The Review 2013

HKU strives to provide an environment where our scholars and students can achieve excellence in research and dare to innovate. These aims have remained constant over the years but the means of achieving them have become ever more sophisticated and complex. While the University has world- class laboratories and work spaces for its researchers, the ‘soft’ support we provide has become increasingly important. Our recent work has focused on opening up opportunities for scholars to break new ground, forge collaborations and bring their discoveries to the world. These opportunities are provided through initiatives such as our Strategic Research Themes (SRTs) scheme, which started a new cycle in 2013. SRTs provide teams of researchers with seed money so they can investigate potential areas of multidisciplinary research and explore new pathways. Opportunities are also arising from our developing links with Mainland China which, in 2012-13, resulted in the construction of new facilities, access to funding and new collaborations. Our success in supporting our researchers can be measured in part by our funding results. In 2013 we were awarded the largest share in the University Grants Council's General Research Fund - $143.48 million for 218 applications - a position we have maintained for the 11 th year in a row. We also performed well in other competitive research exercises. Moreover, several members of staff received high international honours and 125 were ranked among the top one per cent in their fields by the Institute of Scientific Information. International Standards Sustaining these successes will require a longer-term focus on our research quality and opportunities. Continued engagement with China is one element in this; another is our continued commitments to research integrity and to developing new talent. Research that does not meet international standards of integrity is unacceptable at this University, and in 2012-13 we refined our system for enforcing research integrity at all levels of HKU. We also continued to provide opportunities for promising young researchers, even at the undergraduate level, to start making their mark in the world. Planting Seeds HKU has been a trailblazer in Hong Kong when it comes to investing in interdisciplinary research. In 2004 we identified The University of Hong Kong ⎜ 23 Daring to be Innovative 125 Scholars ranked in the top 1% in their fields globally by the Institute for Scientific Information Five State Key Laboratories, funded by the central government $ 143 .48 HKU's share of the 2013-14 General Research Fund million THE REVIEW 2013 ⎜ Research