Calendar 2007–08

Part 1 • General Information Part 1 Research and Development CUHK fosters the development of quality research over a broad front in all its seven faculties and the School of Law. It provides opportunities for advancement in the pursuit of human knowledge, and for academic staff to undertake consultancy and collaborative projects with industry. 24 major research institutes have been established by the University to provide financial support and other facilities for research. While encouraging both basic and applied research in all academic areas, the University also realizes that it is important to achieve excellence and world-wide impact. In the four – University Grants Committee (UGC) ‘Areas of Excellence’ exercises, CUHK has been successful in securing significant support from the UGC in the areas of Information Technology, Centre for Plant and Agricultural Biotechnology, Chinese Medicine: Research and Further Development, and Centre for Research into Circulating Fetal Nucleic Acids. The multidisciplinary teams aimed for good progress in their respective research areas. In addition, the University has identified 19 Strategic ResearchAreas which possess 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 2006–07 exercise, CUHK staff secured some HK$111.7 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 ResearchAdministration Office (RAO), which is responsible for research administration as well as for implementation of policies for the enhancement of the University’s research portfolio. The Technology Licensing Office (TLO) is the primary office with responsibility for technology transfer. All intellectual property rights are administered through TLO unless and until assigned. The recent years saw a