Research and Development
Research Capacity
In the latest 2014-15 research funding applications, with results released by the Research Grants Council (RGC) in late June 2014 when this Report was in preparation, the Institute continued to achieve very good results, securing HK$19.22 million in total for 34 projects. Of the total applications for General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS) grants, 33 were successful with HK$18.3 million awarded. Another project received HK$920,000 from the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS).
As of 30 June 2014, there were 108 ongoing and newly funded research projects at the Institute, with a total grant amount of HK$73.13 million from the GRF, ECS, HSSPFS, Public Policy Research Scheme, Strategic Public Policy Research Scheme, the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council- RGC Joint Research Scheme and the National Natural Science Foundation of China-RGC Joint Research Scheme. These figures testify to the capacity and diversity of the Institute in conducting cutting-edge research in both education and multidisciplinary areas, with local and international impacts.
Leadership Role in Education Research
With its niche and leadership role in Education, the Institute continued its tradition of shining in the discipline in the 2014-15 RGC research funding applications. Of the 37 projects from the eight publicly funded tertiary institutions awarded funding under the “Education” subject discipline, 11 from the Institute secured 34.9 per cent of the total amount, equivalent to HK$6.74 million. This placed the Institute first in terms of percentage share, number of funded projects and funded amount. Under the GRF, the Institute’s eight successful applications saw it ranked first in terms of the number of applications supported and amount of funding awarded at HK$4.9 million, representing a 33.9 per cent share of the total awarded amount. Under the ECS, with three successful applications and HK$1.83 million in funding awarded, the Institute was also ranked first in terms of the number of funded projects and awarded amount in the Humanities and Social Sciences areas.
Performance of Emerging and Established Scholars
The Institute is keen to attract and nurture young scholars. Its efforts over recent years have yielded pleasing results, with emerging academic staff securing HK$9.06 million in total funding for 17 projects under the ECS in the 2014-15 research funding applications.
In the Humanities and Social Sciences Panel under the ECS, the Institute received 23.9 per cent of the total funding, with 14 successful projects awarded a total of HK$7.43 million. This ensured that the Institute was ranked first in terms of both the number of funded projects and awarded amount. In the “Psychology and Linguistics” subject discipline, with six projects receiving a total of HK$3.37 million in funding, the Institute was ranked first in terms of the number of funded projects and awarded amount, receiving 39.1 per cent of the total funding awarded.
Launched in 2012-13, the HSSPFS aims at granting extended time-off and supporting funds to the outstanding researchers under the disciplines of the Humanities and Social Sciences Panel, such that they are able to focus on research work and writing. In the 2014-15 HSSPFS exercise, of 17 funding proposals submitted by eight institutions, six projects were funded with a total of HK$4.48 million (HK$750,000 on average). Receiving HK$920,000 in funding for his research project “Poverty in Old Age: New Measurement” under the HSSPFS, together with a further HK$970,000 for a GRF-funded project, Professor Chou Kee-lee of the Department of Asian and Policy Studies had two research projects funded by the RGC.
Research Outputs and Knowledge Transfer
The Institute has a well-established tradition of applied research and seeks to not only extend knowledge frontiers but also benefit education and foster social progress and human development. During the year, of the 583 refereed journal articles, books and book chapters produced by our academics, 72 per cent were related to various sectors of education (including early childhood, primary, secondary, technical and special education) and 28 per cent were related to non-education areas (such as the social sciences, humanities and languages, and other professional and vocational subjects). These figures echo the Institute’s vision and equal emphasis on advancing high-quality research in both education and complementary multidisciplinary areas.
Apart from seeking excellence in knowledge creation and research, academic and teaching staff members of the Institute are keenly aware of their roles as public intellectuals. Through sharing their views in the print, electronic and new media, and in their capacities as chairmen and members of various government and non-government think tanks, as well as hosts and speakers in public forums, they help promote advocacy that advances Hong Kong as a fairer society. The views raised by the Institute’s scholars become useful pointers in the process of public discourse. At the same time, the knowledge generated is transferred to the education sector and the wider community through activities of various natures. During the year, such activities, among others, included commissioned and contract projects, partnership projects for change, improvement and innovation, consultancies, professional development courses, seminars and workshops, local and international conferences, and publications with local and regional impacts. 9,996 schools, 4,511 principals, 29,308 teachers and 462,267 students benefited from these activities.**
** The total beneficiaries have been calculated according to the number of activities involved. Some beneficiaries and schools may have been involved in more than one activity.
