In the Chief Executive’s Policy Address 2005, it stated that the government would continue to reinforce the policy research capability, and would allocate an amount of $20 million from the Central Policy Unit (CPU) to the RGC annually for three consecutive years, i.e. from 2005-06 to 2007-08 financial years, to encourage public policy research in Hong Kong’s higher education institutions, and to draw wider and quality expertise in the formulation of new policies.
This new scheme for Public Policy Research will be held on a half-yearly basis. A broad definition of “public policy research” is adopted to cover academic research that will have explicit policy implications on public policy development in Hong Kong. Duration of the research projects should normally range from six months to a maximum of three years.
The deadline of the first round exercise was June 2005. It has attracted 73 applications. The funding result will be announced in end December 2005.
The tentative dates for invitation and close of the second round of applications will be August 2005 and November 2005 respectively, and the funding result will be announced in end June 2006, in parallel with other CERG applications.