In the latest round of the Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector of the Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) secured over HK$33.42 million for 47 projects, representing more than 37.1% of the total allocation. For the third consecutive year, HKMU ranked first among all local self-financing institutions in both funding amount and number of projects, highlighting the strength and innovation of its faculty in research and development.
HKMU performed exceptionally well under the “Faculty Development Scheme” (FDS), with 43 projects receiving over HK$31.97 million in funding. This marked a 13% increase in the number of projects and a 7% increase in funding compared to the previous year. The University has maintained the highest total FDS funding among self-financing institutions for the seventh consecutive year.
HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing praised the faculty’s achievements, noting that the results reflect the researchers’ dedication and innovative spirit. He emphasized the University’s commitment to supporting forward-looking projects with social impact and leveraging its applied sciences strengths to contribute to Hong Kong and the broader region.
Seven HKMU-led projects under the FDS received over HK$1 million each, spanning interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence, environmental science, and disease treatment. The largest single award of HK$1.259 million went to a project led by Prof. Jack Tang Wai-ho on the pathophysiological role of platelet PANoptosis in sepsis, aiming to provide new insights and potential therapeutic targets for sepsis prevention and treatment. Another project led by Dr. Wong Shun-man received top funding in the Physical Sciences category, further demonstrating HKMU’s research excellence.
Under the Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS), four HKMU-led projects focused on smart cities, environmental sustainability, health informatics, and cultural studies secured HK$1.45 million, a 25% increase from the previous year.
HKMU has continuously enhanced its research infrastructure to support strategic research areas. The University has established five research institutes and four research centres covering domains such as digital humanities, public and social policy, international business, responsible business, bilingual learning, gerontechnology, personalised care, environmental science, smart city development, and open and innovative education, promoting multidisciplinary research and innovation across its campuses.
