This paper reviews the process of organizing and implementing the projects under the National Key R&D Program during the periods of the 11th Five-Year Plan through the 14th Five-Year Plan. Guided by the development strategy for special equipment safety technology research, which was led by the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (later restructured into the State Administration for Market Regulation) and spearheaded by the China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute, the authors present the overall technical framework and the integrated analysis-synthesis research methodology proposed by the research team for utility boiler safety technology research. The paper demonstrates the scientific achievements yielded through collaborative research, and illustrates how these outcomes have been translated into safety supervision systems, technical standards, as well as safety assessment and prediction-warning methodologies. These implementations have guided the safe production of utility boilers, boosted economic and social development, and established a practical safeguard for the long-cycle safe operation of utility boilers. Practice has proven that the successful pathways for addressing major demands through collaborative scientific and technological research include: systematic organizational leadership and management, sound research philosophies and methodologies, the formulation of research topics that realistically reflect the needs of the times, collaborative innovation across industry, academia and research sectors, and comprehensive responses to practical problems in the safe production of utility boilers.