Giving the rapid S&T advances and increasingly fierce international industrial competition, Industry-university-research institution R&D consortia have become one of strategic choice for both the nations and the firms. It is focused on the international experience with the organization and governance of industry-university-research institute R&D consortia, and from the prospective of governments, the roles and mechanisms that the governments can play in promoting R&D consortia are explored. Based on the case study of industry-university-research institution R&D consortia sponsover by Chinese government, some ways for the government to forge industry-university-research institute R&D consortia are proposed.