RFS and SRFS are operated on an annual basis to provide sustained support to exceptionally outstanding academics in UGC-funded universities to facilitate their research efforts and promote research excellence.
The target group of RFS and SRFS are stellar researchers at Associate Professor rank and full Professor rank respectively. For eligibility of RFS/ SRFS candidates, please refer to the details as set out in the
Operation Guide for the RGC Research Fellow Scheme and RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme 
.
Quota and Fellowship
In the 2023/24 exercise, RFS and SRFS will each provide research funding support to ten awardees for a period of 60 months for teaching and administrative duty relief. The funding covers salary costs for relief teachers and related research expenses including staff, equipment, travel, subsistence and dissemination costs, but not "on costs". Supporting universities are required to make their own provision for "on-costs".
Each RFS awardee will be conferred the title "RGC Research Fellow (研資局研究學者)", and the supporting university will receive a fellowship grant at around $5.2 million per award (a uniform rate is applied for both non-clinical and clinical academics) over a period of 60 months.
Each SRFS awardee will be conferred the title "RGC Senior Research Fellow (研資局高級研究學者)", and the supporting university will receive a fellowship grant at around $7.8 million per award (a uniform rate is applied for both non-clinical and clinical academics) over a period of 60 months.
Matters Requiring Attention
Documents of the RFS / SRFS have been fine-tuned to incorporate the following deliberation and advice made by RGC:
- to better meet the objectives of the schemes in nurturing and retaining young research talents for Hong Kong research community, the quality and vision of mentorship and nurturing of young researchers by the seniors will be given due regard in the course of assessment;
- the apportionment of "teaching relief" in the project budget should be reasonable and well justified;
- the scope of the project proposal should be well substantiated to take up a period of five years of fellowship; and
- universities and nominees are required to indicate in the nomination form whether the submitted proposals involve the study of artefacts and whether relevant approval has been sought and granted.
A full set of the operation guide, nomination form (RFS-SRFS-1) and guidance notes (RFS-SRFS-2) are attached for your ready reference. These documents, together with a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), are also available at http://www.lady2030.cn/eng/rgc/funding_opport/rrfs/ for your easy access. Nominees and supporting universities are advised to read the nomination details as set out in the operation guide and the guidance notes carefully before completing the nomination form.
Submission of Nominations
Each UGC-funded university may nominate up to six candidates (at Associate Professor rank) for RFS and six candidates (at full Professor rank) for SRFS. Each nomination should include the research proposal of the project to be undertaken by the nominated candidate during the fellowship period.
At the RGC meeting held on 11 June 2022, members indicated concern on the gender distribution among the RFS / SRFS awardees in the 2022/23 exercise. While the selection of the awardees is merit-based and gender is not an assessment criterion, universities may wish to take note of RGC’s concern and encourage more female faculty members to be nominated and to compete for the awards.
Nominations should be submitted with one soft copy in text-searchable PDF (saved in DVD/ USB memory stick) and two sets of hard copies (including the original version) delivered to:
Assistant Secretary-General (Research) Special Duties 1
University Grants Committee Secretariat
7/F Shui On Centre
6 - 8 Harbour Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Nominations should reach the UGC Secretariat by 5:00 p.m. on 30 November 2022 (Wednesday). Late nomination will not be processed.
Assessment of Nominations
Nominees of RFS and SRFS of all academic disciplines are subject to assessment by either one of the two selection panels: (i) Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies (H-Panel); and (ii) Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology (S-Panel). Shortlisted finalists for RFS/ SRFS will be invited for interview by the selection panel concerned between May and June 2023.
Enquiries
For enquiries about the nomination procedures or other aspects of the RFS/SRFS, please feel free to contact the UGC Secretariat via email: RFS@ugc.edu.hk.