Collaborative Research Fund

Bygowin
• Collaborative Research Project Grant and Collaborative Research Equipment Grant

Funding

Collaborative Research Project Grant

  • The Collaborative Research Project Grant encourages research units at UGC-funded universities to do cross-discipline or cross-university work that raises the standard, quality, reach or impact of their research. It funds research staff, equipment and general expenses. The RGC looks closely at whether the proposal will build research strength.
  • A project coordinator may apply for continuation funding for an ongoing collaborative project. The new proposal must be led by the same coordinator, have its own research direction, and either continue the current project or set a new goal. The RGC assesses it together with other collaborative proposals.

Collaborative Research Equipment Grant

  • Funds major research equipment, instruments and library materials that one university could not afford on its own, for collaborative research;
  • Helps universities use supplier support to extend the value of RGC grants; and
  • Funds the cost for members of RGC collaborative projects to use major research facilities, so that new equipment need not be bought.

Eligibility

The coordinator applying for a collaborative research grant and an equipment grant mustTeaching staff appointed by a UGC-funded university who meet all of the following：

  1. The applicant is full-time staff appointed by the university;
  2. Under the usual grade bands for data collection, the applicant’s grade must be A.to level I, that is from Professor to Assistant Lecturer;
  3. The applicant mainly teaches or researches on degree programmes and spendsat least 80% of working time on that work; and
  4. The applicant’s whole salary is paid from university funds;

Visiting teaching staff must be full-time university staff for the wholeproject period in order to be eligible. Staff paid by an external research grantnot eligible

Application deadline

Applications are accepted each year. The 2025/26 dates are to be announced

• Early Career Collaborative Research Grant

Funding

Early Career Collaborative Research Grant

  • The Early Career Collaborative Research Grant helps early-career scholars gain experience in collaborative research so they can later compete for larger grants. Only collaborative projects are accepted. Requests for research equipment must go through the Collaborative Research Equipment Grant.

Eligibility

  • The applicant is full-time staff appointed by the university;
  • On the application deadline, the applicant has held a substantive or tenured post at associate-professor level or equivalent for no more than three years at any local or overseas university, so researchers below that level may also apply, and works full time in teaching and research; or obtained a post-doctoral degree, or the highest equivalent qualification, no more than twelve years earlier, whichever period is shorter.
  • Under the usual grade bands, the applicant must be at grade C to grade I, that is from Senior Lecturer to Assistant Lecturer.
  • The applicant mainly works on bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programmes and spends at least 80% of working time on that work; and
  • The applicant’s salary is paid in full by the university

Unlike the collaborative research or equipment grants, visiting teaching staff are not eligible for the early-career collaborative research grant.

Application deadline

Applications are accepted each year. The 2025/26 dates are to be announced