The Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (PPRFS) and the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (SPPRFS) are government-financed funding schemes dedicated to supporting evidence-based public policy research by higher education institutions and think tanks in Hong Kong. The two funding schemes are administered by the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit (CEPU), which is set up to enhance the Government’s capabilities in research and advocacy on long-term and strategic issues. One of its tasks is to build up external policy research capacity through measures including administering PPRFS and SPPRFS. This will be conducive to the achievement of the CEPU’s objectives, including to advocate for and assist in the formulation of long-term and strategic policies from a forward-thinking perspective; to keep abreast of national development and analyse and suggest areas of significance in the integration into national development; to examine international relations and situations, and analyse opportunities and risks; and to grasp the sentiments of Hong Kong citizens to understand the general direction and focus of their concerns.
Both PPRFS and SPPRFS aim to facilitate public policy discussion and in turn enhancing policy formulation to meet the needs of society, as well as nurturing the talents required. Specifically, SPPRFS aims to support longer-term public policy research on strategic themes and research areas identified by the Government, build up research capacity and facilitate collaboration among institutions/think tanks whilst PPRFS focuses on smaller scale public policy research of shorter duration. Research studies that will inform Government’s policy making process, drive changes, keep up with national development and international trends, and contribute to policy development will be considered for funding. These include applied researches that are problem-focused and solution-oriented, and forward-looking researches on strategic and long-term issues. Only research studies that have direct policy implications or relevance and will facilitate public policy formulation in Hong Kong, and the outcomes from which can be effectively and practically translated into policy may be provided with funding. Research that are mainly academic in nature will not be funded.
Applications for the PPRFS are accepted throughout the year; while those for the SPPRFS are invited once a year in general.