Three student-initiated research projects among 14 studies funded by the I‧CARE Programme were selected as outstanding research and the students were awarded certificates and scholarships by the University. The three projects covered the topics on the stress faced by the parents of children with physical disability, the social impact of minimum wage policy on Chinese immigrant women, and the difficulties the arts organizations encounter in promoting arts to the public.

The self-initiated research and studies on social problems is one of the major categories of social and civic engagement programmes supported by the I‧CARE Programme. Students are encouraged to conduct action-research projects on specific social phenomena in local, mainland and overseas, and make viable suggestions. In 2011–12, over 40 applications were received and 14 were selected to be funded. All projects were completed in May 2012.