Research Center for Technological Innovation, Tsinghua University (RCTI) was established in 2000. Its predecessor was the Institute of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University, and it is based on the Department of Technological Economics and Management of the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University. In 2003,RCTI applied to become a key research base for humanities and social sciences of the Ministry of Education, and was approved in November 2004. The discipline point relied on by RCTI was approved as one of the first batch of doctoral programs in the field of technological economics in 1986. In 1988, it was rated as the only national key discipline point in this major. It was re - designated as a national key discipline point in 2002 and 2007.
Development History
(1) The discipline point of Technological Economics and Management, which RCTI relies on, began to be constructed in 1979. It was approved as one of the first batch of doctoral programs in this major in 1986, rated as the only national key discipline point in this major in 1988, and re - designated as a national key discipline point in 2002 and 2007.
(2) In March 2000, the Research Center for Technological Innovation, Tsinghua University was established based on this discipline point.
(3) In November 2004, RCTI was approved as a "Key Research Base for Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education".
(4) In 2005, the "Research Center for Modern Management and Technological Innovation", established with the Center as one of the main forces, was approved as a national innovation base for philosophy and social sciences.
(5) From 2013 to 2014, Professor Chen Jin served as the director of the Center. The Academic Committee members were re - organized, and an International Advisory Committee was established.
(6) From 2015 to 2016, RCTI founded the International Conference on Innovation and Knowledge Management (iKM), the International Conference on Innovation Studies (ICIS), and initiated the National Symposium on Innovation Management Research and Teaching.
(7) From 2017 to 2018, RCTI founded the international journal International Journal of Innovation Studies, and was awarded the Annual Valuable Organization by the China Management Science Society.
(8) From 2019 to 2020, RCTI was selected as a source unit of the Chinese Think Tank Index and founded the R&D and Innovation Management Forum for World - Class Enterprises.
(9) From 2021 to 2022, RCTI was re - selected as a source unit of the Chinese Think Tank Index.
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Target Positioning
RCTI believes that scholars in this field in China need to pay attention to and actively participate in academic issues of common international concern, conduct independent and collaborative research, gain more recognition from international peers, and make international academic contributions. However, it is even more important to make creative academic and practical contributions in combination with China's national conditions and develop innovation theories based on developing countries, which is also of concern to the international academic community. Our basic positioning should be "Both Chinese and Global", that is, conducting research based on the Chinese context to meet the needs of China's economic and social development. At the same time, its theoretical and practical application achievements should have global significance and contribute to international academic construction. Since China has listed independent innovation as a national strategy, RCTI will take this as the basic starting point for its research and construction.
Center Mission
First, as a national key research base focusing on technological innovation, RCTI should contribute to China's implementation of the independent innovation strategy, provide theoretical support for the implementation of national strategies, closely integrate with China's reality, and provide support for national, industrial, regional, and enterprise innovation decision - making. It aims to become an important think tank in the field of Chinese technological innovation and an internationally first - class research institution in the field of innovation.
Second, based on Chinese practices, strengthen international cooperation, improve the internationalization level of the established theories, strive to be inspiring for other developing countries, and make international academic contributions.
Third, take the above - mentioned research work as an opportunity to improve the research level and capabilities of RCTI, enabling RCTI to enter the advanced ranks in this international field.
Fourth, cultivate and drive the research team in this field in China, and play an important role in improving the overall research level of this field in China.
Development Vision
Around 2035, RCTI will achieve leading breakthroughs in the research on the theoretical and methodological system of scientific and technological innovation with Chinese characteristics, aiming at the construction of a world - class scientific and technological power and high - level scientific and technological self - reliance. It will become a world - class research institution for scientific and technological innovation policies and management. It will provide intellectual support for major decision - making in national and regional scientific and technological innovation, and offer high - quality policy recommendations for regional, industrial, and enterprise scientific and technological innovation. It will optimize the quality of talents, introduce academic leaders with certain influence in the international and domestic academic circles, cultivate high - level innovative research and management practice talents, and build a talent echelon in the discipline of scientific and technological innovation. It will create world - class mainstream academic journals in innovation research and well - known core collections in the domestic management field, enhance the influence of brand conferences, strengthen the construction of the digital platform of the Center, and further improve the knowledge sharing and international influence of the Center.
RCTI will continue to improve its scientific research and academic level, refine key directions, and form disciplinary agglomeration advantages. It will carry out organized and interdisciplinary scientific research to achieve more mission - driven scientific research achievements. It will focus on researching key issues of high - level scientific and technological self - reliance, and provide systematic theoretical support and feasible scientific decision - making references for building a national innovation system with Chinese characteristics that meets the requirements of the mission of high - level scientific and technological self - reliance.
