Scientific Research Project FAQ
一、I. Questions on application:

1.What are the rules for the language of the application?Any one of the languages of Chinese, Portuguese or English can be used.2. If one does not hold a Macao resident identity card, can he/she apply?In accordance with the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”, researchers who hold legitimate working permits in Macao and carry out R&D activities in Macao may apply.3. The “Financial Aid Grant Regulation” requires the applying entity to obtain an “introduction or recommendation letter issued by a prestigious entity in the fields of science, technology and innovation”. Can an entity apply if no introduction or recommendation letter can be obtained from a relevant party?An introduction or recommendation letter is a document that must be submitted. An entity can be recommended by its academic society, a research community, relevant professionals or by experts and scholars who teach at colleges or universities in or outside Macao.4. Can funding for the same project be applied for simultaneously to local institutions and/or to other institutions outside Macao?Yes. But whether funding is also applied for to other institutions must be stated in the application. The FDCT will examine and approve the application based on specific circumstances. At the same time, in accordance with the provision of  the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”, expenditure eligible and actually supported by the FDCT cannot be financed by any other supporting program using public funds.5. Can an applying entity apply for several projects to the FDCT at the same time? What are the rules??Yes. Application materials of each project should be submitted in accordance with the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”.
Under normal circumstances, the FDCT proposes that members of the project research team should not undertake more than three projects at the same time. For more details, please refer to the Regulations.
6. If the research project is quite large or may continue for more than three years, can it be split into several smaller projects to be applied for one by one?Yes. It is suggested that the overall description of the entire project be attached to the Project Plan for the FDCT to examine and approve in accordance with the specific circumstances. 7.What materials should be submitted on the identity and curriculum vitae of the main responsible person and the members of the project team?It is necessary to provide the educational background, work experience, the catalogue of the main papers related to the project published recently, and the academic awards obtained of the project leader and the members and to state the information of their time assigned to the implementation of the relevant project. Copies of their identity documents should be attached. 8.Can the main responsible person and the members of the project team apply for funding for their salaries with regard to the project?In accordance with the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”, if the main responsible person and the members of the project team are not part of the beneficiary entity or shareholder, they can propose an application.9.Is there any upper limit to the number of researchers employed for the project?Under normal circumstances, the FDCT does not fund more than 5 researchers for each project except for special circumstances. 10. Can personnel from outside Macao be employed to participate in the research?Yes. But the applying entity must provide their legitimate work certificates in Macao.11. Is there a stipulated upper limit for the cost of allowance for a graduate student employed for implementation of the research project?However, the FDCT will make a comprehensive assessment based on the current work situation, the time and depth of participation in the project of the researchers. 12. If one participates in the project research as a graduate student, how should he/she fill in the column of “Name of Present Organization” in the “Letter of Commitment of Members Participating in the Project Research Group”?This column should be filled in as a graduate student in a certain school. In addition to a copy of the identity document, a copy of the student ID card must be submitted.13.Is it acceptable that a current graduate student takes his/her own paper as the project to be applied for?No, it is not acceptable. 14. Can a Public Administration employee apply for project funding?Yes. The applicant should report to the department to which he/she belongs to and pay attention whether he/she may contravene the Macao Public Administration Workers Statute and the relevant provisions of the department to which he/she belongs to.15. Can some researchers be employed from outside Macao to implement the research project?Yes.If a researcher is employed to carry out research work in Macao, his/her legitimate work permit in Macao shall be provided.The FDCT encourages employers to give priority to Macao residents for positions of project researchers.16. Can the transportation costs incurred by trips to other places to carry out negotiations and studies with project cooperating researchers and/or cooperating parties to implement the research project be included in the derivative expenditure?Yes,Yes. But the relevant costs should be specified in detail in the application. The FDCT will examine and approve the case according to the number of trips to other places and the reasonableness of the amount applied for.17. Some of the research contents are conducted in other places. Can funding be applied for?Examination and approval shall be based on specific circumstances. The FDCT suggests that most (preferably all) research contents be arranged in Macao in order to strengthen Macao's R&D capabilities.18. If the applying entity cooperates with other agencies, is it necessary to submit relevant proofs?The applying entity should submit the proofs together with the Project Plan. In exceptional circumstances, the proofs must be submitted at the latest after the project is approved and before the funding amount is paid.
Contents such as the name of the related project, the distribution of property rights, the proportion of division of labor, etc. should be indicated in the Agreement. (If cooperation or academic exchange is conducted only with a certain member of the organization, this case is not cooperative partnership.)
19.When should the “Letter of Commitment of Members Participating in the Project Research Group” be submitted?The applying entity should submit the “Letter of Commitment” together with the Project Plan. In exceptional circumstances, the “Letter of Commitment” must be submitted at the latest after the project is approved and before the funding amount is paid. 20.With an organization as an applying entity, what is the effective signing method?All the documents that need to be signed must be based on the effective signature in the Commercial Registration Certificate and stamped with the seal of the organization. 21.With an organization as an applying entity, what are the requirements for submission of the institutional background information?The applying entity should make a brief description on the Project Plan.22. How long does the examination and approval take for a project applied for?A. A project application for an amount of not more than MOP1,000,000Under normal circumstances, the examination and approval time is about 90 working days (Projects that require external evaluation need longer time for examination and approval).B. A project application for an amount of more than MOP1,000,000:Under normal circumstances, the examination and approval time is about 180 working days after the application deadline (Projects that require external evaluation need longer time for examination and approval).
