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

CS concludes visit to Shaanxi Province

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, visited Shaanxi Province for two consecutive days from yesterday (April 4), where he called on local leaders and exchanged views with officials on strengthening the development of various aspects between the two places, including cultural exchanges, educational co-operation, and innovation and technology.

Mr Chan called on the Secretary of the CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, Mr Zhao Yide, yesterday to exchange views on deepening Hong Kong-Shaanxi exchanges and co-operation. The Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xu Qifang, also attended the meeting. Mr Chan said that since the signing of the Strengthening Hong Kong/Shaanxi Co-operation Agreement and a series of Memoranda of Understanding in areassuch as legal services, innovation and technology, education, and tourism in 2024, exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Shaanxi have yielded fruitful results under the support of the Central Government and through the joint efforts of both places. He added that co-operation in various aspects between the two places, in particular in the areas of cultural exchanges, educational co-operation, and innovation and technology, can be strengthened to achieve complementary advantages in the future.

During the meeting, Mr Chan expressed his gratitude for the invitation by the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government to the memorial ceremony for legendary emperor Huang Di during the Ching Ming Festival. He said that the event was significant, connecting descendants of the Yan and Huang emperors from around the world to worship together the earliest mythical ruler Huang Di, and to pass on the good moral quality of treasuring historical legacies for the Chinese nation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's participation can help Hong Kong citizens to gain a deeper understanding of the origin of the Chinese civilisation, building a stronger sense of national identity and affection. He also expressed hope for strengthening co-operation in patriotic education with Shaanxi in the future, enabling Hong Kong citizens, especially the younger generation, to gain a deeper understanding of and identification with the nation and Chinese culture.

Mr Chan concluded his visit to Shaanxi Province after attending the memorial ceremony for legendary emperor Huang Di during the Ching Ming Festival this morning, and returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

CS concludes visit to Shaanxi Province Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS concludes visit to Shaanxi Province Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS concludes visit to Shaanxi Province Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS concludes visit to Shaanxi Province Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases