Collaborative Research Fund
The CRF supports collaborative, cross-university, and multidisciplinary research and equipment projects to build research capacity and infrastructure among Hong Kong's UGC-funded universities.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027: Preliminary proposal submission to RGC Electronic System (projected) | February 2027: Hard/soft copy to UGC Secretariat via Research Offices by 17:00 HKT (projected)
Funding Amounts: HK$2M–10M per project (Collaborative Research Project/Equipment); HK$2M–5M (Young Collaborative Research); up to 3 years, with justification needed for 4–5 year projects
Summary: Supports multi-investigator, cross-university, and multi-disciplinary research and equipment projects among Hong Kong's UGC-funded universities.
Key Information: 50% matching funding required for equipment; only one application as Project Coordinator per cycle.
Description
The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) is a major funding scheme of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council aimed at fostering high-quality, multi-disciplinary, and cross-institutional research collaborations among UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. The CRF offers three types of grants:
- Collaborative Research Project Grant: Supports research projects involving multiple investigators and disciplines, with a focus on building research strengths and capacity.
- Collaborative Research Equipment Grant: Funds acquisition of major research facilities or equipment that enable collaborative research and are not affordable by a single university.
- Young Collaborative Research Grant: Helps early-career academic staff gain experience in leading collaborative research projects.
The scheme emphasizes synergy, research excellence, and strategic development of research infrastructure and talent in Hong Kong.
