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NSFC / RGC Joint Research Scheme

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/
Research Grants Council (RGC) Joint Research Scheme 2020/21 Exercise
Invitation for Applications

Aim

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme (JRS) aims to promote collaboration between researchers/research teams in Hong Kong and the Mainland on the basis of complementing existing strengths of both sides. The scheme supports research proposals jointly submitted by the Mainland and the Hong Kong researchers. It also offers up to two conference grants to sponsor conferences held in Hong Kong. The six focus areas under the scheme are: Information Technology; Life Science; New Materials Science; Marine and Environmental Science; Medicine; and Management Science.

2. The RGC has reserved an amount of HK$35 million for the Hong Kong applicants in the NSFC/RGC JRS 2020/21 exercise.

A. Research Proposals
Eligibility

3.   The Hong Kong Principal Investigator (PI) should meet fully the requirements for applying the RGC General Research Fund (GRF) (Please refer to paragraph 7(a) in Part II of Explanatory Notes for GRF Application Form "GRF2" which is mounted on the RGC website: http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/funding_schemes/form.html). A PI of an on-going NSFC/RGC JRS research project is not allowed to submit a new application for a research grant unless both collaborative partners have submitted their completion reports of the last approved project to the RGC and the NSFC before the preliminary application deadline. Nevertheless, he / she could participate in a new NSFC/RGC JRS research proposal if not in the capacity as a PI. Moreover, applicants should refer to the relevant requirements of the NSFC and ensure their eligibility as Hong Kong PI will be accepted by the NSFC.

4.   Mainland applicants should check with the NSFC for their eligibility requirements.

5.   Researchers outside Hong Kong and the Mainland may participate as members of the Hong Kong or the Mainland research team.

Funding

6. The scheme aims to support research projects with duration of four years. For Hong Kong applicants, the grants sought for each project should not exceed HK$1.25 million (exclusive of on-costs). For Mainland applicants, the maximum funding amount (exclusive of on-costs) per project is RMB 1 million.

7. The RGC funding will provide support for :
- salary of research support staff hired by the Hong Kong researchers;
- equipment in Hong Kong;
- general expenses, including consumables that are directly related to the research work;
- expenses for receiving the Mainland collaborators in Hong Kong;
- passage for Hong Kong researchers and research postgraduate students to visit collaborators in the Mainland; and
- grants for Hong Kong researchers and research postgraduate students to attend international conference.
8. The NSFC funding will provide support for :
- research expenditure;
- expenses for receiving Hong Kong collaborators in the Mainland;
- passage for the Mainland researchers to visit collaborators in Hong Kong; and
- other expenses allowed by the NSFC.
9. The Hong Kong and the Mainland partners of the supported projects will receive funding from the RGC and the NSFC separately, and the grants can only be used in Hong Kong and the Mainland respectively.
How to apply

10.   Parallel submissions of both applications by the Hong Kong and the Mainland applicants are required. While applications must be submitted before the deadlines as outlined below, Hong Kong applicants should check with their universities for internal closing dates. Late submissions will not be processed.

11.   Hong Kong applications should be submitted to the RGC through respective universities. Mainland applications are to be submitted to the Office of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs of the NSFC. Detailed information on application procedures of the NSFC is available at <http://www.nsfc.gov.cn>.

12.   It is the obligation of both the Hong Kong and the Mainland applicants to ensure that their respective applications contain sufficient and consistent information for evaluation. Incomplete submission (such as those lacking substantial data/information for evaluation) or inconsistent/inaccurate information would lead to disqualification of application. The project period of both sides should have the same start and end dates. All proposals funded in the 2020/21 exercise should commence on 1 January 2021.

13.   Hong Kong applicants should submit a hard copy and a soft copy (with size up to 2 MB per proposal) of their preliminary proposals through the Research Office of their universities to the RGC by 5:00 pm of 14 February 2020. They are also required to submit to the RGC a hard copy and a soft copy of the proposals submitted by their Mainland partners to the NSFC by 24 February 2020 at the latest. The application to be submitted to the RGC should be prepared in accordance with the "Template for Preliminary Proposal for Research Grants" (NSFC/RGC 1a (12/19)) and should be jointly signed by the collaborators of both places. Each preliminary proposal should be confined to three A4 size sheets, i.e. six sides including all attachments and references (but excluding the university's endorsement). In order to ensure consistency and fairness to all applicants, applicants must complete the applications in the following standard RGC format. Failure to comply with the application format and/or the allowable page will lead to disqualification of the proposal.
14. After initial screening, the RGC and the NSFC will jointly work out a mutually agreed shortlist of which full proposals will be invited. The RGC will notify the shortlisted Hong Kong applicants by around end of April 2020 for submission of full proposals.

