- Type of Program
(1) General program
- Research content
To support the scientific and technical personnel for basic and applied basic research to select the research topic and conduct exploration and innovative scientific research autonomously, thus promoting the balanced, harmonious and sustainable development of all disciplines.
- Conditions for applicant
(1) As for general program, scientific researchers in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao (especially young researchers) are eligible for applying for the fund, and the researchers from eligible organizations in Hong Kong and Macao (see the Attachment for the list) may lead or participate in the application.
(2) The applicant shall be the actual leader of the program and meet the following conditions:
① The applicant shall be a regular and active researcher with relevant basic theoretical knowledge and independent research ability who has sufficient time for conducting the program research;
② The applicant shall have experiences in basic and applied basic research topic or other basic research;
③ The applicant shall not be older than 60 years old [i.e. the applicants shall be born after (or on) Jan. 1, 1959], and young researchers are welcomed to apply for the fund.
④ If any scientific and technical personnel, who is conducting his/her research at the postdoctoral station, intends to apply for the program, his/her supporting organization shall issue a written commitment, promising that the applicant’s working period at the postdoctoral station will be extended until the program is accepted and concluded or that the applicant can continue to carry out the relevant research in the supporting organization after he/she leaves the postdoctoral station, upon receiving the funding.
(3) In case of any of the following circumstances, the scientific and technical personnel shall not apply for the program:
① The applicant is serving as the leader of the research of at least 2 programs of National Natural Science Foundation of China, which have been approved and initiated but not been approved for conclusion before the starting date of application;
② The applicant is conducting the research of at least 3 provincial science and technology planning programs, or has delayed the conclusion of at least 1 provincial science and technology planning program for one year (excluding platform program, preferential policy program and post-funding program);
③ The applicant is currently responsible for the research of at least one of the following programs: research team program, Outstanding Youth Program, major basic research cultivation or major programs of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (including united provincial fund);
④ The applicant is currently responsible for the research of at least 2 of the following programs: free application program, doctor scientific research initiation program or joint talent cultivation program in Eastern, Western and Northern Guangdong of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (including the free application program, doctor scientific research initiation program and doctor scientific research initiation longitudinal cooperation program of the united fund of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation);
⑤ The applicant is disqualified for undertaking and participating in provincial scientific plan and task due to his/her serious dishonest behavior in the provincial scientific plan (special program, fund, etc.).
3. Funding amount and duration
The program funding amount is CNY 100,000 (100 thousand) per program, and the effective term shall not be longer than 3 years. The program fund will be granted in a lump-sum, and the “responsibility system” for funding use is on trial. Eligible programs will be selected by means of competition and selection, and priority will be given to the programs in Eastern, Western and Northern Guangdong in an appropriate proportion.
4. Requirements of anticipated outcomes
The program leader shall have at least 1 high-quality academic paper and is encouraged to publish paper on domestic outstanding periodicals; shall enjoy great improvement in the capability for undertaking science and technology foundation and planning programs at provincial level or above in the relevant subject; and shall deliver the program outcomes in the form of scientific report, paper, monograph, patent, talent cultivation, national program obtaining, international exchange, academic contribution, etc.
(2) Outstanding Youth Program
1. Research content
To support young scholars, who have made some achievements in basic and applied basic research, to conduct their innovation research on a research direction chosen by themselves, promote the rapid growth of young science and technology talents, and cultivate a batch of outstanding academic experts who are expected to reach the frontiers of science and technology nationwide and worldwide.
2. Conditions for applicant
(1) The applicant shall be a young talent not older than 40 years old [i.e. the applicant shall be born after (or on) Jan. 1, 1979], and shall have obtained doctorate or at least deputy senior title.
(2) The applicant shall have experiences in conducting basic and applied basic research programs at provincial level or above.
(3) The applicant shall make application by depending on its supporting organization in Guangdong Province.
(4) In case of any of the following circumstances, the applicant shall not apply for Outstanding Youth Program:
① The applicant has already obtained funding for outstanding youth program or outstanding young science program at provincial level or above;
② The applicant is a candidate of any talents plan at provincial level or above;
③ The applicant is the coordinator of a research team of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation;
④ The applicant is a postdoctor conducting his/her research at the postdoctoral center, or is studying for a graduate degree;
⑤ The applicant is disqualified for undertaking and participating in provincial scientific plan and task due to his/her serious dishonest behavior in the provincial scientific plan (special program, fund, etc.).
