The Shanxi University Science Park at Shanxi University in Shanxi province was recently recognized as a national university science park by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education.

National university science parks are widely regarded as an integral part of the national innovation system.

Relying on universities with strong scientific research capabilities, national university science parks are said to provide platforms and services for the commercialization of the scientific and technological achievements of colleges and universities.

They also help with the incubation of high-tech enterprises, training of innovative and entrepreneurial talent and the integration of production, education and research.

Once recognized as a national university science park, the park is exempt from business tax, income tax, real estate tax and urban land use tax for a certain period of time.

In recent years, Shanxi University Science Park has established service platforms for the transformation of sci-tech achievements to serve Shanxi's socioeconomic development. These have included three national-level platforms, five provincial-level platforms and one municipal platform.

It has also assisted in the development of four companies listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations, also known as the New Third Board. Furthermore, it has helped 13 high-tech enterprises, two enterprises above a designated size -- those with annual business revenue exceeding 20 million yuan ($3.13 million) -- and 27 high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises.

Last year, the park established 10 major sci-tech innovation centers, of which the Health Technology Innovation Center has been selected as a new R&D institution incubator by the Shanxi Department of Industry and Information Technology.

Seizing the recognition as an opportunity, the National University Science Park of Shanxi University reportedly plans to promote the transformation of sci-tech achievements and scientific and technological innovation.

It will increase the integration of education and technology, to build a high-level comprehensive research university and make new contributions to the development of Shanxi.