RGC Workshop Advances Research Funding for Hong Kong's Self-financing Degree Sector

Research Grants Council hosts Workshop and Poster Session on Competitive Research Funding Schemes for Local Self-financing Degree Sector

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:

The Research Grants Council (RGC) today (November 24) held a Workshop and Poster Session on the Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing (SF) Degree Sector at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, which brought together more than 200 academics.

The Workshop was organised for academic and research staff from the SF sector and serves as an invaluable platform for experience sharing and professional exchanges on research innovations and achievements, and an occasion for fostering a stronger partnership between the RGC and the SF sector, as well as a promotion of cross-institutional collaborations in the SF sector and successful practices.

Speaking at the Workshop's opening session, the Chairman of the RGC, Professor Timothy W. Tong, said, "As key players of the Hong Kong academic research community, the SF institutions have been playing an important role in building Hong Kong as a post-secondary education hub. The sector has leveraged various funding schemes to advance research projects with high novelty, making impactful contributions to knowledge advancement. These projects cover a wide range of research topics highly relevant to our daily lives, and I am delighted that they have promoted both research excellence and the vibrant development of the research ecosystem, contributing to the betterment of Hong Kong society."

Faculty members who had successfully obtained research grants under the Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local SF Degree Sector were invited to share their experiences in preparing competitive research proposals. The Chairman of the Assessment Panel of the Schemes, Professor Julie Li, together with members of the Panel, also shared their observations and views on research proposals in the latest round of the exercise. Running alongside the workshop, a poster session was organised to showcase the notable achievements of completed Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) projects and the impact of their research outcomes.

"Looking ahead, the RGC will continue to provide robust support for research and development of the SF sector. Specifically, we will refine arrangements to further enhance the SF institutions' research capacity in their strategic areas, as well as encourage wider collaborations with other Hong Kong universities,"said Professor Tong.

The Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local SF Degree Sector aim at developing and enhancing the research capability of the SF institutions and their faculty members. Since the launch of the research funding schemes in 2013, the RGC has funded over 930 projects with a total amount of more than $923 million.

Details of the funding schemes are available on the RGC website:

FDS: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/fds/index.html;

Institutional Development Scheme (IDS) Collaborative Research Grant: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/ids_crg/index.html;

IDS Research Infrastructure Grant: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/ids_rig/index.html; and

Inter-Institutional Development Scheme:

www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/iids/index.html.

Research Grants Council hosts Workshop and Poster Session on Competitive Research Funding Schemes for Local Self-financing Degree Sector Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Research Grants Council hosts Workshop and Poster Session on Competitive Research Funding Schemes for Local Self-financing Degree Sector Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport

Hong Kong Customs today (May 25) detected a drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport. About 1.9 kilograms of suspected heroin, with an estimated market value of about $1.1 million, and one duty-not-paid cigarette were seized.

A 46-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today. During customs clearance, Customs officer found the batch of suspected heroin concealed in a wooden box, and the duty-not-paid cigarette in his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service the possession of dutiable goods. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court tomorrow (May 26).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $1.1 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases