China's Ministry of Education is piloting an initiative known as the Blue Fire Program in Changshu, Jiangsu province.

As part of the Blue Fire Program, nine Changshu-based photovoltaic companies including Canadian Solar Inc. have signed an agreement with Shanghai Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, Zhongshan University, Southeast University, Suzhou University, and Dalian University of Technology to form a strategic alliance for innovation of photovoltaic technology. The alliance aims to organize enterprises, universities and research institutions to work on technology cooperation, formulate industry standards, share intellectual property rights, speed up the commercial operation of technological achievements, train talent and lessen the employment pressure on college students.

To strengthen cooperation with local research institutions and universities, Canadian Solar Inc. also signed with Suzhou University to cooperate on a number of issues including photovoltaic building integration, studying component test methods and public technology service platform construction.

The core of MOE's Blue Fire Program is said to be joining hands with the local government and bringing universities' talent and technology advantages into full play, organizing universities to cooperate with enterprises and speed up the transfer and industrialization of universities' technological developments to enhance enterprise capacity in innovation and to improve the region's economic competitiveness as a whole.

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