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USyd-CUHK Ignition Grants

 

 

USyd-CUHK Ignition Grants

 

(For CUHK and USyd faculty)

Deadline: 5 June 2025 (21:59 HKT / 23:59 AEST)

As strategic partners, The University of Sydney (USyd) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) are committed to achieving impact through collaboration in research and education.

The Ignition Grants facilitate and support collaborative projects of the two universities that develop multidisciplinary cutting-edge research to create academic and societal impact. These grants are designed to provide researchers, in particular early- and mid-career researchers, with the opportunity to work with USyd, which is among CUHK’s strategic partners in developing joint research projects. 

In this round, up to five proposals related to “Climate, Environment, Health and Sustainability” will be funded. The proposals should foster multidisciplinary collaboration that advances research and provides sustainable solutions to the proposed challenges, addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). New and innovative proposals aligning to the UN’s SDGs and combining expertise across humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, and medicine are strongly encouraged.

It is expected that all funded projects will evolve into larger scale projects, sustained by leveraging external funding. Each successful application will receive up to AUD 20,000 from USyd and HKD 110,000 from CUHK.

 

Programme Guidelines and Forms

Applicants can access the programme guidelines, online application form, endorsement form, expenditure report (for CUHK funding) and amendment request form from the following links:

 

Past Awardees

CUHK PI USyd PI Project
Prof. Eric Poon, Dept. of Sports Science & Physical Education Prof. Rhonda Orr, Sydney School of Health Sciences Combating Global Childhood Physical Inactivity Crisis: A Pilot Community-based Healthy Lifestyle Programme with Children & Their Families
Prof. Jacque Ip, School of Biomedical Sciences Prof. Markus Hofer, School of Life & Environmental Sciences  Defining the Role of Microglia in a Novel Mouse Model for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Prof. To Ngai, Dept. of Chemistry Prof. Gregory Warr, School of Chemistry Paints that Improve Passive Radiative Cooling for Urban Environments 
Prof. Ting Fung Chan, School of Life Sciences Dr. Rosalind Deaker, School of Life & Environmental Sciences Molecular Indicators of Improved Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in Legumes for More Sustainable Crop & Pasture Production 
Prof. Jerome Hui, School of Life Sciences Prof. Budiman Minasny, School of Life & Environmental Sciences Developing New Sequencing Methods to Reveal Soil Biodiversity
Prof. Chin Ming Hui, Dept. of Psychology Dr. Echo Yuan Liao, The University of Sydney Business School How DEI Commitment Statements Influence Managers’ Adoption of Inclusive Practices


CUHK PI USyd PI Project
Prof. Shing Shin Cheng, Dept. of Mechanical & Automation Engineering Dr. Andre Kyme, School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering An MRI-compatible Steerable Neurosurgical Robot with Real-time MRI-guided Brain Tumour Localisation and Instrument Tracking
Prof. Kai Yu Raymond Tong, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Prof. Alistair McEwan, School of Electrical & Information Engineering Soft Robotics for Improved Standing, Stepping and Walking in Infants
Prof. Yifan Zhang, Dept. of Economics Dr. Russell Toth, School of Economics The Impacts of High-Skill Return Migrants on Firms in China


CUHK PI USyd PI Project
Prof. Shui Yee Sharon Leung, School of Pharmacy Dr. Hien Duong, Sydney School of Pharmacy Inhaled Therapy for Chronic Lung Infections Using a ‘Triple-Hit’ Nano-in-Microparticle Formulation
Dr. Suk Ling Ma, Dept. of Psychiatry Prof. Mark Dadds, School of Psychology Mapping the Functional Significance of the Human Oxytocin Receptor Gene
Dr. Valerie Pereira, Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Dr. Cate Madill, Speech Pathology Bridging the Gap: Using an Online Learning Platform (Bridge2Practice) to Understand Differences in Auditory-Perception & Clinical Communication between Chinese & Australian Speech Pathology Students
Prof. Yuan Xu, Dept. of Geography & Resource Management Prof. Tiho Ancev, School of Economics Evaluation of the Environmental Effectiveness & Economic Efficiency of Incentive-based Instruments for Pollution Control in China & Australia
Prof. Ni Zhao, Dept. of Electronic Engineering Prof. Wojciech Chrzanowski, Sydney Pharmacy School Sense-and-dispense – Breaking Barriers in Cancer Pain Treatment Using Iontophoretic Tattoo-like Cannabinoids Delivery Systems

 

Further Information

For further information please contact the Program Coordinators:

USyd
Xiaohui Fu
Senior Global Research Partnerships Officer
Office of Global & Research Engagement
Email: ip.ipdf@sydney.edu.au
CUHK
Olivia Kwok
Programme Manager
Office of Academic Links
Email: oliviakwok@cuhk.edu.hk
Phone: +852 3943 1315

 

Last updated on 28 April 2025