Collaborative Research Fund
The Collaborative Research Fund by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council supports cross-disciplinary, multi-university scientific research and major equipment to drive impactful collaboration in Hong Kong.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027: Preliminary proposal electronic submission | February 2027: Preliminary proposal hard copy and soft copy by 17:00 HKT
Funding Amounts: HK$2M–$10M per project (CRPG/CREG); HK$2M–$5M per project (YCRG); up to 3 years (extensions possible); 50% university matching required for equipment
Summary: Supports cross-disciplinary, multi-university research projects and major equipment to foster impactful collaborative research in Hong Kong.
Key Information: Forecasted dates—check program page for updates; only one proposal as Project Coordinator per cycle.
Description
The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) is a flagship program of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC), designed to stimulate high-quality, multi-investigator, and multi-disciplinary research across UGC-funded Hong Kong universities. The CRF supports three main grant types:
- Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG): For group research projects spanning multiple disciplines and institutions, aiming to elevate research impact, scope, and innovation.
- Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG): For acquisition of major research equipment or facilities that enable collaborative research and are not affordable by a single university.
- Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG): For early-career academics to lead collaborative research teams and gain leadership experience.
The fund emphasizes genuine collaboration, capacity building, and the development of new research strengths. Projects may run up to three years (with possible extensions to four or five years if justified).