3. Funding amount and duration
The proposed funding programs shall not be less than 60. The program funding amount is CNY 1 million per program, and the duration shall not be longer than 4 years. The program fund will be granted in a lump-sum. Eligible programs will be selected by means of competition and selection, and priority will be given to the programs in Eastern, Western and Northern Guangdong in an appropriate proportion.
4. Requirements of anticipated outcomes
The program leader shall publish at least 2 papers with great academic contribution; shall enjoy great improvement in the capability for undertaking provincial major program and national major and key program, or grow into a leader with higher level in the relevant subject; and shall deliver the program outcomes in the form of scientific report, paper, monograph, patent, talent cultivation, national program obtaining, international exchange, academic contribution etc.
II. Application requirements
(1) Requirements for supporting organization
The applicant’s employer shall apply for registering as the supporting organization of Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund program and meet the following requirements:
1. The supporting organization is an independent legal entity registered in Guangdong, possesses researchers, basic conditions and scientific research program management system for conducting basic and applied basic research, and is capable of offering necessary conditions and funds for program implementation. The supporting organization includes colleges and universities, scientific research institutions, new-type research and development institutions, leading enterprises and line organizations.
- As for general program, the supporting organization in Hong Kong and Macao shall be eligible organizations in Hong Kong and Macao (see the Attachment for the list).
3. In principle, the cooperative research organization of a program shall not be more than 2.
(2) Requirements on number of programs applied
1. Among those programs of the same type, the applicant shall only apply for 1 program, and shall only undertake 1 program of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation which has been approved in the current year.
2. Restriction on number of program that the supporting organization applies for:
(1) For Outstanding Youth Program, there is no limitation on number of program that the supporting organization applies for.
(2) As for general program, the number of program that the supporting organization may apply for shall be calculated according to the following formula: N2019 = 3 + N2016~2018 + additional application number. N2019 means the number of general program that the supporting organization may apply for in 2019; 3 is the cardinal number; N2016~2018 refers to the sum of free programs that the supporting organization applied for from 2016 to 2018 which had been approved. On this basis, additional application number will be allocated to certain organizations as follows: national key laboratory in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao may apply for 4 additional programs (the applicant of 1 additional program shall be a high-level laboratory technician working in the front line); each key laboratory in Guangdong may apply for 2 additional programs (the applicant of 1 additional program shall be a high-level laboratory technician working in the front line); each organization in Guangdong may apply for 10 additional programs for each extra 100 programs exceeding the number of programs of National Natural Science Foundation of China that the organization obtained in 2018.
(3) The application indicator for the general program of national key laboratory shall be determined by the laboratory.
(3) Requirements on fund budget
1. The fund budget of the program shall be subject to the regulations concerning the fund management of provincial science and technology planning program and based on practical situation.
2. As for general program, the “responsibility system” is on trial, and there is no restriction on the proportion of funds to be granted to each relevant subject. The funds, which will be used by the research team at its own discretion, shall be subject to the rules concerning the “responsibility system” management of funds for provincial scientific research program, and shall meet the following requirements:
(1) The funds shall be actually used for program research;
(2) Expenditure shall be subject to the funds expenditure scope and standard for provincial financial and scientific research program, and the fund expenditure standard of Hong Kong and Macao institutions may be subject to the local regulations concerning scientific research funds management;
(3) The proportion of indirect expenditure shall be subject to the regulations concerning funds management of provincial financial and scientific research program;
(4) Expenditure shall not be disbursed from capital expenditure.
(4) Requirements on application materials
1. The name of program shall meet the basic research’s orientation, and any program involving human research and animal experiment shall strictly follow the rules concerning scientific ethics and animal experiment.
2. The content of the program shall be genuine and believable without any fiction or exaggeration. The supporting organization shall be responsible for the authenticity of the application materials, and provide a commitment letter for the authenticity of application materials. Once the program is approved, the application commitment, task, objective, budget and other relevant contents will be automatically converted into corresponding contents in the program contract. In principle, those contents shall not be adjusted or altered without any reasonable reason.
