Collaborative Research Fund
The Collaborative Research Fund by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council supports multi-university, cross-disciplinary research and equipment projects to drive scientific collaboration and innovation in Hong Kong.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027: Preliminary proposal electronic submission deadline via RGC Electronic System (projected) | February 2027: Hard copy and searchable soft copy submission to UGC Secretariat through Research Offices by 17:00 HKT (projected)
Funding Amounts: HK$2M–$10M per project (Collaborative Research Project Grant/Equipment Grant); HK$2M–$5M per project (Young Collaborative Research Grant); project duration typically up to 3 years.
Summary: Supports cross-disciplinary, multi-investigator research and equipment projects to foster collaboration and research excellence among Hong Kong universities.
Key Information: 50% university matching funding required for equipment; only one application as Project Coordinator per cycle.
Description
The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF), administered by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, is designed to promote high-quality, multi-investigator and multi-disciplinary research collaborations across UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong. The CRF consists of three grant types:
- Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG): For group research initiatives spanning disciplines and institutions.
- Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG): For acquisition of major shared research facilities or equipment.
- Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG): For early-career academic staff to gain experience in leading collaborative projects.
The fund emphasizes capacity building, cross-institutional synergy, and the development of research areas of strength, aiming to enhance Hong Kong’s research landscape and output.
