Home > UGC Publications > Press Releases > 2001 > Press Release - National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme: Funding of Projects for 2001-2002 (30.11.2001)

Press Release - National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme: Funding of Projects for 2001-2002

Announcement of Results

The Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) jointly announced yesterday (November 30) the funding decision on the 2001/02 exercise of the NSFC/rgc Joint Research Scheme. The RGC and the NSFC have agreed to fund a total of 16 research projects for a respective sum of HK$10 million and RMB5 million. The decision bolsters the research link between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

These 16 research projects were selected from 108 applications, after detailed evaluation by external peers. The funded projects cover a wide spectrum including research into real-time bilateral teleoperation of internet based robotic systems, economic reforms and labour market transitions in urban China, studies on dendritic cell functions in chronic Chinese Hepatitis B patients, high performance non-lead piezoelectric single crystal materials, interactions of trace metals and macronutrients in marine plankton, etc. All these are areas where both places can join forces to advance and excel based on complementing strengths.

The RGC and the NSFC agreed in November 1998 to establish, initially for three years, a joint research scheme to promote research collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland researchers in Information Technology, Life Sciences, New Materials Science, Marine and Environment Sciences, Chinese Medicine and Management Science. The scheme is at the moment the largest joint research scheme undertaken by the RGC.

Professor Kenneth Young, Chairman of the RGC, said, "in providing a means for Hong Kong and Mainland researchers to collaborate in research areas of common interest, the scheme undoubtedly strengthens the ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland. For Hong Kong to compete in a globalized knowledge-based economy, our researchers need to reach out constantly and build up partnership with a world community of scholars. I expect to see very good results coming out of this collaboration in the next few years' time."

For the coming years, the RGC and the NSFC have reached a decision to continue the scheme and will review the need to expand the scope in the longer run. The Call Circular for the coming exercise has also been issued yesterday. All initial applications from Hong Kong must be submitted through the UGC-funded institutions to the RGC on or before 15 January 2002.


UGC Secretariat
1 December 2001


NSFC/rgc Joint Research Scheme 2001/2002
Supported Applications

Project No. Project Title Hong Kong Applicant Mainland Applicant
Subject : Information Technology
N_CUHK404/01 Real-time bilateral teleoperation of internet based robotic systems Prof Yunhui Liu Prof Yuechao Wang
N_CityU101/01 Concatenated Space-Time Codes for Mobile Communication Systems Dr Ping Li Prof Xinmei Wang
N_CityU102/01 High Performance Computing for Centers, Distinguisher and Clusters in Projected Subspace (and applications to intelligent information retrieval on the web) Dr Xiaotie Deng Prof Weimin Zheng
Subject: Life Sciences
N_HKU711/01 Development of novel tools in the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia Dr Xin Yuan Guan Prof D. Lu
N_HKU712/01 Studies on dendritic cell functions in chronic Chinese Hepatitis B patients Dr Bojian Zheng Prof N.S. Zhu
N_HKUST607/01 Development of a non-mammalian model for biological and biomedical calcium imaging Dr Andrew L Miller Prof Anming Meng
Subject: Marine & Environment Science
N_HKUST603/01 Interactions of trace metals and macronutrients in marine plankton Dr Wenxiong Wang Prof Huasheng Hong
N_HKUST612/01 Water quality impact of atmospheric input of nitrogen and phosphorus Dr Jianzhen Yu Prof Boqiang Qin
N_HKUST613/01 Identification, characterization, abundance and source apportionment of PM2.5 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong - a detailed aerosol study from sub-tropical to Temperate Zones Dr Ming Fang Prof Xiaoyang Tang
Subject : Management Science
N_CUHK417/01 Economic reforms and labour market transitions in urban China Prof Junsen Zhang Prof Yaohui Zhao 
N_PolyU515/01 Transport Network Reliability Analysis Prof Hing Keung Lam Prof Ning Zhang
Subject: New Material Science
N_CityU114/01 High Performance Non-Lead Piezoelectric Single Crystal Materials Prof Wenwu Cao Prof Huanchu Chen
N_HKUST601/01 The scale effects on the behavior of materials used in micro/nano systems Dr Qingping Sun Prof Ya-pu Zhao
N_HKUST602/01 Failure behavior of ferroelectric ceramics under electrical, mechanical and chemical loading Dr Tongyi Zhang Prof Jimei Xiao
N_HKUST618/01 In-situ study of the development of polymer soft-condensed processes Prof Chi Ming Chan Prof Lin Li
N_PolyU518/01 Development of High-Quality Molecular Beam Epitaxy GaN Thin Films on Hydride Vapour Phase Epitaxy/Sapphire Composite Substrates Dr Charles Surya Prof Rong Zhang