[Seventy-five Years of Building Dreams Together, A Decade of Leaps and Remarkable Chapters] Continue to Strive for Fruitful Outcomes, Lead the Way in

2024-10-14

In recent years, the university's technological innovation efforts have been guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Anchored in Hunan's "Three Highlands, Four New Missions" beautiful blueprint, and closely aligned with the university's "Three Advances and Three Highs" strategic goals, we focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, aim for significant contributions, rely on major platforms, use key projects as leverage, and are directed by outstanding achievements. By fully leveraging the advantages of our academicians' leading role, the university has deeply integrated into the construction and development of the Xiangjiang Laboratory, actively engaging in organized research and achieving the most remarkable results since its establishment, marking a brilliant moment in technological innovation.

The number of platforms and bases has increased exponentially

In the past decade, the number of our research platforms has shown exponential growth, with high-level innovation platforms continuously upgraded. A total of 45 new national and provincial-level research platforms have been established, and the university has taken the lead in building the Xiangjiang Laboratory, a major scientific initiative of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the People's Government of Hunan Province. One new project for the National Natural Science Foundation's National Center for Basic Science, one National Key Laboratory (cultivation), one Hunan Provincial Laboratory, two Provincial 2011 Collaborative Innovation Centers, four Provincial Key Laboratories, two Key Laboratories of Provincial Higher Education Institutions, two Provincial Engineering Research Centers, two Provincial Engineering Technology Research Centers, one Provincial International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Base, four Provincial Key Research Bases for Philosophy and Social Sciences in Universities, seven Provincial Social Science Popularization Bases, four Provincial Social Science Innovation Research Bases, one Provincial Specialized Think Tank, one Academician Expert Workstation, and nine other provincial-level research platforms have been established. As of now, the university has a total of 55 research platforms at the provincial level and above, showcasing impressive research strength and abundant research resources.

Unveiling ceremony for Xiangjiang Laboratory

In 2020, the project "Theories and Applications of Resource and Environmental Management in the Digital Economy Era," led by Academician Chen Xiaohong, Secretary of CPC HUTB Committee, was approved as a National Center for Basic Science under the National Natural Science Foundation, making it the first such project in the central region of China. On July 10, 2022, the Xiangjiang Laboratory was the first to be inaugurated among the "Four major laboratories" in Hunan Province, with 39 CAE and CAS academicians in attendance. The laboratory focuses on tackling major scientific issues and key core technologies in the fields of advanced computing and artificial intelligence, aligning itself with national laboratories. It aims to support the development of key industries in Hunan Province and to build a domestically leading, world-class center for original theoretical research, a hub for key technological innovation, and a base for industrial empowerment, striving to become a national strategic force in science and technology. In 2022, the State Key Laboratory of Information Intelligence and Smart Society (incubation) was approved. The university has achieved a historic breakthrough in the construction of national-level research platforms and provincial laboratories.

Unveiling ceremony for National Center for Basic Science project under the National Natural Science Foundation

A large number of talents have received awards, achieving remarkable results

Under the exceptional leadership of Academician Chen Xiaohong, Secretary of CPC HUTB Committee, the university has successfully gathered a large number of scientific and technological talents, laying a solid and profound foundation for its work in technological innovation. The university currently has four higher education technological innovation teams in Hunan Province, focusing on big data and information intelligence, IOT intelligent perception, financial risk measurement and control policy under open economic conditions, and logistics system optimization and operation management. Over the past five years, the university has successfully initiated 15 projects under Hunan Province "Sanjian" Innovative Talents Program (including 2 "Top-notch" talents, 6 "Lotus Peak" talents, 6 "Xiangju" talents, and 1 "Hunan-born Talents to Revitalize Hunan Program" talent). Additionally, 3 individuals were selected for the Hunan Young Talents Program under the Furong Plan, 1 for the provincial science and technology talent lifting program, and 2 for the Hunan Association for Science and Technology’s "Xiaohe" talent program. In 2024, 6 individuals were ranked among the world’s top 2% scientists.

Shen Xiaoming, Secretary of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, presents the Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award to Academician Chen Xiaohong

Academician Chen Xiaohong, Secretary of CPC HUTB Committee, has received numerous scientific awards for her outstanding research achievements and academic contributions, including the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Science and Technology Progress Award, the Fudan Management Award for Outstanding Contribution, the Guangzhao Science and Technology Award, and the First Prize of the Award for Outstanding Scientific Research Achievements (Humanities & Social Sciences) of Higher Education Institutions by the Ministry of Education (twice), as well as the First Prize of the Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award. She has been recognized as a "Global Highly Cited Researchers" and among the "World's Top 2% Scientists" for several consecutive years. In September 2024, another piece of good news emerged: Academician Chen Xiaohong was awarded the highest honor in the field of science and technology in Hunan Province—the Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award. At the Hunan Science and Technology Conference, also the Provincial Science and Technology Award Conference, held on September 3, Shen Xiaoming, Secretary of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, presented the award to Academician Chen Xiaohong, the sole recipient of the Provincial Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award. This award highlights Academician Chen Xiaohong's outstanding achievements and profound impact in the field of scientific research, establishing a shining milestone in the university's journey of boldly leading technological innovation and striving to reach the peaks of science and technology.

