Funding Scheme for Scientific Research Platforms – Equipment and Instrumentation (2025)

Application Period : 23 April 2025 to 13 June 2025
Important notice : The signed application and relevant attachments must be submitted to the Fund before the deadline (during office hours).

Management	Application Requirements	Funding Amount	Download
Analytical Evaluation	Centralized Management	Submission of Applications	Other Provisions

 

I. Management

1. The application, acceptance, evaluation and approval, implementation and administration, and project conclusion shall be governed by the current Regulations on the Granting of Financial Support by the Science and Technology Development Fund, the Funding Scheme for Scientific Research Platforms, and these guidelines.
2. Host entities of platforms that have been approved for support must sign a Funding Agreement with FDCT.

 

II. Application Requirements

1. The applicant must be the host entity of a scientific research platform previously funded by FDCT and must be a higher education institution in Macao or a non-profit private entity established in Macao;
2. The platform must have undergone reorganization or expert final assessment in the same year.

 

III. Funding Amount

1. National-level platforms:
   1. State Key Laboratories: the maximum funding amount per application is MOP 40 million.
   2. National Field Scientific Observation and Research Stations: the maximum funding amount per application is MOP 20 million.
2. R&D platforms (including those funded under the Laboratory and R&D Centre Funding Scheme), translational platforms, and joint platforms: the maximum funding amount per application is MOP 20 million and is linked to the results of the platform's expert final assessment. Assessment results are classified as "Excellent", "Good", and "Fair", corresponding respectively to up to 100%, 80%, and 60% of the funding cap. If the result is "Not Passed", the application for equipment and instrumentation funding for the year will not be approved.

  

IV. Analytical Evaluation

1. The role of the proposed equipment in attracting talent and fostering team development;
2. The necessity of acquiring the equipment for the platform's disciplinary development and research tasks;
3. The existing inventory of similar equipment at the platform (including sharing and usage conditions and average annual effective machine hours);
4. The advancement, applicability, and rationality of the functions and technical specifications of the proposed equipment;
5. The anticipated usage of the proposed equipment by the platform;
6. The support capacity of the platform's laboratory team;
7. The physical conditions of the platform (e.g. installation site, water and electricity infrastructure, etc.).
8. The risk factors involved in procuring the instruments and equipment to reduce any negative impact on the platform's operations due to price fluctuations, delivery issues, maintenance, and other related matters.

 

V. Centralized Management of Equipment

1. Instruments or equipment with a unit (set) value of not less than MOP 500,000 and meeting any of the following criteria must be registered on the Equipment Management Platform established by FDCT:
   1. Acquired with funding granted under this scheme, including funding for various platform categories and for equipment and instrumentation;
   2. Acquired by the platform in the past and still in normal operation, with a total value not less than the funding amount granted under the current application. If the platform is unable to provide sufficient shared equipment, it must provide adequate justification and obtain approval from the FDCT.
2. Applicants must formulate a sharing plan to ensure that such instruments and equipment are accessible to all project teams of the funded platform, other departments of the same institution, other higher education institutions, research institutes, enterprises and associations.
3. Applicants must assign relevant personnel for the shared use and management of the instruments and equipment.

 

VI. Submission of Applications

1. Applications must be written in any of the official languages of the Macao SAR or in English;
2. The application dossier must be submitted to FDCT on or before the deadline.

 

VII. Other Provisions

 

IX. Download

Document Name
Funding Scheme for Scientific Research Platforms
Application Guidelines for Funding Scheme for Scientific Research Platforms – Equipment and Instrumentation (2025)
Application Form(.doc)              Application Form(.pdf)