Cooperation Hong Kong - Joint Research Scheme (JRS)

The Research Grants Council (RGC) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) have agreed to establish a joint research scheme to promote research collaboration between Hong Kong and the Netherlands by providing researchers in the two places one-year and two-year travel grants. The scheme also offers workshop grant to sponsor workshops held in Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Research collaboration proposals under the following subject areas are eligible for application: Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

Who can apply

This grant is open to teams composed of Hong Kong and Dutch researchers. Applications should be submitted both to NWO and the RGC: the Dutch researcher should apply to NWO and the Hong Kong counterpart should apply to the RGC. In the Netherlands eligible researchers are senior researchers (professor, associate professor, assistant professor or similar) with a permanent position at one of the thirteen Dutch universities, or at a research institute acknowledged by NWO. They should be working in one or more of the fields of Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

What can be applied for

There are two funding modalities:

Travel grants

Researchers can apply for one- or two-year travel grants. The travel grants provide for international travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs directly related to the proposed exchanges between the two partners in Hong Kong and the Netherlands. The grant does not cover expenditure on equipment, consumables, or other project-related expenses. The maximum travel grant is 3,000 euro per year, i.e., a maximum of 3,000 euro for a one-year project or a maximum of 6,000 euro for a two-year project. Travel grants provided by NWO are solely intendend for use by the Dutch PI; the Hong Kong PI will receive a grant from the RGC.

Workshop grants

Researchers can apply to seek sponsorship of a two- or three-day bilateral workshop. The bilateral workshop comprises sessions where overseas and local guest speakers present ongoing research work. The grant covers travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs of guest speakers from Hong Kong to the Netherlands as well as the direct organising costs, e.g., meeting venue and production of workshop materials. The maximum workshop grant id 15,000 euro. Workshop grants provided by NWO are solely intended for sponsorship of the workshops to be held in the Netherlands; workshop grants provided by the RGC are solely intended for sponsorship of the workshops to be held in Hong Kong.

When can be applied

• Closing date for submitting applications is 28 December 2011

Criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

Travel grants:

• academic quality of the proposed research;
• academic quality of the applying research team;
• possible synergy, complementary expertise, and benefits expected from longer term collaboration;
• opportunities for training young researchers through proposed research.

Workshop grants:

• academic quality of the applying researchers and of the guest speakers;
• degree of intra- and inter-institutional participation by local researchers and students;
• prospects for new and/or long-term research collaboration.

Procedure

A Joint Selection Committee appointed by the RGC and NWO will review and assess the applications. Based on the recommendations of the Joint Selection Committee, the RGC and NWO will jointly select the applications to be supported.

Committees

NWO and RGC are responsible for setting up the six-member Joint Selection Committee. Both sides will recruit three members each to sit on the Joint Selection Committee.

Budget

For the 2010/2011 application round, NWO and RGC have reserved funding for a maximum of eight travel grants and a maximum of four workshops, two workshops to be held in the Netherlands, and two workshops to be held in Hong Kong.

Financiers

NWO Divisions for Physical and Chemical Sciences, Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong

Contacts

• Ms dr. M. (Maaike) Damen
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 09 23, e-mail: m.damen@nwo.nl

Documentation for applying electronically