Undergraduate Student Synergistic Innovation Scheme

• General Guidelines
• Detailed Information
• Application Form 
• Interim Report Form 
• Final report Form 

General Guidelines

Objectives

• To encourage students to exploit novel ideas in scientific innovations which can enhance quality of life in a significant way; 
• To provide opportunities to students in developing synergism through the process of group invention; and 
• To nurture project management skill and technology development of the students.

Eligibility

All full-time undergraduate students of CSE

Duration of Grant

Up to 3 years

Funding Amount

This is a 3-stage development grant, with funding ceiling set at HKD5,000 for stage 1, HKD50,000 for stage 2, and HKD 100,000 for stage 3. The amount approved depends on the nature and potential of the proposed project.

Application Procedure

• Students shall form groups (no more than 6 students) to join the scheme;
• Students may choose to submit their project details by completing the application form, doing oral presentation or submitting a video (Please see the application form for more information);
• All applications must be submitted to the College Office via Head of the Department;
• The application deadline is 31 January of current academic year.

Selection Process

• A selection committee would evaluate the proposals and approve the amount of funding to be given for each project; 
• Normally, up to HKD5,000 will be approved for the project proposals at stage 1. Outstanding projects may directly enter stage 2 and obtain up to HKD50,000 funding support.

 Operation Procedure

Stage	Amount (HKD)
1	5,000
2	50,000
3	100,000
Completion (Outstanding Project Award)	10,000

 

Interim Report Due Date : End of January
Final Report Due Date : End of June

*Projects with significant progress may expedite the procedure and submit the final reports before the designated deadline. 
 

Detailed Information

Application Procedure

The College will make announcement on the funding scheme in the beginning of every October. Interested students shall form groups (normally no more than 6 students a group) and submit the application form obtained online to the College Office by the end of January of current academic year. Project areas provided by the industry will be posted online for students’ selection or reference. Students may choose to develop a project according to the provided project areas or undertake an investigation of their own initiatives.

A selection committee, composing both industrialists and academic staff (1 Honorary Chairman (industrialist) + 5 industrialists + 7 CityU staff) (see Appendix I) would evaluate the proposals. Normally, up to HKD5,000 will be approved for the project proposals at the beginning. Outstanding project proposals with great potential and comprehensive designs may directly enter stage 2 and obtain up to HKD50,000 funding support.

Operation Procedure

Stage 1 (with funding support up to HKD5,000):

• Selected groups may start their investigation upon approval of project proposals and receipt of grants.
• Each group shall submit a final report at the end of June of current academic year.

Stage 2 (with funding support up to HKD50,000):

• Stage 1 final reports as well as stage 2 proposals (if any) are examined by the selection committee. 
• Projects with significant outputs and potential submitted together with a stage 2 proposal will receive further funding support up to HKD50,000. 
• Students are expected to continue the work of the projects, and submit an interim and a final report by the end of January and end of June of next academic year respectively.

Stage 3 (with funding support up to HKD100,000):

• Stage 2 final reports as well as stage 3 proposals (if any) are examined by the selection committee. 
• Projects with significant outputs and potential submitted together with a stage 3 proposal will receive further funding support up to HKD100,000. 
• Students are expected to continue the work of the projects, and submit an interim and a final report by the end of January and end of June of next academic year respectively. Final reports will be examined by the selection committee if the projects deserve further financial support on profound research development, start up of high technology companies or technology transfer.

Awards

An Outstanding Project Award will be given to the best project upon the completion of stage 3. The College reserves the right not to offer the award in any given occasion if no suitable group of candidates is identified.

Intellectual Property Arising from Projects

The group of students will hold all the intellectual property rights arising from the project results in the first stage, whereas companies may negotiate with students over the ownership of the intellectual property arising from the project in the second and third stages.

If the group of students request to withdraw from the scheme during the execution of their project, the intellectual property rights will be transferred to CSE automatically.

Acceleration of Operation Procedure

Normally, other than stage 1, each stage of the exercise lasts for a year time. Exceptional cases will be entertained if the projects gain significant progress that the final reports may submit to the selection committee before the designated deadline

Appendix I