15. The deadline for submission of full proposals to the RGC will be in mid June 2020. Shortlisted Hong Kong applicants will be invited through their respective universities to submit two hard copies and a soft copy (with size up to 5 MB per proposal) of full proposals using the specified form "NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme Application Form for Full Proposal". Each full proposal must be accompanied by an agreement of collaboration between the Hong Kong and the Mainland applicants.
Selection

16. The main factors for consideration are the scientific merit of the proposal, the extent to which the existing strengths of each side may complement each other in a proposal and opportunities for training young researchers. Balance of different disciplines may be taken into consideration when the scientific aspects of two proposals are considered being equal.

17. The RGC and the NSFC will arrange to assess the research proposals received in accordance with their respective peer-review procedures. A Joint Selection Committee, comprising representatives from the RGC and the NSFC, will conduct a final assessment of the applications. The Joint Selection Committee will only fund proposals which have been supported by both sides.
Announcement of Results

18. The results of the final selection will be announced by end of October 2020. The results will also be published on the RGC website.
Monitoring and Assessment

19. Hong Kong PIs of funded research projects are required to submit mid-term and completion reports through their universities to the RGC for monitoring and assessment. The reports will be evaluated in part by the level of collaboration between the Hong Kong and Mainland teams involved, and the PIs are required to show tangible evidence of collaboration via the research output in their Mid-term/Completion Reports. Details of reporting requirements will be provided to the successful applicants in the announcement of funding results.
Conditions

20.   The RGC will not be responsible for any expenditure incurred by the project in excess of the approved funding.

21.   Neither the RGC nor the NSFC will provide any insurance cover in connection with the project or allow the use of the grant for insurance cover. Applicants should make their own arrangements. The RGC and the NSFC will not accept any responsibility arising in any way from the visits and the activities undertaken by the researchers.

22.   As a matter of policy, the RGC does not claim any intellectual property rights arising from the projects it funds. Researchers, their collaborators and their universities concerned should make their own prior arrangements with regard to the ownership of such rights.

23.   Funded projects may be selected by the RGC and the NSFC to present their progress during a site visit. Selected projects will be separately notified of the date and logistic requirements in advance.

B. Conference proposals
Eligibility

24. Either the Hong Kong PI or a Co-Investigator in the Hong Kong team should meet fully the requirements for applying the RGC Early Career Scheme (ECS) (Please refer to paragraph 7(a) in Part II of Explanatory Notes for ECS Application Form "ECS2" which is mounted on the RGC website: http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/funding_schemes/form.html). A PI of an on-going NSFC/RGC JRS conference project is not allowed to submit a new application unless the Hong Kong PI has submitted the completion report of the last approved conference project to the RGC before the application deadline. Nevertheless, he/she could participate in a new NSFC/RGC JRS conference proposal if not in the capacity as a PI. Each PI can only submit one conference proposal in each exercise.

25. The Hong Kong PI should collaborate with a Mainland Co-organiser who should meet the eligibility requirements as "young scientists" specified by the NSFC. Enquiries regarding NSFC's requirements should be made to the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the NSFC via email at gat@nsfc.gov.cn.
Funding

26.   The scheme aims to facilitate Hong Kong and Mainland young researchers of similar fields to develop new collaboration through dissemination of their recent and unpublished research work. Two conferences, one in science disciplines (viz. Biology & Medicine, Engineering and Physical Sciences disciplines) and one in non-science disciplines (viz Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies disciplines) to be held in Hong Kong, will be selected for funding.

27.   The RGC funding will provide support for a two or three-day conference to be held in Hong Kong. The conference / workshop should take place between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 inclusive. The maximum amount of RGC grant per conference is HK$250,000.

28.   The RGC grant covers travel, accommodation and subsistence costs of guest speakers from Mainland to Hong Kong, and the direct organising costs, e.g. reservation of meeting venue, production of conference/workshop materials etc. Expenditure on meals is not covered by the grant. Awardees are requested to publicize the conference to young researchers within and outside the host university with a view to encouraging wide participation.
How to apply

29.   For each conference, there should be a Hong Kong PI and a Co-organiser from the Mainland. The Hong Kong PI is responsible for the overall coordination of the event; and the Mainland Co-organiser assists in drawing up the main programme, e.g. suggestion on guest speaker(s) to be invited. The conference may comprise sessions where Mainland and local guest speakers present on-going research work; local postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate research students post up their current work; and/or interested local parties attend hands-on sessions to acquire new techniques.