二、Questions on funding

1. How will the funding amount be paid?According to the specific circumstances of the project, the funding amount will be paid at a time or by installments. The payment method of the relevant funding will be listed in the grant document.2. After the application is approved, how will the time for launching the project research be defined?The launching time is counted from the date when the beneficiary entity receives the first cheque. The time for submitting the Annual and Final Reports in the future will be counted also from that date.If the project research was launched before the appropriation date, the relevant documents for receiving the funding can be traced back to the application date. 3. Are there any specific requirements for the Annual Report and the Final Report of the research project?According to the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”, the report consists of two parts: one on actual activities and the other on financial implementation.4. In the Annual or Final Report, is it necessary to submit the original reimbursement documents?The original documents should be submitted. If copies are submitted, the original documents must be shown for verification purpose.5. If the beneficiary entity is not fully funded, can the research contents be reduced accordingly?The FDCT grants the funds in the form of financial aid. A beneficiary entity may not receive the full funding. The approved amount is a subsidy for the project. The beneficiary entity should also be responsible for the research costs of the project.In addition, the beneficiary entity must carry out the relevant research project in accordance with the Project Plan submitted in the beginning. For any modification, consent of the FDCT should be obtained (except for the modification of the research contents required by the FDCT). 6. If the beneficiary entity has not been funded in full by the FDCT, can it apply to other institutions in or outside Macao for financing the rest of the funds?Yes (except for local public agencies).In accordance with the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation”, expenditure eligible and actually supported by the FDCT cannot be financed by any other supporting program using public funds.7. For a funded research project, can the proportion of various expenditures be adjusted without changing the total funding amThe applying entity must first propose the adjustment to the FDCT in writing, and the FDCT will review the project to determine whether or not to agree to the relevant arrangement..8. For a funded research project, in case the expenditure for purchasing equipment has exceeded the limit approved by the FDCT, can the applying entity propose additional funds?When granting the funds, the FDCT sets in the Letter of Consent the upper limit of the funded amount for purchasing equipment. An applying entity cannot propose additional funds.
9.What should be done to the relevant equipment purchased with the financed funds after the study is completed?It will be listed in the relevant grant document. The equipment purchased with funding must be clearly marked that the purchase is funded by the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao Special Administrative Region..10.For expenses incurred by personnel specifically employed to implement a project, is it necessary to levy a tax on the income of such personnel?Yes, it is necessary. Such personnel should make declarations by themselves in accordance with the tax regulations of the financial authorities.11.Does the FDCT assist the applying entity to bring the research results to market?No. Bringing the research results to market is of a commercial nature. An applying entity needs to bring their results to market by themselves.
三、Questions on patent application and intellectual property rights:
1.Questions on patent application and intellectual property rights:The FDCT funds patent application fees for applying entities to apply for patents to relevant agencies in or outside Macao, but annual fees, renewal fees, etc. are not included in the scope of patent application funding.2. For a patent that has been successfully obtained, can the relevant fees be applied for to the FDCT?No. The relevant fees should be applied for to the FDCT before or during the application put forward to the relevant patent examination and approval authority.3. Does the FDCT assist an applying entity in the administrative procedures of application for a patent?The applying entity must apply to the relevant department on its own.4.Who owns the intellectual property rights of the research results obtained in the project?The intellectual property rights of the project will be owned by the applying entity (except for special circumstances).In addition, the research results obtained from the project need to be clearly marked that the research results are funded by the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
四、Other questions:
1. Has the FDCT drawn up a research orientation to be intensively funded?Not at the current stage. But it does not rule out that after a gradual assessment in the future, relevant guidelines will be drawn up.2. Is the policy of the FDCT focused on funding the basic research or the applied research?The FDCT attaches equal importance to both the basic research and the applied research.3. If the project applied for is funded, will the FDCT announce the relevant information during the research process or after the results are achieved?The FDCT will not announce any unproductive research project.4. What are the common problems in writing a project plan?A. The objectives of the study are not clear.B. The scope of the study is too large and lacks focus.C. The research project lacks scientific principles or the research components of the project are insufficient.D. The research content is not innovative or there is no specific research content and orientation.E. The explanation of the budgetary expenditure is not detailed.F. The identity information of the applicant, project leader and other project members is not clear.G. There is no detailed description of the division of labor of the project researchers.5. What are the precautions for the project research team members?A. The identity information of the project leader and other project members, the study location, working hours and the job assignments must be clearly stated, and the priority is to use Macao as the research location.B. Details of the educational backgrounds, research work resumes, catalogues of recent publications of major papers related to the project and academic awards obtained of the project leader and other project members.C. The project leader must conduct research work in Macao and he/she must submit his/her legitimate work permit for conducting research work in Macao.D. If any other members of the project are non-Macao residents but conduct research work in Macao, they must submit their legitimate work permits for carrying out scientific research work in Macao.E. The FDCT encourages employers to give priority to Macao residents for positions of project researchers.6.What are the precautions for the “Letter of Commitment of Members Participating in the Project Research Group”?A. It is recommended that the Letter of Commitment is submitted along with the Application Plan.B. The project team members listed in the Letter of Commitment must submit their relevant identification documents.C. A project member participating in the research project as a graduate student must indicate it in the column of Current Organization and submit the relevant student ID document.D. The main purpose of signing the Letter of Commitment is to confirm the participation of project team members in the research of the relevant project and to be aware of and comply with the provisions of the FDCT.
