The construction of the Xi'an Beilin University-based Key & Core Technology Innovation Block was launched both online and offline at the Xi'an Innovation Design Center – located in Beilin district, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province – on June 10.

 The launch event was guided by the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Science & Technology, and hosted by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Xi'an municipal people's government.

The construction of the Xi'an Beilin University-based Key & Core Technology Innovation Block is launched in Xi'an on June 10. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

More than 70 people attended in the event, including leaders at all levels, representatives of colleges and universities, enterprises and financial institutions, and experts.

The block is one of the first pilot projects identified by the Ministry of Science & Technology, and undertakes the pilot task of a clustered innovation block for colleges and universities, according to Jia Jingdun, director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Science & Technology

The block plans a "one axis, three districts and seven innovation circles" spatial layout. One axis will build the L-shaped innovation block along Youyi Road-Jinhua South Road.

Jia Jingdun, director of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Science & Technology, gives a speech via video link. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The three districts will build three intelligence-intensive industrial clusters with Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, and Xi'an Jiaotong University at the core.

The seven innovation circles will focus on the characteristic disciplines of the surrounding colleges and universities.

At the launch ceremony, agreements for four university achievement transformation projects and two investment and financing projects for the block were signed.

The Beilin district government also signed a co-construction agreement for the block with 14 universities, which will jointly promote key & core technological innovation and entrepreneurship and local transformation of achievements.

The Beilin district government signs the co-construction agreement for the block with 14 universities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]