Boosting R&D in Hong Kong requires more than just funds, scientists say

HK$45 billion funding praised as ‘good start’ but call goes out to nurture talent and offer better career opportunities for young researchers

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The digestive disease research laboratory at Prince of Wales Hospital. Photo: Prince of Wales Hospital

Published: 12:23pm, 21 Oct 2017Updated: 11:14pm, 21 Oct 2017

Hong Kong scientists have cast doubt on the government’s vision for the city as an“international hub for scientific research” but claim its pledge to double spending on research and development is a step in the right direction.

They were responding to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s maiden policy address earlier this month, when she announced a plan to double R&D spending to 1.5 per cent of GDP and encourage more local postgraduate and postdoctoral research.

This would contribute to the city’s efforts to boost innovation and entrepreneurship, she added.

Lam said the bigger budget for R&D would include at least HK$10 billion to fund university research, while HK$3 billion would go towards paying for more local students to participate in government- funded postgraduate research programmes in Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions.

There is to be a HK$500 million “technology talent scheme” to lure more young people to science and innovation careers, and for businesses to hire postdoctoral researchers to conduct research and product development.

This means that some postdoctoral researchers who work in companies at Science Park and Cyberport, or who are involved in government-led projects, could see their salaries increase by HK$30,000 a month.

The best two business school programmes in the world are based in Hong Kong, according to the Financial Times

But researchers in the field contend that money alone will not be enough to drive more research and innovation activities. They urge a focus on creating opportunities to nurture talent, arguing career prospects in the city’s research sector were viewed as lagging behind other places.