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The funding schemes under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) have been further optimised to create more job opportunities for research and development (R&D) personnel and interns and to support industry in updating and restructuring towards high-valued added and high-end technology.
¡°We have further expanded the Internship Programme to cover private sector companies, thereby providing more intern positions for local graduates,¡± said Mr Eddy Chan, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology.
Under the Internship Programme, a local university, R&D centre or private sector company can engage up to two interns to assist in an R&D project funded by the ITF. The ITF will provide each intern with a monthly allowance of $10,000 for first-degree graduates and $12,000 for those with Master or higher degrees. The maximum internship period is 24 months.
This is applicable to companies under the Small Entrepreneur Research Assistance Support Programme (SERAP) and those undertaking collaborative projects with R&D centres under the Innovation and Technology Support Programme.
¡°We have reserved about $90 million in 2009 to engage 600 interns for existing and new ITF projects. If necessary, we will provide additional resources to meet the demand for interns,¡± said Mr Chan.
Regarding special measures to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Mr Chan said¡°we will raise the maximum funding support under SERAP from $2 million to $4 million per project.¡±
¡°Apart from providing more jobs, we hope this will help in nurturing local R&D talent,¡± he said.
Amid the financial crisis, it is equally important for enterprises to upgrade and restructure their industry for long-term development by putting more resources into innovation and technology development.
¡°To sustain our applied R&D work, we will conduct three rounds of project proposal solicitation under the Innovation and Technology Support Programme (ITSP) in 2009 to encourage local universities and research institutes to undertake more R&D projects, thereby providing more job opportunities,¡± added Mr Chan.
The ITSP began receiving R&D project proposals today until March 20. The technology focus areas have also been widened to accommodate different research topics.
Details of the technology themes and application guides and procedures are available at www.itf.gov.hk. Further information on the ITSP funding schemes can be obtained from the ITF Secretariat on 20/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen¡¯s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, or by calling 2737 2229.
Ends/Friday, January 23, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:18
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