Applications for Collaborative Research Fund are assessed by the Collaborative Research Fund Sub-Committee assisted by a number of external experts from all over the world. The RGC currently has a database of more than 13,000 experts whose services may be called upon to assess applications for Collaborative Research Fund.

	Eligibility
	Types of Grant
	Criteria for Consideration of Grant

For 2011/12 exercise, please click here for the call circular issued by Secretary, RGC to the Heads of UGC-funded institutions inviting applications.

• Eligibility

  Effective from funding exercises for 2007/08, only academic staff members whose conditions of employment meet all the following requirements are eligible for application of RGC grants as Project Coordinator (PC):

  1. they have a full-time¹ appointment in the institution proper² of UGC-funded institutions;

  2. they are in Staff Grades from 'A' to 'I'³ (i.e. from 'Professor' to 'Assistant Lecturer');

  3. they are primarily engaged in and spend at least 80% of their time in degree or higher degree work at the institution proper; and

  4. their salary is wholly funded⁴ by the institution proper.

  Visiting staff will only be eligible if they have a full-time appointment in the institution proper covering at least one year or the duration of the project whichever is the longer. Staff supported by external research grants⁵ are however not eligible.

  As a transitional measure, academic staff who are engaged in non-degree programmes which are still funded by the UGC may also apply as the PC. Eligible staff in this category must be wholly funded from the General Funds of the institution(s) concerned. This arrangement would continue until such time when the relevant programmes are no longer funded by the UGC. Cases of an exceptional nature (including circumstances not covered by the above rules) will be considered by the RGC on a case-by-case basis.

  1	Part-time staff and staff holding honorary appointments are excluded.
  2	Excluding schools/ arms of continuing education and professional training and other analogous outfits.
  3	Polytechnic staff grades are excluded.
  4	Staff who are receiving income from paid appointments outside the institution proper do not satisfy this requirement.
  5	These grants are normally awarded for a designated purpose.

• Types of Grant

  • Equipment Grant

    The RGC also sets aside a portion from the Earmarked Research Grants as Collaborative Research Fund:

    1. to enable the acquisition of major research facilities or equipment, and major library materials which could not otherwise be afforded by one institution and which can be used for collaborative research;
       

    2. to assist institutions in "leveraging" support from equipment suppliers with a view to stretching the value of the RGC's funds further than could normally be possible by making small allocations in connection with individual projects; and
       

  • Group Research Grant

    The RGC has also launched an initiative to support group research starting from 1997/98. The initiative is intended to encourage research groups to engage in collaborative research across disciplines and/or across institutions with a view to enhancing the research output of institutions in terms of its level of attainment, quantity, dimensions and/or speed.

    Project Coordinators of group research projects can apply for "renewal" funding. A "renewal" proposal should be an extension of the current project led by the same Project Coordinator and should have its own goal and a new or extended research objective. The applications will be assessed alongside with other group research proposals, and will be counted towards the institutional quota on submission starting from the 2008/09 exercise.

• Criteria for Consideration of Grant
  
  

  • Equipment Grant

    The following criteria should be used in assessing the fundability of a proposal:

    1. the merit of the proposal, its contribution to academic/professional development and potential for application, and benefit to tertiary institutions in particular and Hong Kong in general;

    2. the scope for collaborative research/joint use, and the degree of such usage;

    3. feasibility in implementation;

    4. any institutional support, including that of the sponsoring/collaborating institutions;

    5. the prospect of external funding; and

    6. the availability of similar facilities/library acquisitions elsewhere in Hong Kong.

  • Group Research Grant

    The following criteria should be used to assess the fundability of a proposal:

    1. the academic merits and science content;

    2. the long term goal of the proposal and its potential to develop into an area of strength;

    3. the opportunities for effective synergism among the participating researchers, research groups and institutions; and

    4. the viability of the proposal, particularly in terms of its project management. The project team's ability to put in place an effective governance structure to monitor collaborating work and to ensure prudent deployment of resources would be important considerations.