Using the Construction of a Science and Technology Powerhouse to Drive the Integrated Development of Education, Science and Technology, and Talent

[Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC]

【学习贯彻党的二十届三中全会精神】

Education, science and technology, and talent are the foundational and strategic underpinnings for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC proposed, “to coordinate and advance the integrated reform of the institutions and mechanisms for education, science and technology, and talent, improve the new system of mobilizing resources nationwide [1]1 The new system of mobilizing resources nationwide (新型举国体制) refers to an updated version of China’s traditional state-led approach to concentrating resources on major strategic tasks, adapted to market economy conditions., and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system.” On March 6, 2025, when visiting members of the China Democratic League and the China Association for Promoting Democracy from the education sector attending the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “On the new journey of the New Era, we must deeply grasp the demands of Chinese-path modernization for education, science and technology, and talent, strengthen the supporting role of education for science and technology and talent, and further create a dynamic situation where talent emerges in abundance, each person makes the best use of their abilities, and every talent is fully utilized.” Science and technology are the primary productive forces and the foundation of a nation’s strength; achieving high-quality development relies on scientific and technological innovation to cultivate new drivers of growth. At present, we should base ourselves on the historical juncture of national development, fully leverage the leading and driving role of scientific and technological innovation, anchor the goal of building a science and technology powerhouse, and integratively advance education development, scientific and technological innovation, and talent cultivation, thereby consolidating the foundational and strategic underpinnings of Chinese-path modernization.

教育、科技、人才是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的基础性、战略性支撑。党的二十届三中全会提出，“统筹推进教育科技人才体制机制一体改革，健全新型举国体制，提升国家创新体系整体效能”。2025年3月6日，习近平总书记在看望参加政协会议的民盟民进教育界委员时强调，“新时代新征程，必须深刻把握中国式现代化对教育、科技、人才的需求，强化教育对科技和人才的支撑作用，进一步形成人才辈出、人尽其才、才尽其用的生动局面”。科技是第一生产力，是国家强盛之基，实现高质量发展要靠科技创新培育新动能。当前，应立足国家发展所处历史方位，充分发挥科技创新的引领带动作用，锚定科技强国建设目标，一体推进教育发展、科技创新、人才培养，筑牢中国式现代化的基础性、战略性支撑。

1. Chinese-Path Modernization Must Be Supported by Scientific and Technological Modernization

1.中国式现代化要靠科技现代化作支撑

At present, the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century, accelerating in intensity, and international competition in economic, political, cultural, scientific and technological, and other fields is becoming increasingly fierce. The scientific and technological revolution and major-power games are intertwined, with the high-tech field becoming the forefront and main battlefield of international competition. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “To advance Chinese-path modernization, science and technology must take the lead. Scientific and technological innovation is the only path.” We must fully recognize the strategic pioneering position and fundamental supporting role of science and technology, anchor the strategic goal of building a science and technology powerhouse by 2035, and accelerate the achievement of high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology.

当前，世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，经济、政治、文化、科技等领域的国际竞争日趋激烈。科技革命与大国博弈相互交织，高技术领域成为国际竞争最前沿和主战场。习近平总书记指出：“推进中国式现代化，科技要打头阵。科技创新是必由之路。”必须充分认识科技的战略先导地位和根本支撑作用，锚定2035年建成科技强国的战略目标，加快实现高水平科技自立自强。

Currently, the global political, economic, military, and scientific and technological order is often impacted by hegemonism and power politics, and the world is full of uncertainty. Faced with a volatile and complex international situation, only by achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology can we “hold our ground” and “stand firm.” As the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation deepens, scientific research paradigms are undergoing major changes, and artificial intelligence-driven scientific research is accelerating. In the coming period, breakthroughs in basic research and frontier technological innovation will enter a period of intensive activity, countries will further strengthen their strategic layout in the field of science and technology, and global competition in science and technology will become unprecedentedly fierce. Under these circumstances, only by winning advantages in basic research and frontier technology can we avoid missing opportunities. Today, China is in a critical period for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We cannot afford the slightest slack; we must concentrate our efforts on shoring up weaknesses, strengthening strengths, and opening up new tracks, fundamentally and rapidly changing the situation where key core technologies are controlled by others, and greatly improving the independent controllability of the industrial chain and supply chain.

