On 18 July 2019, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), jointly issued the Work Plan for Enhancing Research in Mathematical Sciences (Guo Ke Ban Ji [2019] No. 61). The Work Plan is a response to the Several Opinions on Comprehensively Enhancing Research in Basic Sciences (Guo Fa [2018] No. 4) issued by the State Council in January 2018, and in particular to its demand of “increasing the inclination to key basic research disciplines such as mathematics and physics”.
The Work Plan outlines six main tasks to be undertaken in three main areas:
- Continue to provide stable support to basic mathematical sciences: (i) researchers will continue to be encouraged to launch free, exploratory basic research on new mathematical principles, theories and methods, in key and major areas at the frontier of science (identified and guided by MOST). The percentage of exploratory mathematics basic research projects within the National Natural Science Fund will be increased. (ii) Universities and research structures are encouraged to establish basic mathematics centres, also through funding received by MOE and CAS. A series of major high-level innovative and original research projects will be supported. Popularisation and education in the field of mathematics should be enhanced, particularly by increasing links with secondary schools (education materials, trainings, etc.).
- Strengthen research on applied mathematics: (iii) an ad hoc “Mathematics and cross-disciplinary research” NKP will be established, in order to contribute – through mathematics – to solve bottlenecks and key scientific issues for core technological development in strategic fields, projects and public security. These include, in particular, engineering computing, big data and artificial intelligence, computer mathematics, control and optimisation of complex systems, ICT, energy and environment, oceans, biopharma, financial security. (iv) Universities, research structures and enterprises are encouraged to established applied mathematics centres, also through funding received by local governments, enterprises, and other actors from the society.
- Continue to promote and deepen high-level domestic-international exchanges and cooperation: (v) continue to address key scientific issues in mathematics and cross-disciplinary studies through various cooperation and exchange platforms, such as the Xiangshan Science Conference and the NSFC Shuangqing Forum. (vi) International cooperation will be enhanced also through the NSFC’s Tianyuan Fund for Mathematics. Chinese researchers in mathematics will be encouraged to “going global”, while high-level foreign researchers and students will be encouraged to come to China to conduct research, cooperation and exchanges.
External link:
http://www.most.gov.cn/mostinfo/xinxifenlei/fgzc/gfxwj/gfxwj2019/201907/t20190718_147853.htm
See also:
State Council’s Several Opinions on Comprehensively Enhancing Research in Basic Sciences (Guo Fa [2018] No. 4) (in Chinese)