National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme
Forecasted
National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme supports Hong Kong and Mainland researchers through joint research and conferences to build complementary collaboration and train young researchers.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (Preliminary research and conference proposals) | January 2027 (Mainland partner proposals to RGC)
Funding Amounts: Research: up to HK$1.25 million for Hong Kong and RMB1 million for Mainland partners over four years, excluding on-costs; conferences: up to HK$250,000
Summary: Supports joint Hong Kong–Chinese Mainland research and Hong Kong conferences that build complementary research collaboration.
Key Information: Research collaborations with a Mainland institution established and operated by the Hong Kong PI’s own UGC-funded university are ineligible.
Description
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) jointly run this scheme to build collaboration between researchers whose strengths complement one another. It funds four-year research projects, prioritising scientific merit, complementary expertise and training opportunities for young researchers. Six focus areas are Information Technology, Life Science, New Materials Science, Marine and Environmental Science, Medicine, and Management Science. Applications outside these areas are also accepted.
The scheme also supports two- or three-day conferences in Hong Kong, helping young researchers share recent and unpublished work and develop new or longer-term partnerships. Conference support covers science disciplines—Biology and Medicine, Engineering and Physical Sciences—and non-science disciplines—Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies.
