Applications for Allocations from
Research Impact Fund for 2024/25
This is to invite submission of preliminary proposals for allocations from the Research Impact Fund (RIF) for 2024/25 and to provide details of the procedures to be followed.
Objectives
RIF has the following objectives:
- To encourage the local academics to consider and articulate the potential of research to deliver benefit for the wider community; and to encourage more impactful and translational research projects; and
- To encourage a greater volume of collaborative research beyond academia (e.g. organisations such as government departments, business sector, industry and research institutes)
The basis for evaluation of the RIF proposals is at Annex.
Budget
In 2024/25, the Research Grants Council (RGC) has reserved $75 million (exclusive of on-costs) for the RIF exercise. Mandatory matching funds are required from University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities / organisational partner(s) for approved projects on a 70% (RGC)/30% (university / organisational partner(s)) basis. The net amount of funding requested from RGC should range from $3 million to $10 million per project.
Matters Requiring Attention
May I draw applicants’ attention to the following matter:
Renewal application
In the 2024/25 exercise, applications for “renewal” funding are invited from projects that were funded in 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22. To qualify for “renewal” funding, the research teams must demonstrate that remarkable results have been achieved in their current research and there is a good argument and prospect for further research work to continue in the relevant area. A “renewal” proposal should be an extension of the current project led by the same Project Coordinator (PC) and should not constitute any major overlap with research work supported by other UGC / RGC grants. A “renewal” proposal should have its own goal and a new or extended research objective. A PC should only submit one single proposal in the 2024/25 exercise, irrespective if it is a new or “renewal” application. For any “renewal” proposal to be funded in the 2024/25 exercise, the “renewal” project must start upon the completion of the current one before the end of the academic year 2024/25 (i.e. 30 June 2025) and the current project has to be completed within two years (i.e. between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2025). Prior approval of RGC for variation to the stipulated schedule must be sought in case a research team has difficulty in adhering to the schedule, though approval may only be given in very exceptional circumstances. All funded “renewal” proposals are subject to the same monitoring and accounting requirements as applicable to other newly funded projects under the scheme.
Re-submission application
If the application is a re-submission under any of the UGC / RGC funding schemes, please provide a summary of all the previous submissions and the revisions made to each of the previous submissions. Please make sure that sufficient revisions and improvement based on the comments provided by the assessment panels have been made.
Pathways to Impact Statement
The Pathways to Impact Statement shall demonstrate how the research team will realise the “impact” beyond the academia by the findings / outcome of the research proposal and by addressing any associated risks. For the purpose of this section, impact is defined as the demonstrable contributions, beneficial effects, valuable changes or advantages that research qualitatively brings to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life; and that are beyond the academia. The impacts may occur in any geographical location whether locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.
Deadline of Submission
Preliminary proposals should be submitted through the RGC Electronic System to the UGC Secretariat by 27 February 2024. The application forms in pdf format are also available on the RGC website (http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/) for downloading. In addition to electronic submission, universities should provide one hard copy and one soft copy of the proposals. For the soft copy, please save all files in one CD or USB flash drive, with the file names follow that of the project reference number. For “renewal” funding, an up-to-date progress report on the current research project should be submitted together with the application form.
Code of Conduct and Enquiries
RGC is fully committed to the principle of honesty, integrity and fair play in the conduct of its business. All applicants should comply with the RGC Code of Conduct, which is available on the RGC website (https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/guidelines/code/code_of_conduct.pdf).