PROMOTING PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH IN HONG KONG’S HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: Potentials, Possibilities and Policies Peter P. Yuen Public Policy Research Institute The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Potentials & Possibilities University is a suitable home for public policy research Independence Possesses wide range of expertise credibility

Independence Multiple sources of funding Research Grants from research bodies Researchers can choose their own research topics Financial support from university Need not rely on consultancies for survival Consultancies Applied, useful projects, but sponsor driven Can pick and choose

Expertise Multidisciplinary approach Beyond public administration/political science Only universities have the wide range of expertise in specific areas Health care, logistics, land use, built environment, environmental protection, education, transport, tourism, social welfare etc

Problems UGC funding is tied mainly to undergraduate teaching difficult for public policy research units to maintain a critical mass Postgraduate teaching are self- financing Difficult to support research Research studentships in short supply

Problems Consultancy funds are viewed as less prestigious than GRFs Consultancy output not counted as research output Data often not allowed to be use for journal publications