The Hai'an government signed a cooperation agreement with Jiangsu University of Science and Technology on April 18, marking a new milestone in the city's efforts to integrate industry, academia, and research. At the same event, two key platforms were unveiled: the Hai'an-JUST Talent Workstation and the JUST Marine Industry (Hai'an) Intelligent Equipment Collaboration Base.

"Industry-academia-research collaboration is not just about technology transactions — it's about working together to create value," said Lu Jianyin of the Hai'an Science and Technology Bureau. From January to March 2024, Hai'an saw agreements signed on 106 new collaborative projects, with technology contracts totaling 3.6 billion yuan ($495.71 million), ranking among the forefront of Jiangsu's county-level cities.

Hai'an has established a robust innovation system: companies identify practical needs, universities tackle those challenges, and research institutions share in the resulting benefits. In 2024, the commercialization rate of collaborative research outcomes rose to 65 percent, and over 60 percent of Hai'an's new industrial sales stemmed from these partnerships.

Enterprises like Xinghua Tape, which began collaborating with universities in 2010, and Jiangsu Dongcai New Materials, which invested heavily in R&D and strategic materials, exemplify this success. Meanwhile, Simba New Materials, a solar PV glass manufacturer, has leveraged partnerships and innovation to increase its sales from 230 million yuan in 2022 to an expected 1.2 billion yuan in 2024.

Hai'an continues to host annual innovation-themed events and engages top academic talent, attracting over 400 professors and 20 academicians in the past three years. Through sustained collaboration and a focus on solving core technological bottlenecks, Hai'an is positioning itself as a hub for emerging industries and future productivity.