The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) announced on 9 July 2024 the Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction Professor Yan Zi, was awarded nearly HK$8 million under the RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme 2024/25. The Scheme provides support integrated with relief from teaching and administrative duties for outstanding Professor rank researchers, and is considered the highest honour among researchers in Hong Kong.

Professor Yan Zi’s publications and research focus on educational assessment in the school and higher education contexts and Rasch measurement in educational and psychological research. His research aims to advance the understanding of assessment processes and how to optimise them to enhance students’ learning effectiveness and lifelong development.

Additionally, in the latest round of the Research Grants Council’s General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS) funding exercises, EdUHK received highly encouraging results, with a total of 44 projects awarded. The total amount of funding granted set a record high, representing an increase of 11% compared to last year.

Together with the previously funded projects, the University is currently conducting 188 research projects, funded by the RGC and other funding bodies*. These projects cover a wide range of subject disciplines, including education, social sciences, psychology and linguistics, and humanities and arts, among others. EdUHK ranked first in the subject discipline of Education. Highlights of the GRF and ECS 2024/25 funding results are as follows:

• Under the GRF and ECS, 44 EdUHK projects were awarded. Among these, 23 projects are in the subject discipline of Education, representing more than 50% of the overall funding amount;
• Psychology and Linguistics also performed well under the GRF and ECS, with eight EdUHK projects successful, representing more than 14% of the overall funding amount;
• The Humanities and Social Sciences Panel under the ECS has 11 successful projects, with 7 projects from Education, ranking first in the number of projects funded
• In the subject discipline of Psychology and Linguistics under the ECS, EdUHK has two successful projects: second in terms of the number of projects funded

Professor Chetwyn Chan Che-hin, Vice President (Research and Development) of EdUHK, said, “Despite a competitive year in terms of funding requests, EdUHK researchers have achieved a great deal. This is particularly fitting, as we are celebrating EdUHK’s 30th anniversary. I believe with everyone’s continued effort, the University will scale new heights in research and teaching.”

EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin congratulated Professor Yan Zi, expressing that the successful application for funding reflects the growing research strength of EdUHK.

* The figures are as of 30 June 2024.Other funding bodies include HKSAR Government and Government Related Organisations, including the Education Bureau.

–Ends–