanical Department, and welcome students including Xiao Du to come to our company for work guidance."
"So, what do we need to do then?"
"Firstly, I hope you and your team can provide us with some technical guidance. If we encounter any technical difficulties during production, we can seek advice from you."
"This is what we should do," said Yao Helang, "We are doing scientific research and originally need to provide technical services for the production line. In addition, by helping you solve problems encountered in practice, it can also bring some inspiration to our scientific research. I can fully agree with this."
Lin Zhenhua said in his heart, I knew you would agree. He didn't show it on his face and continued to say: "Secondly, we will propose some directions for development for your reference. If you think they are interesting, put your energy into research, and we will provide the necessary funds and other conditions. The results produced by the institute will be jointly owned by both parties."
Yao He Liang thought for a moment and said, "This condition can also be agreed to. In fact, the conditions you mentioned are very generous. We can do it if we want to, and we don't have to do it if we don't want to. With such conditions, what else can I possibly object to?"
"Thirdly, if the teachers' self-developed technologies cannot find application opportunities and are not disdainful of our small company, we can cooperate to apply them. The benefits generated by the technological applications will be distributed between both parties, with specific proportions negotiable on a case-by-case basis."
"This one, can't even be considered as your condition, but rather something that benefits us. According to this, you have no restrictive power over us at all, and are completely passive."
"That's right," said Lin Zhenhua.
"But, Kobayashi, I also understand what's on your mind. In fact, with this kind of thing, you can use money as bait to lure our teachers into voluntarily transferring their achievements to you at any time. From the moment I met you, I believe you must have had such an idea." Yao Heliang smiled and exposed Lin Zhenhua's true intention.
Du Xiangyang heard Yao Heliang say this, turned his face to Lin Zhenhua and said: "Brother Lin, what you're doing is too immoral. Isn't this an attempt to lure our teacher with money and benefits?"
Lin Zhenhua shook his head: "Little Du, ask Teacher Yao and see if he wants to be seduced by me?"
Du Xiangyang turned his head back to look at Yao Heliang, and Yao Heliang said slowly: "Little Du, this can't be considered as temptation. The central government has also advocated for it, that science and technology workers should have five things: a house, a car, a stove, children, and a hat. If these problems are not solved, it will be difficult for science and technology workers to work with peace of mind. Now the country is still very poor, if Little Lin can help our teachers solve these problems under the premise of complying with principles, let the teachers get rid of their worries, and happily engage in scientific research, it will also be a meaningful thing for the country."
Lin Zhenhua thumbs up and says, "The old man is wise."
"Old man?" Yao He-liang was confused by Lin Zhen-hua's address, he had just turned 50 and wasn't old enough to be called that yet.
Lin Zhenhua smiled silently, Yao Heliang looked at Lin Zhenhua for a long time, and finally laughed out loud: "You little Lin, really suits my temper. How about it, are you interested in reading my graduate school?"
