Hong Kong Scholars Program Mainland Hong Kong Joint Postdoctoral Fellows Program Guidelines and Procedures I. Hong Kong Scholars Program The Hong Kong Scholars Program is jointly launched by the Society of Hong Kong Scholars and the China National Postdoctoral Council under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. It aims at effectively pooling talent and research resource of Hong Kong and the Mainland to train outstanding postdoctoral fellows. Selected Hong Kong Scholars (i.e. the postdoctoral fellows) will come to Hong Kong to commence postdoctoral research work under professors at various universities in Hong Kong. This Program will help professors of Hong Kong solicit high quality PhD graduates from leading universities on the Mainland, thus promoting academic and scientific exchanges and collaboration between the two places. Appointed Hong Kong Scholars are considered as postdoctoral fellows of the appointing units on the Mainland, and be required to register at the China National Postdoctoral Council. In Hong Kong, they will be contracted postdoctoral fellows doing research work under the supervision of professors. Normally the monthly stipend for a postdoctoral fellow in Hong Kong is about HK$ 25,000. The stipends of Hong Kong Scholars from the Mainland will be split between Mainland Government and the Hong Kong Supervisors, using their respective research funding. In other words, supervisors of Hong Kong need only to pay HK$ 12,500 monthly (equivalent to half pay of a regular appointment) to hire a high quality postdoctoral fellow. There will be a pilot phase for three years, 2011 to 2014, during which the China National Postdoctoral Council will be responsible to select 100 top PhD graduates from leading universities of China each year. There will be a matching mechanism that the selected candidates are allowed to interact with the potential supervisors via emails and telephone. It is anticipated that eventually about 50 fellows will be chosen to come to work for a two year contract with supervisors in Hong Kong. The areas of specialty include various disciplines in basic research, biomedical sciences, information technology, agriculture, new energies, new materials and advanced manufacturing. The disciplines and scale will be further expanded after the pilot phase. All full time faculty members at the rank of Associate Professor and above are eligible to participate in this Program to recruit postdoctoral fellows provided that they are running ongoing research projects with adequate funding support.
II. Eligibility of Hong Kong Supervisors 2.1. Eligibility 2.1.1 Any Associate Professor (full time) grade or above who carries a teaching post at UGC-funded universities and is willing to provide training positions in the above-mentioned disciplines 2.1.2 Currently conducting ongoing research project(s) and with sufficient research funding to hire a postdoctoral fellow for two years or more 2.1.3 Currently conducting high-level research projects and with experience in supervising PhD students and/or postdoctoral fellows 2.1.4 Possession of adequate research equipment and facilities 2.1.5 Experience in obtaining projects through international competition, and/or with track record in conducting national key projects will have priority. 2.2. Application and timeframe Interested supervisors are required to submit an application to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program before 28 February 2011. 2.3. Other details 2.3.1 The Academic Committee of the Hong Kong Scholars Program will approve the application based on the academic track record, research facilities and funding situation, of the applicants. 2.3.2 If necessary, the Academic Committee may verify with the institution at which the supervisor is working regarding the research facilities and funding. 2.3.3 The basic information of all the confirmed supervisors will be uploaded to the web of Hong Kong Scholars Program for interested postdoctoral candidates on the Mainland. III. Eligibility of postdoctoral fellow candidates on the Mainland 3.1 The selection principles are as follows: Any individual PhD graduate can submit application personally. However, recommendation from their working places is required. All applications are selected based on merits by relevant experts in respective areas. 3.1.1 Age preferably below 35 3.1.2 During the pilot phases, postdoctoral fellow positions will only be offered in these seven areas: i.e. various disciplines of basic research, biomedical science, information technology, agriculture, new energies, new materials and advanced manufacturing. Upon the completion of the pilot phase, the Program may be expanded to cover other disciplines. 3.1.3 Mainland Universities belonging to 985, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key
