Applications for Allocations from
Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) 2024/25 Exercise
Research Grants Council (RGC) is inviting submission of –
- preliminary proposals for Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG) and Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG) and
- full proposals for Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG)
under the CRF 2024/25 exercise. Details of the procedures are as follows.
Budget
The overall budget for CRF 2024/25 is $280 million (exclusive of on-cost), which comprises of –
- CRPG – $130 million (including $9.6 million dedicated for exercising the “Exploratory Option”);
- CREG – $100 million; and
- YCRG – $50 million.
The budget is the same as that of last year. The current arrangement allowing the CRF Selection Panel to flexibly redeploy the funding allocation between CRPG, CREG and YCRG will also remain in order to maximise the effective use of the resources available.
Project teams should pursue interdisciplinary, collaborative goals which would not be possible by working on the project’s individual components. The net amount of funding requested from RGC (excluding matching funding from university and funds obtained from other sources) should range from $2 million to $10 million per project under CRPG and CREG. For YCRG, the net amount of funding requested from RGC (excluding matching funding from university and funds obtained from other sources) should range from $2 million to $5 million per project.
Duration of Projects
A CRF project should normally last for no more than three years except for applications of which the research objective(s) can only be achieved in a time span of four to five years.
Types of Grants under CRF 2024/25
There are three types of grants under the CRF 2024/25:
Collaborative Research Project GrantThe main objective of CRPG is to encourage research groups in UGC funded universities to engage in collaborative research across disciplines and across universities with a view to enhancing the research output of universities in terms of the level of attainment, quantity, dimensions and/or impact. It provides funding for staff, equipment and general expenses related to the supported projects. In assessing proposals, RGC puts emphasis on capacity building and the potential of a proposal to develop into an area of research strength. On approval, the project teams should not break the award down into individual components. They should pursue genuine collaborative research.
The selection criteria to be adopted by RGC for evaluation of CRPG proposals are at Annex A.
Project Coordinators (PC) of CRPG projects may apply for “renewal” funding. In the 2024/25 exercise, applications for “renewal” funding are invited from group research projects that were funded in 2020/21 and 2021/22. For the projects funded in 2021/22, since most of them will not be completed until June 2025 and, depending on the progress of the research projects, the research teams may choose to defer their “renewal” applications to the next exercise.
To qualify for “renewal” funding, the research teams must demonstrate that remarkable results have been achieved in their current research and there is a good argument and prospect for further research work to continue in the relevant area. A “renewal” proposal should be an extension of the current project led by the same PC and should not constitute any major overlap with research work supported by other UGC/RGC grants. A “renewal” proposal should have its own goal and a new or extended research objective. A PC should only submit one single proposal in the 2024/25 exercise, irrespective if it is a new or “renewal” application.
For any “renewal” proposal to be funded in the 2024/25 exercise, the “renewal” project must start upon the completion of the current one before the end of the academic year 2024/25 (i.e. 30 June 2025). Prior approval of RGC for variation to the stipulated schedule must be sought in case a research team has difficulty in adhering to the schedule, though approval may only be given in very exceptional circumstances. All funded “renewal” proposals are subject to the same monitoring and accounting requirements as applicable to other newly funded projects under the scheme.
Collaborative Research Equipment GrantThe main objectives of CREG are to:
- enable the acquisition of major research facilities or equipment, including major library acquisitions for research, which cannot otherwise be afforded by one university and which can be used for collaborative research;
- assist universities in “leveraging” support from equipment suppliers with a view to stretching the value of RGC’s funds further than could normally be possible by making small allocations in connection with individual projects; and
- provide funding for group user fee (for users from RGC funded collaborative research projects) to access major user facilities (e.g. to pay for the access/use of some existing core facilities/equipment instead of procuring new ones)1.
The selection criteria to be adopted by RGC for evaluation of CREG proposals are at Annex B.
Young Collaborative Research GrantThe main objective of YCRG is to support early-stage researchers in gaining first-hand experience in leading and managing collaborative research, so that they will be better prepared in competing for larger collaborative research funding in the next stage of their career. Universities and applicants are particularly advised to note the eligibility criteria for YCRG as detailed in the “Overview and Guidance Notes (YCRG)” as well as the timetable at Annex C.
Only collaborative group research proposals will be funded under YCRG, i.e. equipment proposals will not be considered. While YCRG are exclusive for greener researcher to apply, the selection criteria to be adopted by RGC for evaluation of YCRG proposals are the same as those of CRPG.
Each university may submit up to five applications under YCRG.
1 The requirement of 50% matching funding from participating universities still applies.
Matters Requiring Attention
Applicants are invited to note the following matters:
- Observations of the CRF Selection Panel in respect of the 2023/24 exercise
Project teams should be more focused on the research objectives. They should set out more realistic targets that can be delivered within the project duration and budget.
