Notice on Launching Application Work for the Key Platforms and Scientific Research Projects in Universities in Guangdong Province issued by Guangdong Department of Education

1. Key construction platforms: including key laboratories of universities in Guangdong,

philosophy and social sciences key laboratories, engineering and technology research (technology development) centers and humanities and social sciences key research bases.

2. Key research projects: including fundamental and applicable fundamental research key projects, featured innovative projects and youth talent innovative projects.

2. Application Limits and Requirements:

1. Provincial Key Construction Platforms:

This category only accepts application from universities which obtain no more than 6 approved scientific research platforms from Guangdong Department of Education (the platforms which have passed the assessment by Guangdong Department of Education and upgraded to scientific research innovative platforms in provincial, departmental level or above can be excluded in the count). In principle, no more than 2 applications can be submitted by each university included in the provincial “Strive to be first-class, Improve weak links, Build strong feature” improvement program and other universities can each submit no more than 1 application for this category. The universities can choose the categories based on their own realities.

2. Innovative Team Projects:

In principle no more than 3 applications can be submitted by each university included in the “Strive to be first-class” plan and universities included in the “Improve weak links” and “Build strong feature” plans can submit no more than 2 applications each. Other universities and vocational colleges can submit no more than 1 application each.

3. Fundamental and Applicable Fundamental Research Key Projects:

In principle no more than 8 applications can be submitted by each university included in the “Strive to be first-class” plan and universities included in the “Improve weak links” and “Build strong feature” plans can submit no more than 5 applications each. Other universities and vocational colleges can submit no more than 2 application each.

4. Featured Innovative Projects:

In principle no more than 12 applications can be submitted by each university included in the provincial “Strive to be first-class, Improve weak links, Build strong feature” program. Other universities and vocational colleges can submit no more than 8 applications each.

5. Featured Innovative Projects (Educational Sciences Research Projects):

In principle no more than 6 applications can be submitted by each public university, vocational college and junior college. Private universities can submit no more than 3 programs each.

6. Youth Talent Innovative Platforms:

In principle no more than 15 applications can be submitted by each university included in the provincial “Strive to be first-class, Improve weak links, Build strong feature” program. Other universities, vocational colleges and junior colleges can submit no more than 10 applications each.

Based on the limitation provided above, the Department of Education will adjust the limitation of application on relevant platforms and projects for each university based on the level, scale, features of disciplines and the project establishment and completion statistics.

3. Project Establishment Method:

The application for category 1,2 and 3 and also category 4, 5 and 6 by vocational colleges and junior colleges will adopt project establishment method of university recommendation and review and selection by expert team organized by Department of Education. The application for category 4, 5 and 6 will adopt project establishment method of university recommendation and recognized by Department of Education.

4. Work Requirements:

1. The universities shall carefully recommend and submit application for all categories of platforms and projects according to the requirements of the announcement and enhance the verification and review of all levels and all types of scientific research platforms. The project investigator (including the core members) cannot apply for and undertake more than 3 provincial finance-supported projects.
2. For the categories of platforms and projects, the universities shall decide the specific funding amount to be allocated to the recommended platforms and projects in a scientific and reasonable manner based on the actual need of the project implementation and arrange it in the university budget accordingly.
3. The universities shall establish and improve the management measures for science and research projects and the related funding, implement the systems and regulations strictly, standardize the cost budgeting and accounting, improve the effectiveness of funding usage and promote the development of science and research career of the university. The supervision and check for the science and technology funding usage shall be conducted carefully and for the misbehaviors against the rules and regulations, the universities shall correct them promptly according to the relevant law and regulations and the relevant personnel shall be called to account.

5. Requirements on Relevant Materials:

Both online application and paper material submission will be needed for the application this time.

The URL for application is http://202.116.224.17 .The online application system would be open during December 19^th, 2018 to January 11^st, 2019. The paper materials include application form and attachments for 1 copy (original). The deadline for paper material submission is January 18^th,2019. All universities shall carefully organize and complete the online application and paper material submission. Any application submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. The paper materials shall be double-side printed in A4 size, assessed by the science and research management department and sealed with university official seal, and then be submitted to the Science and Research Office by the universities.  

