1 The Future of Research in Hong Kong The Future of Research in Hong Kong November 2008 Research Grants Council

2  Create, disseminate, and transfer knowledge  Develop talents – research students  Research informs teaching  Create impact: driven by curiosity  Create impact: driven by applications  Put HK on the map as a center of excellence Our Research Objectives

3 University Grants Committee Research Grants Council  The Government provides funding for academic research to the 8 tertiary institutions mainly through the University Grants Committee (UGC) and its Research Grants Council (RGC) 82%  This constitutes the major source of research funding for the tertiary institutions, making up about 82% of the total research expenditure of UGC-funded institutions Funding for Academic Research

4  UGC provides three main sources: The Research (R) Portion of Block Grants Allocation (HK$2.0 billion per year) Funding for Research Postgraduate Students (HK$1.3 billion per year) The RGC grants (HK$0.65 billion per year)  The UGC-funded institutions are spending over HK$5 billion on research per year Funding for Academic Research

5 Source of Funding Amount (HK$M) UGC3,870.8 RGC538.4 Other Gov Funds HK Private Funds Non-HK82.7 Total5,410.9 Research Expenditure of 8 Institutions 2006 / 2007

6  Established 1 January 1991 UGC-funded  To advise the Government, through the UGC, on the academic research needs of UGC-funded higher education institutions projects  To review research proposals and monitor the outcome of such projects competitive- based peer review  Disburses HK$600M per annum, on competitive- based peer review Research Grants Council

7  Council Members  Council Members (appointed by EDB) Local academics (9) Local lay members (3) External academics (10)  Review Panels  Review Panels (appointed by RGC Chair) Physical Sciences Engineering Biology & Medicine Humanities, Social Sciences & Business Studies Panel Chairs (4), local (95), external (48) members Research Grants Council

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9  General Research Fund  General Research Fund (GRF) Small Scale, individual projects (2-3 years) HK$300K to HK$1.5M per project  Collaborative Research Fund  Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) Medium Scale, team projects (3-5 years) HK$3M - HK$8M per project  Areas of Excellence  Areas of Excellence (AoE) Large Scale, longer-term team projects (5-8 years) HK$30M to HK$76M per project Administered by the UGC  Joint Research Funding Schemes RGC-NSFC France, Germany and UK Research Funding Schemes

10 $164M $83M 2008 / 2009 Total: HK$514M $101M $166M GRF Research Fund Allocation

11 Research Grants Council Future Developments

12  Financial Secretary Announcement 27 February 2008 HK$18 billionHK$18 billion Research Endowment Fund (REF) 800New 800 Research Postgraduate (RPg) Places  Competitive-based Allocation to UGC institutions  REF Implementation Plan A Trust for the management of the REF Investment income to replace RGC recurrent grant and to support specific theme-based academic research Research Endowment Fund

13  Earmarked:  Earmarked: Up to HK$4 billion REF (income: HK$200M)  Unspent Earmarked Fund:  Unspent Earmarked Fund: Redeploy to support other UGC / RGC research projects, or to generate additional REF income  Objectives: For long-term interest of Hong Kong Broad areas: Existing strength & new initiatives Potential important breakthrough Theme-based Research (1)

14  Determination of Themes Steering Committee to be appointed by EDB Members from higher education, Government and community To consult, recommend, set priority and review A small number of themes  Non-UGC:  Non-UGC: Not to overlap with ITC and other agencies Theme-based Research (2)

15 Additional 800 RPg  RGC Fellowships:  RGC Fellowships: By RGC through worldwide recruitment / competition  Allocation to Institutions:  Allocation to Institutions: By UGC based on past RGC grant records  Allocation to AoE:  Allocation to AoE: By UGC to new and sustained AoE projects RGC Fellowship Scheme

16  Prestigious Fellowship Scheme:  Prestigious Fellowship Scheme: To attract the best and brightest PhD students globally to Hong Kong  Objectives: Improve quality and increase quantity of PhD students Diversify and internationalize PhD population Raise global awareness of HK as a key research hub  Eligibility:  Eligibility: Applicants from local, Mainland and overseas  Stipend:  Stipend: High stipend with travel grants for 3 years  Schedule:  Schedule: 135 Fellowships each year from 2010 / 2011 RGC Fellowship Scheme

17  Continue our momentum  Continue our hi-quality research as individual PI  Longer-term, larger-scale, higher-impact projects  Train more research manpower  Take our research to the community  Integrate research with our undergraduate education  Contribute to government, enterprises & community Our Responsibility

18 The Future of Research in Hong Kong The Future of Research in Hong Kong Questions and Answers Your views are appreciated Research Grants Council