The Research Grants Council launched the first round of the Theme-based Research Scheme today.

The Steering Committee for Research Themes formed by the Government has, following a consultation exercise, selected three themes for the scheme:

* promoting good health;

* developing a sustainable environment; and,

* enhancing Hong Kong's strategic position as a regional and international business centre.

Strategic development

Announcing the scheme's implementation, council chairman Professor Roland Chin said funding will initially be focused on these three themes which benefit the city's strategic development and where local academia has a competitive advantage.

"It is hoped the initiative will galvanise our strength and interest to work on high impact, cutting-edge research projects, and at the same time create state-of-the-art teaching materials and educational programmes, as well as provide quality training for our research students."

The council will adopt a process which is distinct from the other existing University Grants Committee and council funding schemes. The council has invited researchers from committee-funded institutions to submit "white papers" suggesting "grand challenge topics" under the three selected themes.

Expert evaluation

Multi-disciplinary panels, formed mainly by external leading experts in related fields, will be formed to evaluate the white papers. Local researchers will be invited to attend workshops in August and September to discuss, refine and recommend the selection of the final "grand challenge topics". The workshops will also facilitate the initial aggregation of academics among different institutions and academic units which could potentially form the project proposal teams.

The council will finalise the topics under each theme and issue the Call for Proposals in September or October. The deadline for submission of research proposals will be in January or February. Successful research proposals will be awarded in mid-2011 after international peer review.

Of the $18 billion Research Endowment Fund established by the Government last year to provide research funding to committee-funded institutions, $4 billion has been set aside for theme-based research which will support projects on themes of a more long-term nature and strategically beneficial to Hong Kong's development.