Collaborative Research Fund
The Hong Kong Research Grants Council's Collaborative Research Fund supports cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional research projects and major equipment to enhance research capacity and collaboration in Hong Kong universities.
Funder: Hong Kong Research Grants Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027: Preliminary proposal electronic submission deadline (projected) | February 2027: Hard copy and searchable soft copy submission deadline to UGC Secretariat via Research Offices by 17:00 HKT (projected)
Funding Amounts: $2M–$10M HKD per project (Collaborative Research Project/Equipment); $2M–$5M HKD per project (Young Collaborative Research Grant); typically up to 3 years.
Summary: Supports cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional research projects and equipment acquisition to foster collaboration and build research capacity in Hong Kong universities.
Key Information: 50% matching funding from universities required for equipment costs; only one application as Project Coordinator per cycle.
Description
The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) aims to stimulate high-quality, cross-disciplinary, and cross-institutional research by supporting collaborative projects and major research infrastructure among Hong Kong's UGC-funded universities. The program comprises three streams:
- Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG): For multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary research teams to enhance research output and impact through cross-university and cross-discipline collaboration.
- Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG): For acquisition of major research facilities or equipment that cannot be afforded by a single university but are essential for collaborative research.
- Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG): For early-career academic staff to gain experience leading and managing collaborative group research projects (equipment-only proposals are not eligible here).
The CRF emphasizes capacity building, the development of research strengths, and the nurturing of future research leaders. Projects are expected to have a strong justification for collaboration and a clear plan for impactful outcomes.
