National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme
Forecasted
The National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme funds collaborative research and conferences in key scientific fields between Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027: Preliminary proposal to RGC (by universities, 4:00 pm) | February 2027: Copy of Mainland partner's proposal to RGC | May 2027: Full proposal to RGC (shortlisted applicants)
Funding Amounts: Up to HK$1.25M/project (research, 4 years) | Up to HK$250,000/conference | ~50 research projects funded per cycle
Summary: Supports collaborative research and conferences in six major fields between Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland researchers.
Key Information: Parallel submission required to both RGC and NSFC; strict eligibility and collaboration rules apply.
Description
The National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme is a major funding initiative co-administered by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The scheme aims to foster deep, complementary collaboration between research teams in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. It supports joint research projects in six key areas—Information Technology, Life Science, New Materials Science, Marine and Environmental Science, Medicine, and Management Science—and provides conference grants to encourage scientific exchange, particularly among young researchers. Proposals outside these areas may also be considered under "Other" categories.
The scheme offers:
- Research grants for up to 4 years, supporting joint projects with funding for Hong Kong teams up to HK$1.25 million per project.
- Conference grants for up to two conferences (one science, one non-science) per cycle, each up to HK$250,000, to be held in Hong Kong.