Laboratories, and units associated with outstanding postdoctoral research stations will be given priority. 3.1.4 English proficiency is required. 3.2 Candidates are selected through assessment by experts recommended by the China National Postdoctoral Council. 3.3 After the China National Postdoctoral Council notifies the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program, the candidate can contact the Hong Kong Supervisors via email or telephone. Preliminary choices will then be made on both sides through free personal contact of various means. IV. Relevant Procedures 4.1 Application Procedures 4.1.1 Interested and eligible applicants (i.e. Mainland PhD graduates) may freely choose research areas/supervisors and submit first-round applications to the postdoctoral research stations and/or Mainland institutions. Contact with Hong Kong Supervisors is not required at this stage. 4.1.2 Upon receiving first-round applications, postdoctoral research stations or Mainland institutions will make recommendations according to criteria stipulated by the China National Postdoctoral Council on merit base of the applicants. 4.1.3 Applicants who have passed first-round assessments (hereafter called candidates) shall contact Hong Kong Supervisors. Communication can be made through the telephone, the internet or email; interviews may be arranged for further exchange on the actual research project and tasks involved. 4.1.4 If an agreement is reached between the candidate and the supervisor, they should co-author a research proposal which should include a detailed topic, research outline, objectives, methodology, expected outcomes and biographies of supervisor and candidate. 4.1.5 The candidate should submit the second-round applications to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program, which shall list not more than two chosen Hong Kong Supervisors and their projects. Supervisors of Hong Kong institutions shall further evaluate the qualifications of the candidates, and decision on acceptance shall be made at this point. 4.1.6 Each Hong Kong Supervisor may provide not more than two projects for the selection of the candidates. Only one candidate may be chosen, and the decision should be submitted to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program. 4.1.7 Upon receiving the application from the candidate and Hong Kong Supervisor, the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program shall match their choices and compile a list for the final approval of the Academic Committee and the
endorsement of China National Postdoctoral Council. The Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program will notify successful Hong Kong Supervisors immediately. 4.2 Preparations for arrival at Hong Kong 4.2.1 Upon confirmation of the list, the China National Postdoctoral Council shall notify all selected Hong Kong Scholars. 4.2.2 The Hong Kong Supervisor shall initiate employment procedures at his/her own institution using the title of contracted postdoctoral fellow or equivalent with defined term of hiring. 4.2.3 Hong Kong Scholars shall apply for a Hong Kong entry permit with the assistance of the China National Postdoctoral Council. 4.2.4 Hong Kong Scholars shall arrive at Hong Kong and report duty within six months of receiving the confirmation notice, otherwise, the application will be considered forfeit. 4.3 Arrangements upon arrival at Hong Kong The Hong Kong Supervisors shall report to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program as soon as the Hong Kong Scholars arrive and start research work. V. Annual report and evaluation 5.1 Year-end report Hong Kong Scholars (in conjunction with Hong Kong Supervisors) shall submit an annual working report to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program. The content shall include research progress, latest outcomes, expectations for the coming year, expected objectives, performance of Hong Kong Scholars and their assessment of the supervisors. 5.2 Final research report Upon the full completion of the research work, within one year Hong Kong Scholars (in conjunction with Hong Kong Supervisors) shall submit a Final Report to the China National Postdoctoral Council and the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program which summarizes such information as the research output and financial settlements. The report will be verified by the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program and uploaded to the website for references. 5.3 Return Arrangements 5.3.1 For those who do not return to Mainland after completion of the Program will be penalized. 5.3.2 A security deposit shall be charged to ensure that all participants return to work for two years on the Mainland. A security deposit of RMB 30,000 shall be submitted to the assigning unit on the Mainland.
5.4 Ownership of project output All papers, research projects and scientific research output of the project participants, upon publication and announcement, shall accompany the remark: This research (output/paper) is funded by the Hong Kong Scholars Program. 5.5 Extension arrangements If the research project requires a longer period of stay, an application should be submitted to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program and approved by the China national Postdoctoral Council and the Society of Hong Kong Scholars. The stipends of the postdoctoral fellows during the extension period will be responsible by the Hong Kong Supervisors. VI. Enquiries For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Scholars Program. Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre Address: Rm. 1404-1405, 83 King s Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel.no: 2893 7503 Email: sfcheng@bhkaec.org.hk / wmtse@bhkaec.org.hk / info@hkscholars.org Fax no: 2834 5519 Website: www.hkscholars.org / www.shks.org / www.bhkaec.org.hk