Funding results of Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector 2014/15

The Research Grants Council (RGC) announced today (August 29) the funding results of the 2014/15 Institutional Development Scheme (IDS), Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS) and Faculty Development Scheme (FDS).

As announced in the Policy Address 2011, three billion dollars of the Research Endowment Fund was designated to support the academic and research development of the local self-financing degree sector on a competitive basis. Three funding schemes have been formulated and first launched in 2014/15 for seven local self-financing degree-awarding institutions: Caritas Institute of Higher Education, Centennial College, Chu Hai College of Higher Education, Hang Seng Management College, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, the Open University of Hong Kong and Tung Wah College.

The IDS aims at building up the research capacity of the local self-financing degree-awarding institutions in their strategic areas. The IIDS is to enhance the academics' research capability and to keep them abreast of new developments and challenging research topics in relevant fields through the organisation of workshops or short courses on an institutional or joint-institutional basis. The FDS aims at developing the research capability of individual academics so that they can transfer their research experiences and new knowledge into teaching and learning.

By the submission deadline on April 14, 2014, the University Grants Committee Secretariat received seven applications for IDS, 16 for IIDS and 217 for FDS from the seven institutions, seeking a total funding of about $287.42 million. After a rigorous peer review, the RGC decided to fund six IDS projects, six IIDS projects and 51 FDS projects. Including an additional 15% of the project grant allocated to the institution management as on-costs under the IIDS and FDS, the grant total awarded this year is about $100.86 million.

Of the 51 FDS projects supported this year, ten are in the Business Studies, nine in Engineering, 27 in Humanities & Social Sciences and two in Biology & Medicine with three in Physical Sciences.

In announcing the results, Chairman of the RGC, Professor Benjamin Wah, said, "We are pleased to note the successful conclusion of this funding allocation exercise for 2014/15. I am delighted to see the enthusiasm of the local self-financing degree-awarding institutions and their academics in submitting proposals under the three funding schemes. We look forward to their active participation in future exercises."

Taking the same opportunity, Professor Wah expressed his sincere gratitude for the support and contribution from the experts in the Assessment Panel and Steering Committee concerned in implementing the funding schemes.

Details of the approved projects are posted on the RGC website: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funded_research/funding_results.html.