Reported by multiple domestic media outlets on August 21, 2020.
On the morning of August 21, the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences held a press conference and released its “Ten Major Opinions” on breaking the “Four Principles” — a reference to the longstanding practice of evaluating researchers primarily by papers, titles, degrees, and awards. By combining what to dismantle with what to establish, the Academy aimed to reflect its unique institutional character and guide researchers toward the frontline of agricultural production to realize their professional value.
Among the ten opinions, it was explicitly stated that published papers and authorized patents would no longer receive any monetary rewards. Instead, metrics related to the practical transformation and application of research outcomes would serve as the direct basis for competing for professional and technical positions.
Vice President Zhang Liming stated that these ten opinions aimed to break free from the “Four Principles,” emphasize scientific spirit, innovation quality, and service contribution, and guide researchers to embrace the values of “standing tall while staying grounded — science for the people.”
The full text of the ten opinions is as follows:
1. Published papers and authorized patents shall no longer receive any rewards.
2. If a single crop variety becomes one of the top three nationwide or the number one variety in Shandong Province, the researcher may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
3. If a single product achieves a market share among the top three nationally, or an application coverage rate of 10% or above nationwide, the researcher may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
4. If a single technology is listed among the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ promoted technologies or “Top Ten Leading Technologies,” or if the researcher participates in drafting international standards, they may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
5. Those who achieve breakthroughs in “bottleneck” key technologies in their field may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
6. If the realized revenue from the transformation of a single research achievement reaches 10 million yuan or more, the researcher may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
7. Those who found a technology-based enterprise with an annual output value exceeding 100 million yuan may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
8. Dedicated technology transfer personnel who facilitate cumulative annual realized revenue of 50 million yuan or more from technology transformations may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
9. Those who create model templates for rural revitalization or management service innovation, and whose models are disseminated nationwide or province-wide by higher authorities, may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
10. Those who work long-term at the grassroots production frontline, serve agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, make outstanding contributions, and gain broad social recognition may directly compete for a professional and technical position at Level 4 or above.
It must be said that the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences moved quickly — they were the first to eat the crab. However, these ten opinions are fundamentally at odds with the laws of science, let alone consistent with the developmental positioning of the Academy itself.
I am not an agricultural scientist and do not claim to understand the nuances of agricultural research. But even so, these ten opinions are deeply unfriendly to basic research and young scholars. Perhaps the policymakers want researchers to keep their heads down and do solid, practical work — but the times have changed. Unless the entire country adopts this approach, I believe PhD holders will simply vote with their feet.
The opinions address only outcome evaluation, with no incentive mechanism whatsoever. “Competing for a Level 4 professional and technical position” is something only a fool would take at face value. If the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences showed even a modicum of sincerity, they would have at least written “direct appointment to Level 4 or above.”
I believe these ten opinions will never be codified into institutional policy — at the very least, their core spirit will not be referenced by other institutions. The official-oriented mentality in Shandong remains far too entrenched. Without change, there is no hope.
中文原文 / Chinese Original
国内多家媒体2020年8月21日报道
8月21日上午，山东省农科院召开新闻发布会，出台破除”四唯”十条意见，在有”破”有”立”中体现农科院特色，引导广大科研人员都到生产主战场上去实现人生价值。
在山东省农科院公布的这十条意见中，明确了论文发表和授权专利一律不再给予奖励，而相关科研成果的落地转化效果等指标将会成为专业技术岗位竞聘的直接依据。
该院副院长张立明表示，这十条意见旨在破除”四唯”，突出科学精神、创新质量、服务贡献，引导科研人员树立”顶天立地、科技为民“的科研价值观。
十条意见全文如下：
一、论文发表和授权专利一律不再奖励。
二、单一品种成为全国前三大品种或山东省第一大品种的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
三、单一产品市场占有率达到全国前三位，或应用覆盖率达到全国10%及以上的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
四、单项技术被列为农业农村部主推技术、”十大引领性技术”，或制定国际标准的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
五、突破行业科技领域”卡脖子”关键技术的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
六、单项科技成果转化到账经费1000万及以上的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
七、创办科技型企业年产值1亿元以上的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
八、成果转化专职人员促成技术成果转化年度累计到账经费5000万元及以上的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
九、创建乡村振兴模式样板，或管理服务创新形成模式样板，并由上级主管部门发文在全国或全省推广的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
十、长期扎根基层生产一线，服务”三农”，贡献突出并得到社会广泛认可的，可直接竞聘专业技术四级及以上岗位。
不得不说，山东省农科院的速度是很快的，也是第一个吃螃蟹的人，但是这十条意见完全不符合科学规律，更不符合山东省农业科学院的发展定位。
我不是学农业的，不了解农业科学的特点，但是，这十条意见对基础研究和青年学者十分不友好，也许政策的制定者是想让人们埋头骨干，扎扎实实做学问，但是这个时代已经变了，除非全国都这么玩，我相信博士们一定会用脚投票的。
意见只谈了结果评价，并没有激励机制，”竞聘专业技术四级岗”是鬼才相信的事情，如果山东省农科院稍微有点诚意，至少应该写成”直接聘任专业技术四级以上岗位”。
我相信这十条意见是不会转换为制度的，至少其核心精神不会被其他机构参考。山东的官本位思想还是太浓，再不改变就没救了。
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