As a university of applied sciences (UAS), Saint Francis University (SFU) is committed to pursuing applied and practical researches that can share the fruits of its work with the people. In the 2024/25 academic year, the University's research funding from the UGC has increased by about 50% compared to last year, with 9 research projects totalling HK$12.428 million, which is the second highest among self-financing institutions. Due to the fiscal deficit, the Government has not increased the budget for UGC research funding, but the number of applications has increased year-on-year. Competition has become more and more intense, and only the higher quality research projects are expected to be selected.
In terms of external research funding, SFU has received a total of about $64.71 million in this academic year, of which the Hong Kong Jockey Club has donated about $60 million to support the three-year "Parent Chat" project, which aims to reach out to and support parents suffering from stress through both physical and online services, and intends to launch an online counselling service through instant messaging software such as WhatsApp and WeChat in August. Other funded studies include the first Integrated Clinical Education Centre for Physiotherapy in Hong Kong and a project for residential care homes for the elderly to connect to the eHealth system. SFU will continue to raise funds from various foundations and organizations to respond to the needs of the community through research.
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