Abstract: Based on the questionnaires of Hubei Province, China, an empirical and comparative analysis on the collaborative models of Industry-University-Research institute Collaboration (IURC) has been conducted from two aspects of company and university, and then the investigation results are compared with related research results at home and abroad. A three-grad structure of collaborative models in IURC is put forward and an explanatory framework of collaborative models in China is constructed. The research results indicate that co-research is the prevalent model for IURC, and other models, such as talents exchange and consultation, cooperative biding for government projects, constructing laboratory and research platform together, and contract research, have been employed quite often; however technology transfer and setting up new companies take a second place. Finally, some conclusions and revelations are formed as follows: (1) the usage frequency of collaborative models of IURC in China has a distinct gradient gradation. (2) Using technology transfer rate for the main evaluation index becomes the hazard of the sound development of IURC. (3) The focus of IURC should be turned from technology transferring to upgrading technology innovation capability of companies. (4) The model of meetings and conferences is one of cooperative models that are worth studying and probing.

Key words: IURC, collaborative model, comparison, empirical analysis