Congratulations to Professor Chou Kee Lee

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to share with you the fantastic news on the funding result of the Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2024/25 announced by the Research Grants Council (RGC) on 27 December 2024. 

Out of 175 proposals submitted to the RGC, 14 projects were funded in this round of RIF exercise. Professor Chou Kee Lee of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) has distinguished himself through a rigorous selection process, demonstrating exceptional academic merit and influential contributions to society. Please join me in conveying my warmest congratulations to Professor Chou and his team on their great achievement!

The RIF aims to encourage local academics to consider and articulate the potential of research to deliver benefits to the wider community, to encourage more impactful and translational research projects, and to encourage a greater volume of collaborative research beyond academia (e.g. with government departments, the business sector, the industry and research institutes).

Professor Chou’s project “Alleviating Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Poverty: A Multi-level Intervention” received HK$5.3 million in funding from the RGC. In this four-year project, Professor Chou’s team seeks to conduct a single-blinded cluster, four-arm randomized controlled trial designed to test the effect and cost-effectiveness of a multi-level intervention to alleviate loneliness among Hong Kong Chinese older adults living in poverty. This study will lay a solid foundation for the large-scale implementation of such an effective, accessible, affordable, and scalable intervention shortly by capitalizing on community social capital.

As we move forward, I encourage faculty members to tap into your full potential to embark on impactful research and continue to grow in the research capacity and vibrancy of the University. The RGC has different levels of large-scale research grants above the usual Early Career Scheme (ECS) / General Research Fund (GRF), such as Collaborative Research Fund (CRF), Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS), Strategic Topics Grant (STG) and Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) / Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS), in addition to the RIF. Your unwavering efforts are indispensable to our success, and I am excited to see more incredible work we will accomplish together, elevating the university to new heights. 

Congratulations again to Professor Chou and his research team members. 


Best,
Chetwyn

Professor Chetwyn Chan
Vice President (Research & Development)