7. What are the project applications that the FDCT will not support?A.Projects without any scientific basis or scientific and technological innovation.B.Research projects that have achieved results or have patent applications.C.Plagiarism, theft of other people’s research results or infringement of other people’s intellectual property rights and being blacklisted at the same time.D. If the research results or the intellectual property rights do not belong to or are not shared with a funded entity but belong to a cooperative entity outside Macao.E.The professionalism of the researchers is not sufficient to study the project.F.Project applications for statistics, surveys, questionnaires, etc. without scientific research or technological innovation.G. A project application aiming at running a school or training courses or setting up a research institution.H. A project application aiming at setting up a company, a factory for manufacturing, or other business-oriented projects.I. Applications for conducting events, seminars and presentations with technological or other contents.J. Only the project leader is a Macao resident. The other researchers are not Macao residents and they do not carry out the study in Macao.K. A project application in which funding is requested for equipment which will not be placed in Macao.L. A project applied for by a graduate student with his/her paper as the research project.M.A project application in which the retirement pension or the severance payment of the researchers employed from outside Macao will be undertaken.。N.An application for the purpose to help the poor or solve the burden for living.8. In general, what are the equipment applications that the FDCT will not approve?A. Equipment not related to the project research or is not necessary.B. Buying real estate, such as office buildings, laboratories, residences, etc.C. Buying a car or other means of transportation,except for experimental use.D.Buying personal items.E. For decoration of the office or laboratory.
五、Questions on the Annual and Final Reports:
1.Can the expenses incurred for a deferred project during the deferment period be reimbursed?In accordance with the “Financial Aid Grant Regulation” approved by Instruction No. 273/2004 of the Chief Executive: The financial support for a project may be maintained for a maximum period of three years.2.What is the principle of reimbursement for expenses in financial reporting?The relevant Detail List should be classified in line with the granted expenses in the Funding Consent, based on the principle of simplicity and clarity. All the expenses to be reimbursed must be in conformity with the granted contents of the Funding Consent and must not be reimbursed separately in other items. The reimbursement documents should be classified and arranged in accordance with the Expenditure Detail List and submitted.3. What are the requirements for reimbursement of personnel costs?A. Name of the researchers, their ID numbers, working hours, monthly salaries/hourly salaries, the serial number and name of the participated project, and their signings, etc. should be clearly listed by head in the relevant document. In addition, the confirmation of the financial department by signature and seal with the name and position of the confirmation person must also be attached.B. Personnel costs must be costs of the local personnel (including non-resident workers).。C. Costs of personnel from outside Macao can be reimbursed in the form of consulting fees.4. What are the requirements for reimbursement of equipment costs?A receipt should be provided as far as possible for reimbursement for the purchase of equipment. If the type, quantity and other information of the equipment are not clearly listed in the receipt, a list of goods (Invoice) should be provided. In case it is really unable to provide a receipt, the invoice is acceptable.5. Requirements for reimbursement of fees incurred by a visiting scholar?A. First of all, it must be clarified that a visiting scholar must be a scholar coming from outside to Macao for a visit and exchange. Local personnel or staff of an applying entity should not be listed as visiting scholars.B. The fees of a visiting scholar include all the fees incurred by the scholar. Other expenses incurred by the scholar may not be reimbursed separately. Fees of a visiting scholar on air tickets, accommodation, etc. may not be included in travel expense category and reimbursed as travel expenses.6. What are the requirements for reimbursement of travel expenses?Travel expenses must be the related expenses of local personnel to travel between Macao and other places. Reimbursement should be carried out separately for each incident (such as attending a meeting) and the incident should be briefly described. The purposes of transportation and accommodation expenses should be indicated.7.How should the expenses of lost documents be reimbursed?The applying entity must bring forward a statement. The statement is a serious legally binding document and should be presented with caution. The statement should not be abused.8. What are the requirements for reimbursement of cooperation and collaboration fees?A. The relevant fee should be received by the other party with an official receipt stamped and signed by the receiver. The receiver must have the relevant representative qualification.B. For a person from outside Macao who cooperates with an applying entity in his/her own name, the relevant personnel costs may be reimbursed in the form of visiting scholar fees or consulting fees.
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