The funding system for higher education institutions and enterprises for scientific R&D projects will be split into two from July, the Macau Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) said at a press conference yesterday.
FDCT Committee member Ip Kuai Lam said the two funding systems for higher education institutions and enterprises will have different accessing criteria for the applicants, with the aim of ensuring that the approved enterprise projects are not in competition with higher education institutions, adding that as the enterprises lack human resources for doing scientific research, they often fail to receive funding under the present system.
Ip said he hoped that a separate application would allow enterprises to compete with each other, thus prompting them to invest more in scientific research, strengthening their R&D capabilities and contributing to the goal of developing the collaboration among industry, academia and research.
Asked by the media which funding scheme a collaborative R&D project between an enterprise and an education institution should apply for, Ip replied that it will be up to the applicants to decide, and that if the research project is led by an enterprise, it could be under the enterprise funding scheme.
Ip added that the fund also encourages such collaborative R&D projects, as the current research level of local higher education institutions is relatively high while the R&D capability of enterprises is still relatively low.
Reviewing the fund’s work last year, FDCT Administrative Committee President Chan Wan Hei pointed out that after the restructuring of the fund, its development direction has been adjusted around the government’s policy direction, mainly by focusing on supporting applied scientific research, as well as the commercialisation of scientific research findings, and encouraging industry-academia-research collaboration.
According to a statement by the fund, two to three new research platforms will be established this year to promote interdisciplinary development while a total of 639 projects were approved last year, amounting to about 3.5 million patacas in funds.
FDCT Administrative Committee President Chan Wan Hei (centre) and FDCT Administrative Committee members Ip Kuai Lam (right) and Cheang Kun Wai poses before yesterday’s press conference at China Plaza. Photo: Ginnie Liang