当前，全球政治、经济、军事和科技秩序常常受到霸权主义与强权政治的冲击，世界充满不确定性。面对波诡云谲的国际形势，只有实现高水平科技自立自强，我们才能“顶得住”“站得稳”。随着新一轮科技革命和产业变革深入发展，科学研究范式出现重大变化，人工智能驱动的科学研究加速推进。未来一段时期，基础研究突破与前沿技术创新将进入密集活跃期，各国将进一步加强科技领域战略布局，全球科技竞争也将空前激烈。在此态势下，只有赢得基础研究与前沿技术优势，我们才能避免错失机会。当今中国正处于实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键时期，对此不能有丝毫懈怠，必须集中精力补短板、强长项、开辟新赛道，从根本上快速改变关键核心技术受制于人局面，大幅提高产业链和供应链自主可控能力。

Facing the strategic deployment and schedule requirements for building a strong country, only by accelerating scientific and technological modernization can we smoothly advance Chinese-path modernization. Looking at the history of world development, without the support and leadership of scientific and technological modernization, a country’s modernization process is difficult to sustain and may even fall into various “traps.” Chinese-path modernization not only shares the common features of modernization in various countries but also has distinctive characteristics based on its own national conditions. However, whether it is following the general laws of modernization in various countries or realizing the characteristic goals of Chinese-path modernization, scientific and technological modernization is very crucial. Over the past one hundred years and more, from the May Fourth Movement’s [2]2 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal cultural and political movement that promoted science and democracy as key values for modernizing China. call for “Mr. Science,” to the proposal of the “Four Modernizations” [3]3 The Four Modernizations (四个现代化) were the goals set in the 1960s-70s for modernizing agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology. after the founding of New China, “science and technology are the primary productive forces,” and “innovation is the primary driving force,” scientific and technological modernization has always been an important content and core driving force of China’s modernization process. On the new journey of the New Era, we must rely mainly on our own strength to obtain quality, efficiency, and wealth from scientific and technological innovation, accelerate the development and expansion of new quality productive forces, and use scientific and technological modernization to support and lead Chinese-path modernization.

面对强国建设战略部署和进度要求，只有加快推进科技现代化，才能顺利推进中国式现代化。纵观世界发展史，没有科技现代化的支撑和引领，国家现代化进程很难持续甚至会掉入各种“陷阱”。中国式现代化既有各国现代化的共同特征，更有基于自己国情的鲜明特色，但无论是遵循各国现代化之一般规律，还是实现中国式现代化之特色目标，科技现代化都十分关键。一百多年来，从五四运动提出“赛先生”，到新中国成立后提出“四个现代化”“科学技术是第一生产力”“创新是第一动力”，科技现代化一直是我国现代化进程的重要内容和核心动力。新时代新征程，我们必须主要依靠自身力量从科技创新中要质量、效率和财富，加快发展壮大新质生产力，以科技现代化支撑和引领中国式现代化。

2. Highlighting the Leading Role of Scientific and Technological Innovation

2.突出科技创新的引领作用

In modern society, the education system, the science and technology system, and the talent system all have their indispensable functions and values, and each has its own relative independence and operational characteristics. For example, from a temporal perspective, education development and talent cultivation are “slow variables,” while scientific and technological innovation changes with each passing day and is a “fast variable” that can undergo substantial changes in a short period; from a functional perspective, education development and talent cultivation are multi-objective systems, while the goal of scientific and technological development is relatively singular; from the perspective of evaluation criteria, the evaluation standards for education and talent are more diverse and complex, while those for scientific and technological innovation are relatively focused. The three have their own characteristics, yet they are internally consistent and mutually supportive.

在现代社会，教育系统、科技系统、人才系统都有其不可或缺的功能和价值，且各有各的相对独立性和运行特点。比如，从时间维度看，教育发展和人才培养是“慢变量”，而科技创新日新月异，是能在短时间内发生实质性变化的“快变量”；从功能看，教育发展、人才培养是多目标系统，科技发展的目标则相对单一；从评价标准看，教育、人才评价标准更加多样和复杂，科技创新则相对聚焦。三者各有特点，又内在一致、相互支撑。

As scientific and technological innovation becomes the core driving force of economic and social development, the importance of using science and technology as a traction to promote the integrated development of the education system, the science and technology system, and the talent system is increasingly prominent. The development history of various countries fully demonstrates that whoever can strengthen the organic connection between the education system, the science and technology system, and the talent system, and make major institutional and mechanism innovations in promoting the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, will gain a huge advantage in scientific and technological innovation, economic and social development, and the enhancement of comprehensive national power. Looking at the history of world science and technology development, institutional and mechanism innovations that promote the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, such as establishing national academies of sciences, founding research universities, developing corporate laboratories, and establishing university science and technology parks, have had a profound impact on scientific and technological innovation worldwide.