- Submission of Information on Re-submission in the Preliminary Proposal Stage
To facilitate the assessment of re-submitted applications during the preliminary proposal stage, applicants are required to include information of all their previous submissions and the revisions/improvement made to each of the previous submissions, which were required in the full proposal stage previously. Applicants should make sure that sufficient revisions and improvement based on the comments provided by the assessment panels have been made in the re-submitted applications.
- Updated “Pathways to Impact Statement”
The “Pathways to Impact Statement” has been updated to provide applicants with enhanced guidance on research impact, ways to effectively illustrate the process of achieving it and address any associated risks that might adversely affect the achievement of the stated impact and how such risks could be mitigated.
- Proposals of Business Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines are welcomed
RGC would like to encourage researchers, in particular those faculties under Business Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences, to submit more applications for the CRF, including YCRG.
- No External Links to be Embedded in the Application
Applicants are reminded not to include links to external websites in their applications which may contain extra information about their proposals. Such requirements have been stated in “Submission Processes of SECTION 1 – OVERVIEW” of the Guidance Notes.
- Format and Font
In order to ensure consistency and fairness, applicants are reminded to complete the applications and all pdf documents in the following standard RGC format:
- Font: Times New Roman
- Font Size: 12 point
- Margin: 2.5 cm all round
- Spacing: Single-line spacing
- PDF version: compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader 5
Failure to comply with the format requirements may result in the removal of your application from processing.
Disbursement Arrangement
Universities are required to confirm that satisfactory arrangements will be worked out among the universities concerned for the ownership and management of the equipment/facilities, if funded, and for meeting the recurrent costs. The CRF will not cover any recurrent expenditure (including maintenance) that may have to be borne by the university in consequence.
The funding approved under the CRF will be released to the coordinating universities in two instalments. For CRPG and YCRG projects, the second instalment will be released subject to satisfactory progress of previous work reported in the mid-term progress report or the related annual progress report depending on project duration. Please refer to the guidelines on “Disbursement, Accounting and Monitoring Arrangement for Funding Schemes Administered by the Research Grants Council” for details.
Submission of Application
Preliminary proposals for CRPG and CREG
Preliminary proposals for CRPG should be submitted on CRF(GR&R)1P and those for CREG should be submitted on CRF(E)1P through RGC Electronic System to the UGC Secretariat by 23 February 2024. The application forms in pdf format are also available on RGC website (https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/crf/how_to_apply.html) for downloading. In addition to electronic submission, universities are required to provide one hard copy and one soft copy (allowing search function) of the proposals. For the soft copy, please save all files in one CD or USB flash drive, with the file names follow that of the project reference number.
For “renewal” funding, an up-to-date progress report on the current research project should be submitted together with the application form.
Full proposals for YCRG
All full proposal applications for YCRG must be submitted to the UGC Secretariat through the Research Office of the coordinating university by 5:00 pm on 19 April 2024. Please provide one hard copy and one soft copy (allowing search function) of the proposals. The soft copy should contain all the information as presented in the hard copy. Please save all files in one CD or USB flash drive, with the file names identical to the proposal reference number specified in “Submission Processes of SECTION 1 – OVERVIEW” of the Guidance Notes.
In line with the prevailing arrangement for CRF and other RGC schemes, an applicant may only submit one proposal as the PC under CRF in each funding cycle.
Code of Conduct
RGC is fully committed to the principle of honesty, integrity and fair play in the conduct of its business. All applicants should comply with RGC Code of Conduct, which is available on RGC website (https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/guidelines/code/code_of_conduct.pdf).
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Annex A
Selection Criteria for Collaborative Research Project Grant Proposals
RGC takes into account the following factors in assessing the fundability of a proposal:
- the academic merits;
- the long-term goal of the proposal and its potential to develop into an area of research strength;
- the opportunities for effective synergism among the participating researchers, research groups and universities/institutions; and
- the viability of the proposal, particularly in terms of its project management. The project team’s ability to put in place an effective governance structure to monitor collaborating work and to ensure prudent deployment of resources would be important considerations.
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Annex B
Selection Criteria for Collaborative Research Equipment Grant Proposals
RGC takes into account the following factors in assessing the fundability of a proposal:
- the merit of the proposal, its contribution to academic/professional development and potential for application, and benefit to tertiary institutions in particular and Hong Kong in general;
- the scope for collaborative research/joint use, and the degree of such usage;
- feasibility in implementation;
- any university’s support, including that of the sponsoring/collaborating universities/institutions;
- the prospect of external funding;
- maximum value for money; and
- the availability of similar facilities/library acquisitions elsewhere in Hong Kong.
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Annex C
Timetable for Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG)
A one-stage peer-review assessment process is adopted for YCRG. Applicants are required to submit full proposals and, if shortlisted, attend the selection interview according to the tentative time schedule below:
| Timing (tentative) |
Event |
|---|---|
| 17 January 2024 | |
| 19 April 2024 (5:00 pm) |
|
| May – October 2024 | |
| End-October/ Early-November 2024 |
|
| Early-December 2024 | |
| End-December 2024/ Early-January 2025 |
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