The globally renowned event in the field of science parks—the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) World Conference—will be held in Beijing from September 15 to 19, 2025. This marks the fourth time Beijing has hosted this event, often referred to as the "Olympics of Science Parks," following previous editions in 1995, 2005, and 2015. Notably, this will be the first time the conference is officially hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government, signifying a major elevation in its prestige and global impact. This milestone event will play a pivotal role in advancing Beijing's position as an international hub for scientific innovation and supporting Zhongguancun in its mission to become a world-leading science park.

Innovation Network Highlights Beijing's Global Standing

The International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP), founded in 1984 and headquartered in Málaga, Spain, is the only global non-profit association dedicated to science parks and innovation districts. Over its 40-year history, IASP has evolved into a crucial network connecting global innovation hubs, with 325 member organizations from 76 countries and regions, collectively hosting over 115,000 enterprises and serving as a powerful engine for global technological advancement and economic growth.

China has long been an integral part of the IASP community. Currently, the country boasts 36 IASP member organizations, accounting for 11% of the global total—the highest number of any single country. This robust participation underscores China's thriving science park ecosystem and its deep integration into the global innovation network. Among these members, Zhongguancun Science Park—a flagship of China's innovation drive—joined IASP in 1995 and successfully hosted the 1995, 2005, and 2015 IASP World Conferences, earning widespread international acclaim. In 2023, Beijing secured the rights to host the 2025 edition, a testament not only to the achievements of Zhongguancun and Beijing, but also to the  high expectations of international community for Beijing's future leadership in shaping worldwide innovation.

Grand Dialogue on Innovation Clusters: Shaping the Future

This conference's theme is "Elevating Excellence: Innovation Spaces Driving High-Quality Development". This theme closely follows the pulse of the times, aiming to gather global top wisdom to explore how science and technology parks and innovation areas, as key platforms, can build vibrant innovation ecosystems, cultivate excellent enterprises, gather high-end elements, thereby driving industrial upgrading, urban transformation, and regional economy to achieve higher-quality and more sustainable development.

The conference is expected to have about 800 participants. Targeting the global IASP network, it will invite about 500 foreign guests from over 40 countries and regions. Participants will include globally renowned science park managers, leading enterprise leaders, authoritative experts and scholars, government agency representatives, and investment community professionals, jointly creating a diverse, high-end, international platform for idea exchange and cooperation matching.

Conference Events: A Dazzling Array of Content

The conference agenda spans five days, with technology field visits conducted from September 15 to 16 featuring six curated routes covering nine landmark innovation sites like Zhongguancun International Robotics Industrial Park, Dongsheng Science Park, and Shougang Park, offering delegates immersive experiences of Beijing's innovation ecosystem. The opening ceremony at the China National Convention Center on September 17 morning will include key cooperation initiatives, IASP's annual review, and a kick-off ritual, followed by the "Beijing Hour" session and closing ceremony where the Zhongguancun Index will be released alongside a flag handover. Four high-profile plenary sessions will gather global science park leaders, entrepreneurs, and pioneers to discuss trends in science park development, industrial upgrading, and innovation synergy, while fifteen parallel forums across five thematic tracks—Open Innovation, Urban Development, Economic Growth, Future Trends, and Technology & Industry—will showcase research from 27 countries (including China, the U.S., UK, and France), ensuring diverse perspectives. The exhibition at the China National Convention Center will unite over 20 elite global science parks and institutions, facilitating Sino-global partnerships and advancing international tech collaboration.

Four Highlights Charting the Future

This conference drives global sci-tech innovation exchange and fosters international collaboration, marked by four distinctive highlights:

1. Unparalleled International Engagement

With participants from over 40 countries and regions, foreign delegates account for more than 60% of attendees. Leading global science parks—including Research Triangle Park (USA), Kyoto Research Park (Japan), Linköping Science Park (Sweden), and Sophia Antipolis (France)—will converge, creating a diverse and dynamic forum for international dialogue.

2. Exceptional Academic Depth

A total of 122 high-quality research papers from 24 countries were submitted, covering multifaceted dimensions of science park development. After rigorous global peer review, 68 were selected for presentation—including 17 by Chinese experts (25% of the total). This sets a new record in the 42-year history of IASP World Conferences for host-country paper acceptance, underscoring global recognition of China's pioneering models in sci-tech park development.

3. Tangible Collaboration in Sci-Tech

For the first time, a parallel session will be held at Zhongguancun Life Science Park in Changping, adopting a "main venue + satellite venue" format to expand networking and deepen industry-academia-research integration. The newly launched IASP Horizon Programme will facilitate targeted B2B matchmaking between international tech firms and Zhongguancun enterprises to accelerate project partnerships.

4. Abundant Deliverables

The conference is set to yield significant outcomes: Global consensus-building through the release of an International Innovation Cooperation Initiative for science parks; The unveiling of the Zhongguancun Index 2025, a benchmark report spotlighting Beijing's innovation advancements and reinforcing its role as a global hub; Concrete cross-border partnerships among parks and enterprises, expanding Beijing’s international network and elevating Zhongguancun's worldwide influence.

In this golden autumn, Beijing stands fully prepared to welcome global guests with openness, confidence, and innovation. The IASP 2025 World Conference will emerge as a landmark international event, showcasing worldwide wisdom, deepening pragmatic cooperation, and spearheading future development, thereby injecting robust "Beijing momentum" into global scientific innovation and high-quality growth.