ORFS is an initiative of University Grants Committee (UGC) / Research Grants Council (RGC) that seeks to promote internationalisation of UGC-funded universities. It aims to encourage university faculty to visit overseas institutions/units for immersive collaboration experiences internationally, thereby helping widen the international perspective and deepen the exposure of the Hong Kong research community to trends elsewhere. It will also boost the visibility of the Hong Kong universities as a whole.

The implementation of the ORFS is on a pilot basis for three academic years (i.e. 2026/27 to 2028/29 academic years), with a quota of 40 awardees for each academic year. Universities are welcome to top up the fellowship with funding of their own. The first round of the selection exercise opens for application in October 2025.

The ORFS draws on the sabbatical leave arrangement of UGC-funded universities and complements the latter’s mobility programmes. It provides fellowship for mid-career academic staff as a further incentive to learn, develop or enhance understanding or skills that will improve their scholarly/research competence. Selected fellows would be supported to go to overseas institutional laboratories/research units/clinical set-ups to work on research projects/undergo research-related professional development.

All eight UGC-funded universities are eligible to make nominations to the RGC for the overseas research.

The ORFS nominees must –

1. have a legal right to work and reside in Hong Kong¹ during the fellowship period;
2. be supported by and have a full-time² academic appointment at a UGC-funded university proper³ at the time of nomination and during the fellowship period;
3. must be at the Associate Professor rank or promoted to the Professor rank in 2022/23 academic year or afterwards (i.e. within three years). Assistant Professors at the verge of promotion to Associate Professor could also be eligible, as long as they have secured the promotion by the time they are awarded the fellowship;
4. not be holding a Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship or RGC Research Fellowship concurrently;
5. be primarily engaged in and spending at least 80%⁴ of time in degree or higher degree work at the supporting UGC-funded university proper³;
6. have his/ her salary wholly funded by the supporting UGC-funded university proper³; and
7. be employed on a fixed term contract and eligible for the ORFS at the time the fellowship being offered and throughout the planned duration of his/her overseas visit(s).

Conditional/in-principle support of relevant university for taking the necessary sabbatical leave should be secured by the nominees at the time of their application. Research engagement at relevant overseas universities/research institutions should also be secured.

¹ For the eligibility for the right of abode under the Immigration Ordinance, please refer to
   https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/roa/eligible.html
² Not including visiting or honorary appointment.
³ Excluding schools/arms of continuing education and professional training and other analogous outfits.
⁴ The percentage concerned may be subject to review and revision as and when required.

Nominations of ORFS candidates should be made by supporting universities via their Research Office using the nomination form  (ORFS-1).

The assessment of nominations and selection of ORFS awardees will be undertaken by a Selection Panel of the RGC, covering both the Humanities, Social Science and Business Studies (H-) and Science, Medicine, Engineering and Technology (S-) disciplines.  The Selection Panel, comprising both local and non-local academics and experts, will evaluate the merit of the nominations received by a score-based selection mechanism.

The selection will be carried out by referencing the macro pointers as set out in paragraph 19 of the Operation Guide (ORFS-2).  Universities’ elaboration on the rationale for making the nominations will also be taken into account.  Furthermore, consideration will be given to the overall balance in respect of academic discipline; gender; and geographical distribution of visit locations.

Nominees and supporting universities are advised to read the nomination details as set out in the Operation Guide, Guidance Notes and the Call Letter carefully before completing and signing the Nomination Forms.  Nomination forms must be submitted by universities.  The nomination deadline for the ORFS (2026/27) is 22 December 2025 (Monday).  Nominations must be submitted to the UGC Secretariat by 5:00 pm on that day.

To download the latest ORFS related documents, including the Operation Guide, Guidance Notes and the Nomination Form, etc, please click here.