30.   It is the obligation of both the Hong Kong and the Mainland applicants to ensure that their applications contain sufficient and consistent information for evaluation. Incomplete submission (such as those lacking substantial data/information for evaluation) or inconsistent/inaccurate information would lead to disqualification of application.

31.   Applications should be submitted through the Research Office of their universities to the RGC by 5:00 pm of 14 February 2020. Applicants should check with the Research Offices of respective universities for internal deadlines. For each application please submit a soft copy (with size up to 2MB per application) and two hard copies of:
1. application form (should be prepared in accordance with the "Template for Conference Proposal" (NSFC/RGC 1c) and should be jointly signed by the collaborators of both places;
2. half-page summary by each guest speaker (i.e. both Mainland and Hong Kong) on his/her presentation at the proposed conference; the current understanding in the field on the topic he / she will be speaking on; and the latest research findings and their significance; and
3. one A-4 page (with a maximum of 400 words) curriculum vitae (CV) for each guest speaker, with information on name, academic qualifications, previous academic position(s) held (with date(s)) & present position (state if applicant is a visiting academic from overseas), previous relevant research work, publication records including the five most representative publications in the recent five years and five representative publications beyond the recent five years (10 at maximum), and others including research-related prizes and awards, brief description of experience in consultancies, service as a referee in evaluating other grant applications, patents, PhD theses supervised, etc.
32. Hong Kong applicants may refer to the template enclosed at the Appendix to the application form in preparing their CVs.
Selection

33. The main factors for consideration include the research standing of the Main and Co-organisers, and that of the guest speakers; the degree of intra- and inter-institutional participation by local and Mainland researchers and students; and the prospects for new/longer-term research collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland researchers.

34. The RGC will select the conference proposals to be supported in accordance with its assessment mechanism.
Announcement of Results

35. The results of the selection of conference proposals will be announced by around end of April 2020. The results will also be published on the RGC website.
Monitoring and Assessment

36. Hong Kong PIs of funded conferences are required to submit completion reports to the RGC through the university within six months of the conclusion of the event for monitoring and assessment. Details of reporting requirements will be provided to the successful applicants in the announcement of funding results.
Conditions

37.   Participants (including guest speakers) of the conferences should include both Hong Kong and Mainland researchers. Hong Kong PIs should ensure that at least 50% of the participants (including guest speakers) from Hong Kong are at Assistant Professor rank under UGC-funded universities while 50% of the participants (including guest speakers) from the Mainland should meet the eligibility requirements as "young scientists" specified by the NSFC. Enquiry regarding the NSFC requirements should be made to the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the NSFC via email to gat@nsfc.gov.cn.

38.   The RGC will not be responsible for any expenditure incurred by the project in excess of the approved funding.

39.   Neither the RGC nor the NSFC will provide any insurance cover in connection with the conference or allow the use of the grant for insurance cover. Applicants should make their own arrangements. The RGC and the NSFC will not accept any responsibility arising in any way from the visits and the activities undertaken by the researchers.

40.   The RGC and the NSFC may send representatives to attend funded conferences as observers. Selected conferences will be separately notified of the date and logistic requirements in advance.

Enquiries

41. All enquiries should be directed to Research Offices of respective universities in the first instance. Their contact details are as follows:

Ms Cecilia Sun City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Tong, Kowloon	Tel: 3442 6832 Fax: 3442 0136
Ms Doris Fung Hong Kong Baptist University Kowloon Tong Kowloon	Tel: 3411 7941 Fax: 3411 5133
Ms Connie Lam Lingnan University 8 Castle Peak Road Tuen Mun, New Territories	Tel: 2616 7683 Fax: 2591 9618
Ms Wendy Shek The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin New Territories	Tel: 3943 5544 Fax: 3942 0993
Ms Clara Fong The Education University of Hong Kong 10 Lo Ping Road Tai Po, New Territories	Tel: 2948 7700 Fax: 2948 7697
Miss Christine Yeung The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon	Tel: 2766 4046 Fax: 2355 7651
Ms Catherine Leung The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon	Tel: 2358 6946 Fax: 2358 1541
Miss Kay Ling The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong	Tel: 2859 1181 Fax: 2803 0558

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UGC Secretariat
18 December 2019