Calendar 2004–05

70 Part 2 • General Information Environmental Research and Innovation Technology. The multidisciplinary team would share the HK$45 million secured for the project. In addition, the University has identified 19 Strategic Research Areas which possess world-class strengths and offer unique research opportunities. These areas include computer-assisted diagnosis, treatment and training in medicine, marine biotechnology, proteinomic, e-commerce technologies, educational development in Chinese societies, automation and robotics, research in nanostructured materials, and Hong Kong culture within national, regional, and international contexts. About one quarter of the government’s annual allocation to the University in the form of block grants goes directly or indirectly to research. The University also relies heavily on different external funding sources to support research activities. The Research Grants Council remains the major sponsor of research. In the 2003–4 exercise, CUHK staff secured some HK$112 million in the form of competitive grants. The high quality of research is also reflected in the many papers published in international and local refereed journals. Other major sources of funding are the Quality Education Fund, the Innovation and Technology Fund, the Health Care and Promotion Fund, and various private donations. The University’s Research Committee is one of the main bodies responsible for allocating internal funding for research. It is supported by seven subject panels, each consisting of up to 10 experienced researchers. In addition to the allocation of research funding, it is also charged with the responsibility of evaluating and recommending project proposals for external grant applications. The committee is supported by the Research and Technology Administration Office (RTAO). The RTAO is the primary office responsible for research administration and technology transfer. All intellectual property rights are administered through RTAO unless and until assigned. The recent years saw a rapid increase in technology transfer activities at the University. More and more technologies developed by CUHK have been adopted by industries. As of May 2004, CUHK and its staff secured 27 US patents, one European patent, five mainland Chinese patents, two Taiwan patents, and six Hong Kong patents, covering various fields in biotechnology, information technology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and materials science. Finance Funding from the Hong Kong SAR government is the main source of income and constitutes almost 66 per cent of the University’s revenue for capital and recurrent expenses. At about 16 per cent of the total, tuition fee income is the next important source of revenue. In addition, the University and its constituent colleges have small endowment funds at their disposal and also receive financial support from private donors for research and other designated purposes. Annual total income for the University is about HK$5 billion.

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