The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) is inviting a new round of applications for the Basic Law Promotion Activity Sponsorship Scheme and Basic Law Promotion Research Sponsorship Scheme.
 
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been promoting the Basic Law to the public through various channels. The Sponsorship Schemes aim to promote the Basic Law among different sectors of the community and to encourage different groups or organisations to conduct research on ways to further enhance the promotion of the Basic Law, with a view to enhancing public understanding of and support for the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law. 
 
     To strengthen the promotion of the Basic Law among different sectors of the community, the maximum amount of sponsorship to be granted to each project continues to be $800,000.
 
     Application information can be downloaded from the Basic Law website (www.basiclaw.gov.hk/en/sponsorship/index.html). The deadline for application is September 30.
 
     For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the Sponsorship Schemes at 2810 2106.

The following is issued on behalf of the Secretariat to the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Promotion Council:
 
     The Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation and Promotion Council (ECCPC) is inviting applications for the Exchanges with Taiwan Funding Scheme.

     The Scheme aims to promote exchanges and understanding between Hong Kong and Taiwan at the community level through providing funding support to local non-governmental organisations to organise relevant activities.

     The application form for the Scheme can be downloaded from the ECCPC website (www.eccpc.org.hk/eng/scheme.htm). The deadline for application is September 30, 2020.

     For enquiries, please contact the ECCPC Secretariat at 2810 2011.

     The Food and Health Bureau today (August 28) invited interested parties to apply for the Research Fellowship Scheme under the Health and Medical Research Fund.
 
     The scheme aims to support researchers and professionals in their early to mid-career, particularly healthcare professionals, to enhance their skills in public health research and health services research.
 
     To tie in with the launch of the Government's Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy 2019, higher priority will be accorded to applications that address cancer and the preventable or modifiable risk factors for NCDs, namely smoking, alcohol drinking, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Subject to the quality of the applications, at least four of the eight awards will be granted to applications which can address the aforementioned four factors for NCDs, with one award in each area.
 
     The grant ceiling per award is $1.2 million, inclusive of $400,000 for overseas training. Tertiary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee can each nominate up to five fellowship applicants. Each applicant can only submit one application.
 
     The application should cover:
 
* An overseas training programme (regular programmes for higher academic qualifications, e.g. Master or PhD degrees, will not be considered) with attachment to a reputable institution for at least three months cumulatively throughout the fellowship period; and
 
* A small-scale research project relating to the proposed training programme with no more than three research objectives. Pilot studies and proof of concept studies are also welcomed.
 
     Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. Applications will be subject to peer review. The vetting will take into account the capability of the applicant and his/her performance at the interview, the support provided by the mentor, the importance of the training proposal and its relevance to the proposed research project. The proposed research project will be evaluated on its scientific merit, local relevance, translational potential or value, value for money of the proposals, research ethics and the track record of the applicant.

     The application period will close at 6pm on November 19, 2020. Application guidelines can be downloaded from the 
website of Research Fund Secretariat. Enquiries can be made by fax at 2102 2444 or by email to rfs@fhb.gov.hk.

     The Government today (August 28) announced the re-appointment of two incumbent members and the appointment of two new members of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). The appointments are for three years, from September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2023. Details of the appointments are as follows:
 
Members
Ms Jane Leung Chui-chun, primary school principal (re-appointment)
Ms Katherine Cheung Marn-kay (re-appointment)
Dr Kan Kar-yin, secondary school principal
Ms Chan Ka-man, secondary school teacher
 
     The Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, "The HKEAA is an important partner of the Education Bureau and the distinguished members from the educational and other professional fields would enrich the expertise of the Authority."
 
     Mr Yeung welcomed Dr Kan Kar-yin and Ms Chan Ka-man to join as members of the HKEAA, as well as Mr Edward Shen nominated by the Heads of Universities Committee (HUCOM), to join as an ex-officio member. He also expressed gratitude to the outgoing members, Mr Benjamin Ng Yau-keung and Ms Monica Cheng Wai-yee and ex-officio member, Professor Leung Pak-wo, for their invaluable contributions to the work of the Authority.
 
     The HKEAA is a statutory body established under the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority Ordinance (Chapter 261) to conduct public examinations and other examinations or assessments approved by the Chief Executive. The composition of the Authority is stipulated in Schedule 2 of the Ordinance. Members of the Authority include school principals, teachers, representatives of tertiary institutions, a person who represents the interests of parents, and persons experienced in commerce, industry or a profession.  
                                                                                       
     Following is the membership list of the Authority with effect from September 1, 2020:
 
Appointed members:
Mr Samuel Yung Wing-ki (Chairman)
Dr Mak Chi-keung (Deputy Chairman)
Ms Bonnie Lai Miu-yee
Mr Yau Siu-hung
Dr Kan Kar-yin
Ms Jane Leung Chui-chun
Ms Chan Ka-man
Ms Tennessy Hui Mei-sheung
Mr Jason Joseph Lee Kwong-yee
Mr Raymond Cheng Chung-ching
Ms Katherine Cheung Marn-kay
 
Ex-officio members:
Two persons nominated by the HUCOM
The Chairman of the Curriculum Development Council, or his/her representative
The Executive Director of the Vocational Training Council, or his/her representative
The Permanent Secretary for Education, or his/her representative
The Secretary General of the HKEAA

     â€‹The Government announced today (August 28) the appointment of Dr Karen Shum Hau-yan as a new member and the re-appointment of eight serving members to the Appeal Board Panel (Exemption of Regulated Products) (the Panel) constituted under section 7I of the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance (Cap. 465) (the Ordinance). The appointments will be effective from September 1, 2020, for a term of three years.
      
     The Ordinance prohibits commercial dealings in human organs intended for transplanting, restricts the transplanting of human organs between living persons and the transplanting of imported human organs, and for supplementary purposes connected with those matters.
      
     An exemption mechanism for regulated organ products has been provided under the Ordinance since September 1, 2011. A person who intends to make available regulated products for transplant on a commercial basis may apply for exemption from the Director of Health. Those aggrieved by the Director’s decisions on their applications for exemption may make an appeal to the Appeal Board constituted from the Panel as appointed by the Secretary for Food and Health.
      
     The full membership of the Panel with effect from September 1, 2020, is as follows:
 
Ms Bonita Chan Bow-ye
Professor Bernard Cheung Man-yung
Dr Abril Choy Fung-peng
Mr Rix Chung Kwok-fai
Dr David Lam Tat-yin
Dr Teresa Law Sui-chun
Dr. Karen Shum Hau-yan*
Ms Luciana Wong Wai-lan
Ms Adelaide Yu Hoi-man
 
*new appointee