Research Grants Council allocates $150 million for launch of Strategic Topics Grant
The Research Grants Council (RGC) today (August 8) announced the launch of a research funding scheme, namely the Strategic Topics Grant (the Scheme). The RGC has set aside $150 million funding for the new Scheme to support collaborative and interdisciplinary research at UGC-funded universities to address Hong Kong's imminent challenges and seize the opportunities of the National 14th Five-Year Plan.
The Chairman of the RGC, Professor Wong Yuk-shan, said, "The main feature of the Scheme is its top-down approach that focuses the strengths of diverse disciplines on specified priority research areas pertinent to the strategic needs of Hong Kong."
After considering the imminent societal and economic challenges for Hong Kong, as well as the research strengths of the local academia, the RGC has, in consultation with the research community, set the following five specific strategic topics under the Scheme:
- Using Artificial Intelligence to Address Imminent Challenges in Health Care;
- Striving towards Carbon Neutrality before 2050;
- Establishing Hong Kong as the Leading Integrated Circuits, and Opto-electronics Innovation and Technology Hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area;
- Managing the Socio-economic Implications of Pandemic and Other Public Health Challenges; and
- Innovative and Environmental-friendly Construction Technologies and Materials.
Researchers are welcome to submit research proposals under any of the strategic topics.
Professor Wong said, "With the successful experience of the RGC's special research funding schemes for combating COVID-19, I am confident that the research projects funded by the Strategic Topics Grant will bring about impactful outcomes and benefit Hong Kong."
The application deadline for the Strategic Topics Grant is September 8. Details are available on the RGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/stg/call_letter.html).