Research projects are making rapid progress

The university keeps pace with the times, accurately grasping research directions and closely aligning scientific research with the needs of economic and social development. By focusing on major national scientific projects and the frontiers of humanities and social sciences, and through optimizing the allocation of research resources and improving research incentive mechanisms, the university has stimulated the innovative vitality and research enthusiasm of faculty and researchers, effectively enhancing the quality and level of research projects. Over the past ten years, the university has undertaken more than 4,500 research projects of various levels and types, including 269 national-level projects. Among these, the most notable are four major projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (including principal investigator projects) and nine projects under the National Key Research and Development Program (including principal investigator projects). From 2020 to 2023, the university successfully secured approval for National Key Research and Development Program projects for four consecutive years, maintaining the highest number of projects among provincial universities. In addition, the university has undertaken nine major and key consulting research projects from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, three major projects from the National Social Science Fund, and eleven key projects from the National Social Science Fund. The university has consistently maintained a leading position in the approval of National Social Science Fund projects in the field of economics and management for several years. A series of outstanding achievements not only showcase the university's strong foundation and robust capabilities in scientific research but also lay a solid foundation for its continued leadership in technological innovation.

Academic output has improved in both quantity and quality

Over the past ten years, faculty members at the university have publicly published more than 8,000 academic papers, including over 2,300 high-level research papers in prestigious domestic and international journals such as Science China, Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Management World, Economic Research Journal, Omega, Information Fusion, and Information Sciences. Additionally, more than 120 papers have been ranked in the ESI top 1% highly cited papers. The university has also published over 420 academic monographs and produced more than 600 think tank reports, demonstrating a positive trend as both the quantity and quality of academic research and knowledge innovation improve. In March 2023, the engineering science program at our university was ranked in the top 1% of global disciplines in the ESI, significantly enhancing the university's research strength and international academic influence.

Faculty members have published over 2,300 high-level research papers in authoritative journals

Over the past five years, Professor Chen Xiaohong, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, CAE Academician, and Secretary of CPC HUTB Committee as well as Director of Xiangjiang Laboratory, and her team have focused on themes such as party building and ideological work, digital transformation development, data market construction, smart city development, and ecological civilization construction, submitting more than 80 proposals. These proposals have attracted widespread attention and in-depth coverage from major national and provincial media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, People.cn, xuexi.cn, rmzxb.com.cn, Chinanews.com, and Hunan Daily. The policy recommendations formed based on these proposals have been adopted by relevant national ministries, and some suggestions have received positive endorsements from party and national leaders, providing significant support for national key mineral resource strategies, data element market construction, ecological civilization system development, and the establishment of a national data bureau.

The transformation of achievements has surged remarkably

In 2021, the university established the Technology Achievement Transformation and Service Center to actively promote the conversion of scientific and technological achievements into practical productivity. Over the past five years, the university has collaborated with nearly 600 enterprises and institutions in industry-education-research-application partnerships, resulting in over 800 patents and software copyrights. It has registered more than 550 technology contracts in the Ministry of Science and Technology's national technology contract management and service system, with a recognized transaction value of nearly RMB250 million. The indicators for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements rank among the top in provincial universities, making it the fastest-growing provincial university. Since the university's research funding first exceeded RMB100 million in 2021, it has shown a strong growth momentum, with funding surpassing RMB200 million for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023. Due to the significant achievements in the transformation of scientific and technological results, the university's Technology Achievement Transformation and Service Center has been recognized as both a Changsha City Technology Transfer and Transformation Base (Organization) and a Hunan Province Technology Transfer Demonstration Organization.

Signing ceremony for technology innovation cooperation between HUTB and Yueyang Municipal People's Government

Inauguration ceremony for Xiangjiang Laboratory Regional Innovation Center

Signing ceremony for comprehensive cooperation between HUTB and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

2024 Xiangjiang Laboratory and HUTB Technology Achievement Release Conference

Over the past five years, the university has focused on new technologies, new industries, new formats, and new models, establishing cooperation platforms between the university and local governments as well as between the university and enterprises. It has created a number of exemplary benchmarks and application models, effectively advancing the deep integration of industry, education, research, and application, and efficiently promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. The university signed the Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement on Strengthening Collaboration in the Fields of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Other Areas with the Changsha Municipal People's Government, agreeing to jointly establish the Changsha Artificial Intelligence Social Laboratory. It also signed a framework agreement for technological innovation cooperation with the Yueyang Municipal People’s Government and the Xiangtan Municipal People’s Government. Additionally, the university is engaged in university-government-enterprise cooperation with Xiangjiang New Area and the Malanshan Video Cultural and Creative Industrial Park. The university has joined hands with over 50 leading companies, including Huawei, JD.com, Alibaba, State Grid, H3C, and SANY, to establish an industrial alliance, providing more than 700 technology services to enterprises and institutions. The transformation of scientific and technological achievements has gained momentum.

(Reported by Scientific Research Administration Division)