Research proposals relating to "supply and demand of design manpower" will be sought under a new round of applications for the Design Research Scheme, the Innovation & Technology Commission says.

The exercise was introduced under the Design Research Scheme to achieve focus, synergy and co-ordination among the research projects to be supported.

Research proposals should collect information on:

* the current and projected supply and demand of design manpower in Hong Kong;

* identify gaps between supply and demand of design manpower in Hong Kong industries;

* identify areas for improvement with recommendations on design manpower education, training, planning and management with a view to improving the supply of design manpower to meet the needs of the industries in terms of quantity and quality; and,

* identify areas that Hong Kong should develop to strengthen its design services exports to the Pearl River Delta.

The commission said analysis of design manpower's supply and demand is an important step in understanding and matching the industry's needs and developing design education and training.

Given the close economic relationship between Hong Kong and the delta region, it is important to see how Hong Kong can capitalise on the potential for exporting design services, in particular to the 60,000 Hong Kong-related enterprises there.

The Design Research Scheme aims to support research-based activities in design or branding-related areas to provide a platform for attaining greater awareness and knowledge critical to the effective use of design in mainstream industrial or business processes.

Deadline: August 8

It is open to applications from local academic institutes, industry support organisations, trade and industry associations, professional bodies, research institutes and companies.

Eligible parties can submit applications for the Design Research Scheme through the DesignSmart Secretariat. Deadline for submissions is August 8.

An assessment panel, chaired by the Commissioner for Innovation & Technology, will assess applications under the funding schemes of the Design Support Programme and monitor progress of the funded projects.

The Design Research Scheme is one of the four funding schemes under the Design Support Programme of the DesignSmart Initiative.

The Financial Secretary announced in the 2004-05 Budget the setting up of the $250 million DesignSmart Initiative. It includes a Design Support Programme for providing funding support to design projects and the setting up of an InnoCentre as a one-stop shop for design services.