It is not only in the field of project contracting, but also in the field of scientific research. At present, the orientation of scientific research "judging success or failure by projects" has forced researchers to actively compete for projects, hoard projects, and subcontract them if they can't finish their work; Some scientific research institutions monopolize large projects and act as "setters" of projects; Even some scientific researchers "hide secrets" in the project, illegally obtaining project funds by means of false subcontracting, false outsourcing, false reporting of service fees, etc.
The subcontracting of scientific research projects seriously deviates from the original intention of scientific research: instead of seriously carrying out academic research and striving for the achievement of independent intellectual property rights with original value, academic research is turned into a game of competing for and allocating resources. This is also one of the manifestations of the academic research that has been criticized for "valuing project establishment and ignoring research". Many researchers put their energy into applying for project establishment. After applying for the project, they did not put their energy into academic research, but packaged the results, and then applied for new projects based on the projects and packaging results they had obtained. Some people became "academic contractors". In order to control this distorted phenomenon of academic research, we must reform our scientific research management and academic evaluation system.
Why does academic research have the problem of "emphasizing project establishment over research"? This is because many scientific research projects are led by administrative departments, and the universities and scientific research institutions where researchers work regard obtaining projects as the achievements of researchers. That is to say, as long as the project is available and the research has not been carried out, it has already achieved success, which will lead everyone's energy to apply for the topic, and specific academic research is ignored instead. In the academic world, there was even an academic hidden rule that "once said, it was done, and once done, it was done".
The project oriented academic research has changed the heads of some research groups into salesmen who participate in the review everywhere and apply for academic topics. After applying for the project, it was handed over to the young teachers and students of the project team. The salesperson who did a good job in "business" gradually became the "academic contractor" after getting familiar with the project designer. However, those researchers who really do research are difficult to apply for the project because they have no connections. In the process of setting up academic research projects in China, special attention is also paid to the "title" and identity of researchers, and "title" and identity are also linked to the project. For example, if a person wins a certain subject or is shortlisted for a certain plan, he or she will become a winner of a certain fund or a certain scholar. This is one of the important criteria for the next application for a subject or project. This leads to the "titling" of academic evaluation and the interest of academic titles.
Originally, getting a scientific research project or being selected into a talent plan was just to provide funding for researchers to better carry out academic research. However, the current situation is based on whether to obtain projects and plans, and the level and quantity of projects and plans.
These problems have attracted the attention of the state. In July this year, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Project Review, Talent Evaluation, and Institutional Evaluation, which requires that the plan for scientific and technological talents should be coordinated, the coordination between departments and local governments should be strengthened, and a mechanism for reviewing and handling the application of talent projects should be established to prevent violations of talent application, Avoid multiple similar talent projects supporting the same talent at the same time; It is necessary to establish a correct talent evaluation and use orientation, adhere to the correct value orientation, and do not regard the honorary title of talents as a restrictive condition for undertaking various national science and technology projects, obtaining national science and technology awards, professional title evaluation, post employment, and salary determination, so as to return the talent title to its academic and honorary nature, and avoid simple and direct connection with material interests. This is the titling of governance academic evaluation and the interest of academic titles.
However, it should be noted that when promoting the reform of academic management and evaluation, it is the academic vested interests with various academic titles who lead the reform (including the "academic contractors" who can obtain many projects). It is difficult for them to open their eyes to their own interests. Therefore, to promote the reform, we must reform the traditional reform mechanism and listen to young teachers According to the opinions of scientific researchers, the reform plan to break through the barriers of vested interests shall be formulated and strictly implemented. In the specific academic management and evaluation, it is necessary to promote the de administration of academic management and evaluation, and implement the management and evaluation based on the academic standard. That is, when an academic project is established, academic peer evaluation should be carried out, and whoever has the ability to make research will be given, rather than depending on the title and identity of the applicant; When conducting academic research, the academic community should evaluate the research progress and achievements, so as to guide scholars to devote their energies to real academic research.
(Author: Xiong Bingqi, Vice President of the 21st Century Education Research Institute)
