A newly established institute is linking China's Chongqing University (CQU) with Silicon Valley-based Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), a Xerox Company, and tightly.

The inauguration ceremony of the CQU-PARC Innovation Institute was held on July 16 at Chongqing University. The institute is committed to enhancing scientific and technological innovation, cultivating innovative talent and achieving scientific-technologic commercialization.

"The Institute will focus on joint R&D, with the aim of teaching Chongqing students and faculty about PARC innovation practices, as well as commercializing technologies through companies that will collaborate with PARC and the university," said Scott Elrod, vice-president and director of hardware systems laboratory research organization at PARC.

Founded in 1970, PARC is one of the top high-tech laboratories in the US. It is the birthplace of many technologies such as the Ethernet, the laser printer, the graphical user interface and ubiquitous computing. PARC is also famous for its highly talented expert team of more than 200 scientists and engineers in physics, computer science and sociology.

"PARC will provide source technologies for joint R&D projects, where PARC researchers and Chongqing University staff can work side by side," Elrod said.

The primary emphasis, according to Elrod, will be on environmental technologies, including water treatment, solar energy and smart buildings. PARC will also provide innovation training, including how PARC operates in an open innovation framework, approaches to managing innovation and paths to commercial output.

The CQU-PARC Innovation Institute is PARC's first major engagement with a university in China. The decision to team up with Chongqing University was made after a year of talks and research.

Elrod himself has visited Chongqing several times to exchanged views on the potential cooperation, "field trips" that boosted the vice-president's confidence in cooperating with Chongqing University, he said.

"Chongqing University has a very aggressive vision to develop new practices to train students in innovation, and ground their education in practical commercial experience. In addition, our collaborators understand the value of intellectual property, and the need to protect it," Elrod said.

"Chongqing as a city has a strong commitment to commercial innovation, and is a major force in the economic expansion for the western part of China," he said.

In addition to CQU-PARC Innovation Institute, Chong-qing University, Chongqing SCI-Tech Venture Capital Guilding Fund Co Ltd and other companies have jointly established Chongqing Weiyuan Science & Technology Innovation Institute Co Ltd as well.

Wu Gang, deputy mayor of Chongqing, had high praise for those collaborations, saying there were good ties between the university in Chongqing and world-renowned research institutes and local enterprises.

"I'm hoping this cooperation will improve the city's scientific research and innovation capacity, boosting the city's key industries, especially the high-tech ones," Wu said.

yuwei12@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 07/23/2013 page2)