RGC holds Theme-based Research Scheme Public Symposia 2013

The Research Grants Council (RGC) today (December 14) held a Public Symposia for 11 projects funded under the first two rounds of the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) at the University of Hong Kong.

The TRS Public Symposia aims to share the achievements of the TRS projects amongst the research community and other stakeholders such as the general public, the relevant industrial sectors and policy makers.

The Chairman of the RGC, Professor Benjamin Wah, was glad to see the involvement of the general public, government, research communities and industry at the event. "The TRS involved 3 Themes and 11 Grand Challenge Topics, all of which are closely related to every one of us - our health, our environment, and Hong Kong's strategic position. The research projects are so important to us all at the individual level and Hong Kong as a whole. The whole community should get involved," he said.

The objective of the TRS is to focus academic research efforts of the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions on themes of strategic importance to the long-term development of Hong Kong. This first TRS Public Symposia showcased the initial achievements of the 11 cross-institutional and cross-disciplinary research projects funded in the first and second rounds.

Three parallel sessions on the three Themes of the TRS - "Promoting Good Health", "Developing a Sustainable Environment" and "Enhancing Hong Kong's Strategic Position as a Regional and International Business Centre" were held. The symposia began with presentations by the award teams to share the importance, progress and achievements of the research projects, followed by poster display to showcase the ground-breaking and exciting discovery of the prestigious projects. The enthusiasm was not only shared by the research communities, but also the general audience. Positive feedback was received during the symposia.

The RGC will hold the TRS Public Symposia every two to three years to share with the community the progress of the funded projects. The summary of the progress and achievements of the 11 on-going TRS projects are available at the RGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/theme/symposium/brochure.pdf)