Calendar 2006–07

74 Part 2 • General Information world-class strengths academically and continue to provide 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 2005–2006 exercise, CUHK staff secured some HK$98 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 and Health Services Research Fund, Health Care and Promotion Fund, Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases, 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 allocation of research funding, it is also charged with the responsibility of evaluating and recommending project proposals for external grant applications. It is supported by the Research and Technology Administrati1on Office (RTAO). The RTAO is the primary office with responsibility 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 2006, CUHK and its staff have secured 36 US patents, 1 Germany patent, 1 UK patent, 17 Chinese patents, 5 Taiwan patents and 16 Hong Kong patents, covering various fields in biotechnology, information technology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, as well as materials science. Finance Funding from the Hong Kong SAR government is the main source of income and constitutes 62 per cent of the University’s revenue for capital and recurrent expenses. At about 20 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. The annual total income for the University is about HK$4.6 billion. Negotiations between the University and the government are conducted by the University Grants Committee. This committee advises the government on the financial requirements of the University.

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