Attachment 1:

Application Requirements for Key Platforms and Scientific Research Projects in Universities in Guangdong Province in 2018

1. Key Construction Platforms:

1. Key Laboratories in Guangdong:

1. With solid foundation for discipline construction. The discipline for the laboratories shall be the key disciplines in provincial, departmental level or above. In principle, the disciplines shall have the authorization to award Master’s Degree (Emerging disciplines, Inter-field disciplines or disciplines with prominent local features can be exempted.).
2. With clear research orientation and target. The research shall match with the disciplinary features of universities in Guangdong and the layout of key disciplines, in accordance with the major needs of the economic and social development of Guangdong. The research area shall fall into the preferential or key orientation for development and the level of research work that the team is working on shall be domestically leading or relatively high, with certain advantages within the domestic academic community and clear features. The laboratories shall be with the capabilities to undertake national, provincial or departmental major and key scientific research projects, cultivate high-level talents and actively conduct international cooperative research and academic exchanges.
3. With academic teams built in reasonable structure. There should be reputative academic leaders in the research area, excellent young and middle-age academic backbone talents and leadership group with cohesion and collaboration, as well as strong management capabilities. The research team should be with members with high academic level, reasonable age distribution and knowledge structure. More than 10 researchers with senior titles (including senior, vice senior) should be included in the team. The laboratories should have undertaken 10 projects in provincial and departmental level in recent five years and received more than 5,000,000 yuan (5 million yuan) with great scientific research traditions and academic atmosphere.
4. With great scientific research and experiment conditions. In principle laboratories with total acreage of no less than 2,000 square meters shall be offered and meanwhile they should be concentratedly allocated. Original value of advanced facilities and equipment with great technical conditions should not be no less than 8,000,000 yuan (8 million yuan) (except for some pure fundamental disciplines). Stable management, technical teams and relatively complete management system should be provided.
5. With strong support and security. The host institution can secure the funding investment into the laboratory construction with necessary technical support, logistic security and conditions for domestic and international collaboration and exchanges.

2. Engineering and Technology Research (Development) Centers in Universities in Guangdong

1. Requirements below shall be fulfilled for Engineering and Research Centers:

1. Be supported by the advanced disciplines or majors in the universities, with relevant systematical and integrated conditions to support disciplines and technologies, solid work foundation, features and achievements regarding engineering technology development and achievement transfer. Collaboration with 2 or more enterprises should be carried out for recent three years and more than 2 projects for engineering and technology development and achievement transfer should be conducted. No less than 2,000,000 yuan (2 million yuan)  research funding shall be received among which the horizonal funding shall take up no less than 30%.
2. With major scientific achievements, patents or technologies. No less than 2 patents should be applied for in recent 5 years and no less than 1 of them should be authorized; no less than 1 provincial or departmental level award should be received.
3. With engineering technology testing conditions, process equipment and other basic facilities, essential examining, analysis and testing methods and ability to conduct comprehensive engineering technology research, product research and development and engineering process.    
4. A high-level technology innovation team should be built with technical leaders and no less than 25 engineering technology research and designers, experienced technicians and technical promotion members should be included in the team.
5. With prominent ability to promote the technology advance and innovation in the industry, clear development target and construction ideas, practical construction plan and secured counterpart funding.

2.  Requirements below shall be fulfilled for Technology Development Centers:

1. Be supported by the advanced disciplines or majors in the universities, with relevant systematical and integrated conditions to support disciplines and technologies, solid work foundation, features and achievements regarding engineering technology development and achievement transfer. No less than 2 projects for engineering and technology development should be carried out for recent three years. No less than 300,000 yuan (30 thousand yuan) horizontal funding shall be received.

2. With engineering technology testing conditions, process equipment and other basic facilities, essential examining, analysis and testing methods and ability to conduct comprehensive engineering technology research, product research and development and engineering process. 

3. A high-level technology innovation team should be built with technical leaders and no less than 15 engineering technology research and designers, experienced technicians and technical promotion members should be included in the team.
4. With abilities to cultivate new type of technical talents and basic conditions to provide technical training.

5. With clear development target and construction ideas, practical construction plan and secured counterpart funding.

2. Fundamental and Applicable Fundamental Research Key Projects

1. Fundamental Research Key Projects

2. Applicable Fundamental Research Key Projects

3. The projects should be supported by the advanced discipline and key platforms of the university, matching with the preferential disciplines and areas in our province. The applicants should be employees in the universities in Guangdong with senior technical qualifications and as well the reputative leading scholars in the research area at home.

4. The projects should be with clear research target, direction, platform, facilities and other conditions. The project should focus on interdisciplinary areas. Collaborative research is encouraged and the duration is no more than 3 years in principle.

5. Symbolic achievements with major academic value and social impact would be expected.

3.  Innovative Team Projects

1. No less than 10 core members should be included in the innovative team.

2. The cultivation duration is 3 years.

4. Featured Innovative Projects

1. The applicant should be with senior technical qualifications or Ph.D. degree, and under 55 in principle.

2. The duration is no more than 2 years.

5. Youth Talent Innovative Projects

1. The applicant should be under 35 (born after January 1, 1983), with Master’s degree or above, senior title or below. The team members should be aged no more than 39.

2. The applicant should have never received funding from national, provincial or departmental finance.