A previous survey by the China Association for Science and Technology revealed that only about 40% of research funds are actually used for the projects themselves, with a significant amount of research funding being lost outside of projects. This low efficiency in the use of research funds has become a major problem in scientific and technological research and development. The entire chain of research project initiation, fund management, and project review and supervision still operates in an environment of regulatory vacuum due to the lack of necessary legal norms and institutional constraints, relying on inertia and unwritten rules. Improving the efficiency of research fund utilization has become a concern for various departments.
Standardization of scientific research and industry is urgently needed
With the advancement of the "National Strategy of Rejuvenating the Nation through Science and Technology," the country is investing more and more in scientific research, making it crucial to improve the efficiency of research funding utilization. In this regard, a reporter from Yizhong International interviewed Qiu Lijian, Vice President of Oriental Integration. Mr. Qiu believes that equipment leasing is a necessary means to improve the efficiency of research funding utilization.
According to Mr. Qiu, the government invests a huge amount in scientific research every year, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences alone receiving tens of billions of yuan annually. However, despite this massive investment, relatively few research projects actually yield significant results. If you visit universities, you'll find that not many professors are actively engaged in research; most are busy securing funding. Furthermore, the government's management of research funding, whether in universities or other research institutions, is rather lax, and insufficient oversight is another reason for the inefficient use of research funds. However, relying on external oversight is not a long-term solution; only by enhancing initiative within the institutions themselves can this problem be fundamentally solved. Mr. Qiu believes that technology leasing is a necessary means to improve the efficiency of research funding utilization.
What problems can equipment rental actually solve?
First, there is the financial risk. Leasing equipment, compared to purchasing it directly, will inevitably save a significant amount of money.
Secondly, there are technological risks. Many projects only reveal that the initial direction was wrong after they have started, and the initial investment may be completely wasted. However, leasing equipment greatly increases flexibility and allows us to try new things.
In addition, it can indirectly improve project research efficiency. If the funds for purchasing equipment are fixed, there may not be much of a sense of urgency. However, if equipment is leased, in order to save more money, work efficiency will inevitably be guaranteed, ultimately shortening the project cycle.
Finally, for the currently idle instruments and equipment of scientific research institutions, they can be uniformly allocated by the leasing company to maximize their utilization efficiency and make the best use of them.
There is a gap between us and foreign countries; we need to learn from them.
"The investment in a normal project boils down to two main aspects: labor costs and equipment costs. Labor costs are relatively easy to calculate, but it's difficult to calculate the cost of equipment if it's purchased, because the utilization rate of the equipment is unknown. If a piece of equipment needs to be purchased even if it's only used for a few days, it undoubtedly increases the cost significantly and wastes funds. However, if it's leased, the cost is undoubtedly much easier to calculate. That's why we currently have more foreign companies as our clients and fewer state-owned enterprises. This is because domestic companies don't have a strong awareness of leasing, while foreign companies rely on performance evaluations for their internal projects. To maximize efficiency for everyone, they put pressure on everyone."
Regarding the domestic situation, during his exchanges with many universities, Mr. Qiu inquired about the use of research funds and explained the concept of leasing. However, he found that many university teachers were not interested. Mr. Qiu stated that there are many complex factors involved.
First, there's the issue of research project acceptance. National research funding is managed in this way: when the government allocates funds, it's more concerned with how the money is used, how much fixed assets are purchased, and how the money is actually spent. There are relevant regulations; for example, the government stipulates that a certain percentage of research funding must be used to purchase equipment. If you don't have this equipment during project acceptance, it may not pass. Many professors say, "Look, when I apply for national funding, there are many regulations requiring the purchase of equipment; without it, I won't pass acceptance." For many professors, they may not necessarily want to purchase that much fixed assets.
Secondly, there's the issue of research funding allocation. For example, regulations stipulate that this money must be spent by December; otherwise, it cannot be used, and there will be no more funding the following year. At that time, many research institutes and universities make haphazard purchases. Currently, many instruments in universities are brand new, even unopened, resulting in a double waste of funds and resources.
These problems can be attributed to policy. From a national perspective, a lot of money has been invested, but there are many unique Chinese characteristics in national management.
Mr. Qiu explained that the user group of domestic equipment rental companies is gradually showing a common characteristic: "You've heard of outsourcing services, right? Many scientific research projects now involve outsourcing. For example, the testing phase. In this regard, outsourcing companies often lease equipment themselves because it's similar to bidding, and the equipment required for each project is different."
Mr. Qiu stated, "Many suggestions are addressed to both the government and enterprises." In fact, leasing services can truly solve numerous problems for scientific research because they allow for more efficient use of funds, reducing costs and risks, and providing greater flexibility. It's well known that scientific research is a high-investment, high-risk industry, requiring significant upfront investment of human, material, and financial resources, but the final results may not meet expectations. The emergence of technology leasing companies can effectively address these issues, ultimately reducing or even eliminating research corruption. It is believed that the government will continue to improve and refine these policies.
As a leading integrated service provider in China's electronic test and measurement field, Dongfang Integrated is the country's first leading technology leasing service provider, offering short-term, medium-term, and long-term leasing, sale-leaseback, and subleasing services for electronic measuring instruments. With tens of thousands of instrument models and ample global inventory, Dongfang Integrated provides a wide range of product choices and fast delivery services. No matter where you are, Dongfang Integrated's nationwide service network can design a leasing solution tailored to your needs.