随着科技创新成为经济社会发展的核心驱动力，以科技为牵引，推进教育系统、科技系统和人才系统一体化发展的重要性愈加凸显。各国发展历程充分表明，谁能加强教育系统、科技系统和人才系统之间的有机联系，在促进教育科技人才一体化发展方面作出重大体制机制创新，谁就能在科技创新、经济社会发展和综合国力提升方面获得巨大优势。从世界科技发展史看，设立国家科学院、创立研究型大学、发展企业实验室、建立高校科技园区等促进教育科技人才一体化发展的体制机制创新，对全世界的科技创新产生了深远影响。

Looking to the future, to enhance the effectiveness of the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, we must deeply understand the complex relationships and basic laws between the scientific and technological revolution, changes in techno-economic paradigms, and changes in social systems, comprehensively grasp the actual conditions and real contexts of China’s scientific and technological development, and highlight the leading role of scientific and technological innovation: gather and cultivate talent through the major tasks of advancing the construction of a science and technology powerhouse; use tangible scientific and technological achievements to test the effectiveness of education development and talent cultivation, enhancing the innovation willingness of the whole society; and drive reforms in the education system and talent development system through institutional and mechanism innovation.

展望未来，要提升教育科技人才一体化发展成效，就必须深刻理解科技革命、技术经济范式变革和社会制度变迁之间的复杂关系和基本规律，全面把握我国科技发展的实际条件和真实情境，突出科技创新的引领作用：以推进科技强国建设重大任务来集聚和培养人才；用实实在在的科技成果来检验教育发展和人才培养成效，提升全社会的创新意愿；通过体制机制创新，带动教育体制和人才发展体制改革。

3. Deepening the Reform of the Science and Technology System to Smooth the Virtuous Cycle of Education, Science and Technology, and Talent

3.深化科技体制改革，畅通教育、科技、人才的良性循环

To coordinate and advance the integrated reform of the institutions and mechanisms for education, science and technology, and talent, we must proceed from the overall situation, do a good job of ideological mobilization and work coordination, balance the relationship between “fast variables” and “slow variables” and between “breaking” and “establishing,” highlight the strategic position of science and technology, take the advancement of building a science and technology powerhouse as an important traction, focus all reforms in education, science and technology, and talent on integrated development, and smooth the virtuous cycle of education, science and technology, and talent.

统筹推进教育科技人才体制机制一体改革，要从大局出发，做好思想动员和工作统筹，平衡好“快变量”和“慢变量”、“破”与“立”之间关系，突出科技的战略性地位，以推进科技强国建设为重要牵引，把教育、科技、人才各方改革都聚焦到一体化发展上来，畅通教育、科技、人才的良性循环。

Take the reform of the evaluation of innovation entities as a key focal point to further activate the innovation vitality of scientific researchers in universities and research institutes. Establish and improve evaluation systems for universities and research institutes oriented towards innovation capability, quality, effectiveness, and contribution, and use the reform of institutional evaluation systems to drive reforms in the evaluation of talent, projects, and bases. Optimize the salary management system for scientific researchers in universities and research institutes, and increase the rewards for scientific and technological innovation performance of scientific researchers. Continue to deeply carry out the “breaking the Four Onlys” [4]4 “Breaking the Four Onlys” (破四唯) is a policy campaign to move away from evaluation criteria that rely only on papers, titles, academic degrees, and awards. action, forming methods and approaches for evaluating science and technology that better reflect innovation quality and are more in line with the laws of scientific research. In the evaluation of scientific research projects and talent projects, pay more attention to the level of innovation and scientific research performance.

