A signing ceremony between Taiyuan University of Technology and 20 companies took place on Aug 18 at the university's Mingxiang campus -- in Jinzhong city, in North China's Shanxi province.

The university signed agreements with companies, including Shanxi Coking Coal Group and AVIC Taiyuan Aero-instruments Co, to co-build 20 research institutes. 

The partners will work together in such areas as energy development and utilization, coal mining intelligent equipment, new materials and big data -- so as to tackle the most urgent needs and the most cutting-edge technical problems in these fields. 

Wang Yixin, vice-governor of Shanxi, told the signing ceremony that companies and the university should increase their technological input and further reforms, to boost conditions conducive to innovation in the province.