In order to promote the construction of a full-cycle technology assessment system for scientific research projects with technology readiness level (TRL) as the core, the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) has recently conducted the technology readiness assessment (TRA) of projects and the relevant training respectively.
Launching TRA of key R&D funding projects
In view of the new attempt of establishment and implementation of the full-cycle assessment system for scientific research projects, and in order to verify its applicability in practice, FDCT commissioned the Assessment Center to organize experts and take pilot TRA on key R&D funding projects on July 19, aiming to learn about the possible problems that may occur during the process of project implementation, and further improve the assessment work.
After assessment, the experts remarked that each of the three projects has a relatively-high TRL, with some of the technical indicators having reached the international advanced level. Some research finding has already been put into trial operation in a number of enterprises or hospitals, with a promising prospect of application and industrialization. All the research teams said that TRA could guide the team in a more effective manner, and continuously facilitate the industrialization of the projects.
Experts suggest that further efforts should be made to promote TRA, so as to provide research teams with a clearer understanding and reasonable judgment of their projects, such as project objectives, project structured decomposition, expected results in the industrial chain, and industrialization prospect.
Training for local scientific researchers
In order to help Macao researchers further understand the relevant TRA system, FDCT invited experts from the National Center for Science & Technology Evaluation as mentors to provide the “Technology Readiness Assessment Training” on July 18, which was attended by more than 80 representatives from local higher education institutions, hospitals, enterprises and other units in Macao.
Establishment of TRA system
Since 2021, FDCT has launched an assessment system in phases for scientific research projects. With the full support of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC, FDCT teamed up with the National Center for Science & Technology Evaluation, an expert in science and technology project assessment, to establish the full-cycle assessment system in three phases (prior period, mid-term and project conclusion), detailed rules and assessment management methods for supervision, with the reference to the experience and practices of domestic and foreign science and technology departments. Currently, the full-cycle technology assessment system for scientific research projects with TRL as the core has been initially established. Through comprehensive and objective indicators, people can learn more about the technical status of funding projects more precisely, as well as better monitor and evaluate the actual progress of projects and the achievement of project objectives upon project conclusion.
FDCT will sum up experience in this assessment, constantly review and improve the full-cycle assessment system for scientific research projects, and further implement this system in the mid-term and final assessment for more and more key projects in the future, in an effort to facilitate the application-oriented development and industrialization of scientific research in Macao.
Photo 1: TRA session of key R&D funding projects
Photo 2: Deputy Director of National Center for Science & Technology Evaluation Wu Sihong is lecturing
Photo 3: Researchers are active in question-raising