把对创新主体的评价改革作为关键着力点，进一步激活高校和科研院所科研人员创新活力。建立健全以创新能力、质量、实效、贡献为导向的高校和科研院所评价制度，以机构评价制度改革带动人才、项目和基地评价制度改革。优化高校和科研院所科研人员薪酬管理体系，加大对科研人员科技创新绩效的奖励力度。持续深入开展“破四唯”行动，形成更能反映创新质量、更加符合科研规律的科技评价方式方法，在科研项目和人才项目评审中，更加关注创新水平和科研绩效。

Facing the needs of building a science and technology powerhouse, strengthen the independent cultivation capacity of scientific and technological innovation talent. Optimize the layout of higher education, accelerate the construction of world-class universities and advantageous disciplines with Chinese characteristics, and achieve a positive interaction between independent scientific and technological innovation and independent talent cultivation. Establish a mechanism for adjusting discipline settings and a talent cultivation model driven by scientific and technological development and national strategic needs, and strengthen the cultivation of top-notch talent and highly skilled talent. Reform the education evaluation system, and in scenarios such as the reform of the college entrance examination and the evaluation of the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate training, take innovation capability as a core indicator running through the entire process. Focus the policy center of gravity for cultivating national strategic talent forces on young scientific and technological talent. University management, talent evaluation, and other work must fully support young talent in taking on major roles and playing leading roles in scientific and technological innovation, and pay attention to identifying and cultivating young talent in major scientific and technological innovation tasks.

面向科技强国建设需求，强化科技创新人才自主培养能力。优化高等教育布局，加快建设中国特色、世界一流的大学和优势学科，实现科技自主创新和人才自主培养良性互动。建立科技发展、国家战略需求牵引的学科设置调整机制和人才培养模式，加强拔尖人才和高技能型人才培养。改革教育评价制度，在高考改革、本科生和研究生培养质量评价等场景中，将创新能力作为贯穿始终的核心指标。把培育国家战略人才力量的政策重心放在青年科技人才上，高校管理、人才评价等工作要全面支持青年人才在科技创新中挑大梁、当主角，注重在重大科技创新任务中识别和培养青年人才。

Optimise the environment for scientific and technological innovation, and attract all kinds of outstanding talent to devote themselves to the cause of scientific and technological innovation. Vigorously publicise models of scientific and technological innovation and the exemplary deeds of scientific and technological workers, and further enhance the sense of honour and social status of scientific and technological personnel. Improve the systems and mechanisms for talent mobility, and smooth the two-way flow channels for talent between universities, research institutes and enterprises. Accelerate the building of high-level talent hubs and talent-gathering platforms, improve the support and guarantee mechanisms for recruiting overseas talent, strengthen the building of an open environment for scientific and technological innovation, and form an open innovation ecosystem with global competitiveness.

优化科技创新环境，吸引各类优秀人才投身科技创新事业。大力宣扬科技创新典范和科技工作者先进事迹，进一步提升科技人员荣誉感和社会地位。健全人才流动体制机制，畅通高校、科研院所和企业人才双向流动渠道。加快建设高水平人才高地和人才集聚平台，完善海外引进人才支持保障机制，加强科技创新开放环境建设，形成具有全球竞争力的开放创新生态。

Guide innovation resources to converge on enterprises, and put into practice the strengthening of enterprises’ principal position in scientific and technological innovation. Deepen the industry-university-research深度融合 [5]5 The term “深度融合” (deep integration) refers to the close, substantive collaboration between industry, universities and research institutes, a key policy goal in China’s innovation system. with enterprises taking the lead, support leading scientific and technological enterprises to take the lead in forming innovation consortia with universities and research institutes, and promote integrated innovation along the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. Support enterprises to take the initiative to lead or participate in national scientific and technological攻关 [6]6 “攻关” (key tasks) refers to tackling critical technical bottlenecks, often in the context of national strategic projects. tasks, and encourage enterprises to dare to use the “most challenging” scientific and technological innovations to identify, gather and cultivate China’s and even the world’s top talent. Accelerate the formation of an all-round, multi-level scientific and technological financial service system with venture capital as the focus, covering the entire life cycle of scientific and technological enterprises.

引导创新资源向企业汇聚，把强化企业科技创新主体地位落到实处。加强企业主导的产学研深度融合，支持科技领军企业牵头与高校、科研院所组建创新联合体，促进产业链上下游融通创新。支持企业主动牵头或参与国家科技攻关任务，鼓励企业勇于以“最具挑战性”的科技创新把中国乃至全球顶尖人才识别出来、集聚起来、培养起来。加快形成以创业投资为重点、覆盖科技企业全生命周期的全方位、多层次科技金融服务体系。

(Authors: Shao Xueqing and Lu Yangxu, respectively Vice-President and Researcher of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development)

（作者：邵学清、卢阳旭，分别系中国科学技术发展战略研究院副院长、研究员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心