Abstract:    Promoting the transformation of S&T achievements is an important measure to facilitate a virtuous cycle of education, S&T, and talents. Clarifying the promotion mechanism of universities′ technology transfer will help to build a comprehensive system that supports innovation. Using the universities′ patent sales data at provincial-level regions from 2010 to 2020, this paper analyzed the promotion effect and mechanism of the Law on Promoting the S&T Achievements Transformation (Revised Edition) on the S&T achievements transformation of universities by the generalized DID method. The study found that: (1) The implementation of the revised law significantly promotes universities′ S&T achievements transformation. Specifically, the provinces with greater impact from the Law on Promoting the S&T Achievements Transformation (Revised Edition) have higher level of patent sales contracts, which means the greater the improvement in the S&T achievements transformation level. (2) The implementation of the revised law promotes universities′ S&T achievements transformation by stimulating researchers′ enthusiasm for developing scientific and technological achievements with higher transfer value. (3) The implementation of the revised law promotes universities′ S&T achievements transformation by exempting individuals from the responsibility risks associated with technology transfer. This study has revealed the incentive mechanisms for promoting the transformation of S&T achievements from the perspectives of researchers and universities, and it will provide some decision-making references for further reforms of the system and mechanisms related to promoting S&T achievements transformation.

Key words: industry-university-research institute (IUR), S&T achievement transformation, patent sale, incentive mechanism