Research Grant Funding Opportunitiesin Asia-Pacific Region
Research Centre for Clinical and
Community Practice Innovation (RCCCPI) Asia-Pacific Research Symposium1-2 July 2008
Prof David Arthur Head, Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, NUS
Shift of the world’s economic and political centre of gravity E.g. China and India
Government directives E.g. Singapore
Research Grant and Funding Opportunities are influenced by:
olitical Circumstances
conomic Circumstances
Governments’ relative wealth and desire to progress research in their own country and desire to help poorer neighbours E.g. Singapore, HK, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia
East meets west
Diversity and disparity
Research Grant and Funding Opportunities are influenced by:
Quality of scholars
Foreigners for aid or part of workforce
Sustainability and capacity building
ocial and cultural practices
cademic Influences
Above all how does the motivation
and finance filter down to the work force?
Hong Kong and Singapore Experiences in Health Care Research
Relatively small homogeneous societies
Government directives are clear and well understood
Faculties are generous in awarding small grants up to A$40-50K
Universities are generous in awarding grants up to A$100K
Government has ‘tough’ competitive grants:
CERG in HK: A$200K
NMRC in Singapore: A$1million
Hong Kong and Singapore Experiences in Health Care Research
Singapore has large collaborative government grants of around S$10million e.g. colon cancer consortium, aged care
Overseas talent and collaborations with business and universities
Singapore is about twice as generous and this is reflected in the health care system
Money goes much further in Asia: RA’s in poorer countries
Generous donations +++
Public sector R&D budget was more than doubled to $13.55 billion
$5 billion for National Research Foundation (NRF)
$5.4 billion for the Agency for Science, Technology (A*STAR)
$1.05 billion for academic research
$2.1 billion for Economic Development Board (EDB) to promote private sector R&D
Five Strategic ThrustsFor the National R&D Agenda
Intensify national R&D spending to achieve 3% of GDP by 2010
Identify and invest in strategic areas of R&D
Fund a balance of basic and applied research within strategic areas
Provide resources and support to encourage private sector R&D
Strengthen linkages between public and private sector R&D
Observations in China
China recognizes the change in health care demographics and is embracing the need for health care research
Research funding is often through overseas funds and not not strong in nursing who rely on overseas collaborations and private sector
What about our pacific neighbours?