3. The application for each type of program shall be accompanied with necessary and supporting attachments.
4. In case the main participants of a program include any person who is not the employee of the applicant’s employer (including graduate student but excluding foreign people), such person’s employer will be deemed as the cooperative research organization, of which the information shall be filled in the application form and whose common seal shall be affixed on the signature and seal page. Any major participant who is a foreign person (excluding resident of Hong Kong and Macao) shall be deemed to apply for the program as an individual, and shall upload an informed consent letter of foreign person to the application system online. Any major participant who is a resident of Hong Kong or Macao may apply for the program as an individual or a cooperative research organization.
5. Any person who commits serious dishonest conduct during the application will be treated according to the regulations of the Interim Provisions of Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province on the Recording and Punishment of Serious Dishonest Conduct in Provincial Science and Technology Program (Special Program and Fund, etc.) (YKJSZ [2017] No. 102).
III. Description
(1) The form and standard of program application materials shall be subject to the relevant completion instructions and guidance.
(2) An online formal examination will be conducted within 15 working days after the deadline for program application. The online status of any program application, which passes the formal examination, will be “electronic material accepted”, while that of any application, which does not pass the examination, will be “disqualified”. Any program, which fails in the examination, will be returned to the applicant with reasons. Any appeal objecting to the formal examination result will be accepted within 5 working days after the examination result is notified to the applicant, and any appeal lodged beyond such period will not be accepted. The application of any program, which is deemed to fail in the examination during the objection re-examination, shall not be resubmitted.
(3) Program passing the formal examination will be checked by means of online assessment, conference assessment (demonstration) or the combination of online assessment and conference assessment.
(4) In case of any of the following circumstances, the program will be deemed as failing to pass the formal examination:
1. The application content or conditions do not meet the application requirements;
2. The content in the application form is incomplete;
3. The content of the attachment (evidence) is incomplete or does not meet related requirements.
(5) Any program, which passes the expert review or demonstration and is approved, will be submitted for approval according to the specified procedure and be subject to program library management. In addition, it will be removed out of the program library in batch according to the annual financial budget and the program implementation.
(6) Other description
1. To promote the innovative, balanced and harmonious development of the region, priority shall be given by Guangdong Natural Science Foundation program to programs in Eastern, Western and Northern Guangdong in an appropriate proportion;
2. Supporting and cultivation of outstanding young scientific talents shall be concerned, and supporting for young scientific and technical personnel shall be focused in general programs;
3. Close attention shall be paid to the growth and cultivation of young female scientific and technical personnel, and priority shall be given to female scientific and technical personnel appropriately under the same conditions, and the program application filed by female youth shall be supported preferentially in an appropriate proportion in Outstanding Youth Program;
4. The research program or technical route shall be determined by the principal of Guangdong Natural Science Foundation program at his/her own discretion, provided that the research or technical index is not changed.
IV. Application mode
(1) Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund Committee (hereinafter referred to as “Guangdong Fund Committee”) shall be responsible for the organization and implementation of the programs in this year.
(2) The program shall be subject to online application at “Guangdong Governmental Affairs Service Website” or “Sunshine Government Affairs Platform of Guangdong Science and Technology Business Management” (website: http://pro.gdstc.gov.cn/).
(3) The organization eligible for making an application shall register as the supporting organization of Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund program, and the registration application notice of new supporting organizations will be issued separately.
(4) The applicant shall fill in the information of the program according to the online platform requirements, upload necessary and supporting attachments, and submit such information and documents according to the process upon examination by the supporting organization. For details of online application procedures for program applicant and supporting organization, please refer to the Guidelines on Online Application for Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund Program (after the official application starts, the applicant may download the Guideline directly from the online application system).
V. Schedule
(1) Official online application period: May 20, 2019 – 17:00, Jun. 21, 2019
(2) Online formal examination time: Jun. 24 – Jul. 12, 2019
(3) Online appeal time: Jul. 15 – 19, 2019
(4) Paper material submission time: paper materials shall be submitted once the program is approved and the program application form and the relevant contract are signed and sealed. The submission time will be notified separately.