Interpretation of the ''Administrative Measures for the Open Sharing of National Major Scientific Research Infrastructure and Large-scale Scientific Instruments''

I. What are the main contents and scope of application of the "Measures"?

The "Measures" consist of five chapters: General Provisions, Management Responsibilities, Open Sharing, Assessment and Rewards/Penalties, and Supplementary Provisions.

The "Measures" clarify the scope of national major scientific research infrastructure and large-scale scientific instruments included in open sharing; clarify the responsibilities of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, relevant ministries and commissions of the State Council, local governments, and management units in open sharing work; make requirements on the management units' system construction, team building, service fees, and intellectual property rights; stipulate the principles, assessment methods, assessment procedures, and uses of assessment results for evaluation and assessment work; establish a post-evaluation subsidy mechanism; and formulate punitive measures.

The "Measures" apply to central-level research and development institutions, universities, and other institutions. Relevant departments shall formulate or revise relevant management regulations and implementation rules in accordance with these Measures and in light of their actual circumstances; local governments may refer to these Measures for implementation. 

II. What is the scope of major scientific research infrastructure and large-scale scientific instruments in the "Measures"?

The "Measures" mainly refer to various major scientific research infrastructures and large-scale scientific instruments used for scientific research and technological development activities, constructed and purchased with government budgetary funds, and scientific instruments and equipment with a single set value of 500,000 yuan or more.

Major scientific research infrastructure refers to major scientific research systems that have received large-scale investment from government budgetary funds, have been completed through a long-term engineering project, and generally require long-term stable operation and continuous scientific and technological activities to achieve important scientific and technological or public service goals. This includes national major science and technology infrastructure approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, such as the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider and the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, as well as other major scientific research infrastructure projects initiated by various departments and units, such as various wind tunnels and supercomputing centers.

Large-scale scientific instruments refer to instruments and equipment with an original value of 500,000 yuan or more that directly serve scientific research and technological development activities, including scientific research and teaching instruments, but excluding auxiliary equipment such as various power equipment and mechanical equipment, and also excluding instruments and equipment used for production.

III. What are the division of responsibilities among departments and management units in the management of open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments?

The Measures clearly define the division of responsibilities among science and technology authorities, relevant departments of the State Council, competent authorities, and management units in the work of open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments. The specific division of responsibilities is as follows:

The Ministry of Science and Technology is responsible for the macro-management and comprehensive coordination of open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments, promoting and supervising the work of open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments, and, together with relevant departments, establishing and managing a national network management platform and evaluation system for scientific research facilities and instruments, and organizing and carrying out evaluation and assessment work for open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments.

The Ministry of Finance coordinates and promotes the open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments, and, based on the evaluation and assessment results, provides support through a post-subsidy mechanism to management units with good open sharing effects and high user evaluations of scientific research facilities and instruments. It also, together with relevant departments, promotes the optimal allocation of scientific research facilities and instruments based on the evaluation and assessment results.

The competent department is responsible for establishing and improving policies and regulations for the open sharing of its research facilities and instruments, encouraging its directly affiliated research institutions, universities, and other units to share innovative resources such as instruments, equipment, and experimental platforms; reviewing information on research facilities and instruments submitted to the national network management platform by its subordinate units, supervising and guiding the open sharing work of its subordinate units; and organizing evaluation and assessment of the open sharing work of its subordinate units.

The management unit is the responsible entity for the open sharing of research facilities and instruments. Its main responsibilities include implementing relevant national policies and requirements, formulating its own regulations and regulations for the open sharing of research facilities and instruments; establishing and improving incentive and constraint mechanisms for the open sharing of research facilities and instruments; building an online service platform for the open sharing of research facilities and instruments; strengthening the development of experimental technical personnel; cooperating with relevant departments in the evaluation and assessment of open sharing, and accepting public supervision.

IV. What measures in the "Measures" guarantee the effective implementation of the open sharing of research facilities and instruments?

