The second Overseas Academicians' Qingdao Tour and Qingdao International Academicians Forum kicked off in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province on Aug 18, attracting 109 academicians from 22 countries and regions.

The theme of this year's event is "implementing new ideas, fostering new kinetic energy and promoting new development".

The forum's keynote speeches and seminars center on biomedicines, new-generation information technologies, high-end equipment manufacturing and new energy and new materials.

Representatives from 218 enterprises, 106 universities and research institutions participated in the event.

Danny Shechtman, an Israeli scientist who won the 2011 Nobel Prize for chemistry and an academician of the National Academy of Engineering, said: "As a scientist in the field of chemistry, I am now focusing on early childhood science and education training. I own many such kind of training schools in Israel. Children there can learn science and education knowledge in kindergarten. Under the background of internationalization, I hope to copy this model in the Qingdao International Academicians Park and make my scientific and technological achievements known and understood by more people in the world, so that people can develop scientific interest and make progress by referring to my process of learning and success."

He said that he was satisfied with the park's hardware, research environment and government support policies. 

"This eco-innovation model is bound to succeed. I hope that I have the opportunity to participate in it and make my own contribution to the region," Danny added. 

"I am engaged in geophysical research. The promising technology can be used to monitor environmental pollution, predict ecological changes and check the effect of environmental control measures. It is a pity that people do not pay enough attention to this technology. I am looking forward to carrying out relevant application and promotion work in the Qingdao International Academician Park and presenting my research results in Qingdao," said Petr Martyshko, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  

The event has achieved remarkable results in the number of academicians, enterprises, financial institutions, universities and scientific research institutions willing to sign agreements. Of the 109 academicians, 49 signed full-time contracts. Of 218 enterprises and financial institutions, 53 reached cooperation intentions. Forty-one of 106 universities and scientific research institutions signed contracts with Qingdao International Academicians Park.

Previously, the first phase of the Qingdao International Academicians Park had signed 108 well-known domestic and international academicians, of whom 81 or 75 percent were foreign. About 16 academician projects have been put into operation.

Construction of Qingdao International Academicians Park has been included in the "General Plan for the Construction of the New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Pilot Area of Shandong" approved by the State Council, and is expected to lead to major international science projects.

By the end of 2018, the park is expected to see more than 30 academician projects underway, with business income exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.46 billion) and tax revenue exceeding one billion yuan.

The 256-acre second phase and the 3,053-acre academician core area are accelerating construction. The academician industry fund, the academician industry accelerator and the academician technical forum have been successfully launched, which has promoted the transformation and industrialization of academician projects and formed an academician economic and ecological system.

The second Overseas Academicians' Qingdao Tour and Qingdao International Academicians Forum opens in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province on Aug 18. [Photo/dzwww.com] 

The launch ceremony of the Qingdao International Academicians Forum is held on Aug 18 in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]    

The second Overseas Academicians' Qingdao Tour and Qingdao International Academicians Forum, held at the city's international conference center, helps overseas academicians to learn more about China. [Photo/dzwww.com] 

The Qingdao International Academician Park in Licang district, Qingdao. [Photo provided to China Daily]