A total of 12 million Hong Kong dollars (US$1.5 million) has been allocated out of the Central Allocation Vote of the University Grants Committee (UGC) for the RGC to fund urgent academic research work which can help Hong Kong in the fight against the SARS epidemic.

Out of the sum, 10 million HK dollars (US$1.2 million) will be allocated as special project grants to support research work dedicated to the investigation of immediate issues directly related to SARS.

In addition, an emergency grant of 1 million HK dollars (US$128,205) has been allocated to each of the two medical faculties at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong to support and strengthen their further efforts in combating the SARS disease.

Speaking at a press briefing to launch the scheme, Kenneth Young, Chairman of the RGC said: "SARS has been affecting many parts of the world and is the biggest crisis facing Hong Kong at the moment."

"The battle against the disease is an area in which academic research should and can uniquely make a contribution. I hope this special scheme will go some way to encourage and support urgent research on this particular front," he said.

Established in 1991, the RGC is a non-statutory advisory body of 'academic peers' operating under the aegis of the UGC.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2003)