XN000022-1993-02-17 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1993

$1 MILLION AWARDED TO BOOST HK/UK RESEARCH LINKS

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THE BRITISH COUNCIL AND HONG KONG RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ANNOUNCED THE 16 ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECTS AWARDED GRANTS IN THE SECOND YEAR (1992/93) OF THE "JOINT RESEARCH SCHEME"

TOTAL OF HK$1 MILLION WAS PROVIDED BY BOTH COUNCILS EQUALLY FOR THE 1992/93 SCHEME.

THIS YEAR A

THE SCHEME AIMS TO FACILITATE ACADEMIC INTERCHANGE THROUGH PROVISION OF GRANTS TO ENABLE ACADEMICS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG TO COLLABORATE ON WORTHWHILE RESEARCH PROJECTS.

IT IS MODELLED ON SUCCESSFUL JOINT ACADEMIC RESEARCH SCHEMES WHICH THE BRITISH COUNCIL MANAGES IN MOST WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

THE PROJECTS, WHICH WERE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF ACADEMIC MERIT, MUTUAL BENEFITS AND LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR COLLABORATION, ARE IN DIVERSE RESEARCH FIELDS SUCH AS DRUG ABUSE; PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUGS FROM PLANTS; SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCE; MONITORING OF COASTLINE POLLUTION IN HONG KONG AND OPTO-ELECTRONICS.

THE GRANTS, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $70,000 PER PROJECT, COVER TRAVEL BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE UNITED KINGDOM AND SOME SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES.

THE "JOINT RESEARCH SCHEME" AROSE FROM A RECOMMENDATION OF A BRITISH COUNCIL-FUNDED MISSION TO HONG KONG IN LATE 1990 WHICH ADVISED ON MEANS OF DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTORS IN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG.

THE BRITISH COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL AGREED IN JUNE 1991 ΤΟ LAUNCH THE SCHEME, INITIALLY AS A PILOT PROJECT, TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND HONG KONG TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.

LINKS BETWEEN BRITAIN ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND

FOR THE PILOT SCHEME IN 1991/92, HK$500,000 WAS JOINTLY PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL.

EIGHT ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECTS WERE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED AND OTHERS STILL HAVE ONE VISITS.

FUNDED, SOME HAVE OR TWO OUTSTANDING

THE PROJECTS WERE ALSO SELECTED FOR THEIR POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED LONG-TERM CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSES ARE:

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