First, reasonable fees are allowed for external sharing services to protect the reasonable interests of the entities providing open sharing. The "Measures" stipulate that research facility and instrument management units may charge fees for providing open sharing services based on cost recovery and non-profit principles, and the fee standards should be published to the public in an appropriate manner. Relevant income of administrative and public institutions shall be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations on the paid use of state-owned assets. Universities and research institutes may, in accordance with relevant regulations, improve their internal cost accounting systems and establish a paid service revenue and expenditure management system to safeguard their reasonable interests.

Second, a post-subsidy mechanism will be used to encourage open sharing. The Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with relevant departments, will provide post-subsidy funding to management units with good open service performance and high user evaluations, based on evaluation and assessment results and the requirements of fiscal budget management.

Third, support for experimental technicians will be strengthened to enhance the enthusiasm of frontline technicians for open sharing. The Measures stipulate that management units of scientific research facilities and instruments should establish and stabilize high-level, professional experimental technical service teams, and implement incentive policies and measures in areas such as job setting, business training, salary and benefits, professional title promotion, and evaluation and assessment.

V. What are the specific requirements for the evaluation and assessment of open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments proposed in the Measures?

The Measures make specific provisions for the evaluation and assessment of open sharing from four aspects: the organization of the assessment, the assessment methods, the assessment objects, and the assessment results.

Regarding the organization of the assessment... The evaluation and assessment of the open sharing of scientific research facilities and instruments is jointly organized and implemented by the Ministry of Science and Technology in conjunction with relevant departments. The assessment will be conducted through pilot programs and phased implementation. Management units with a large number of scientific research instruments, a concentration of large-scale instruments, and significant demand for open sharing will be selected for initial assessment, and the assessment will be gradually expanded based on the experience gained.

Regarding the assessment methods: Corresponding assessment indicators and methods will be developed based on the characteristics of different types of scientific research facilities and instruments, and a categorized assessment will be implemented; assessments will be conducted in phases based on the different characteristics of the management units of scientific research facilities and instruments.

Regarding the assessment targets: Major scientific research infrastructure will be assessed separately, while other large-scale instruments will be assessed based on the management unit. All eligible large-scale instruments of the management unit will be assessed as a whole.

Regarding the assessment results: The assessment results will be published on the national network management platform and will have three applications. First, the post-subsidy mechanism mentioned above. Second, the construction and configuration of scientific research facilities and instruments. The "Measures" stipulate that the assessment results should serve as the basis for the construction and configuration of scientific research facilities and instruments. The review and evaluation of proposed new facilities and newly purchased instruments should be combined with the assessment results. For management units with poor performance evaluation results, penalties will be imposed, including reducing the next year's repair and procurement funds and prohibiting the purchase of instruments and equipment when applying for science and technology programs (special projects, funds). Thirdly, the impact on relevant responsible parties: The "Measures" stipulate that for management units with poor performance evaluation results, the Ministry of Science and Technology, in conjunction with relevant departments, will issue warnings and order them to rectify within a specified period. Those failing to fulfill their sharing obligations as required will have their responsible personnel disciplined by the competent department.

VI.what are the specific requirements of the "Measures" for including scientific research facilities and instruments in the national network management platform?

The "Opinions" clearly require that all eligible scientific research facilities and instruments be included in the unified management of the national network management platform.

The "Measures" stipulate that management units should, within 30 working days from the date of completion of installation and acceptance of scientific research facilities and instruments, submit relevant information on scientific research facilities and instruments that meet the conditions for opening to the national network management platform in accordance with unified standards and requirements. For those not yet included, the management unit should submit an application, which, after review and approval by the competent department, should be reported to the Ministry of Science and Technology for record-keeping. Meanwhile, the Measures also require management units to establish and improve records of the operation and accessibility of scientific research facilities and instruments, and to report them to the national network management platform once a quarter.