On May 8th, 2023, kickoff meeting on the Pilot Programme for Open Innovation (PPOI) was held in Hefei, China.

ZHANG Yaping, CAS Vice President and ZHANG Hongwen, Vice Governor of Anhui Province were in attendance.

The conference was chaired by LIU Jianguo, President of HFIPS,CAS. During the event, Liu Weidong, Deputy Director of BICCAS, read the notice regarding the approval of the PPOI project in magnetic confinement fusion energy research. A promotional video showcasing the PPOI initiative was also played. Additionally, Song Yuntao, Vice president of HFIPS and also director of ASIPP, delivered a report on the main theme of the PPOI project.

Congratulations were extended via video message from Alain Bécoulet, Head of Engineering Domain of ITER.

The event also featured performances by a band from Canadian International School of Hefei, and international experts and student representatives working and studying on Science Island, who put on an impressive show to mark the occasion.

The PPOI will focus on magnetic confinement fusion energy research and aims to build a globally competitive open innovation ecosystem. With the help of big facilities, the program seeks to deepen cooperation with over 120 research institutions from more than 40 countries, including the ITER international organization. This launch signifies CAS's commitment to advancing international scientific cooperation and promoting open innovation.

                                                                                                                                                                        By ZHAO Weiwei