FDCT receives more applications for project funding

The Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) received a higher number of applications last year for financing than in previous years. The total number of applications was 158 with an overall requested sum of more than MOP335 million.

For popular science research projects last year, the institution considered 131, of which only 76 were accepted. Popular science research focuses primarily on Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Geography, Robotics, and Engineering. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Computer Science and IT are the institute’s most supported disciplines. 

During a press conference last week, FDCT announced that funding for the approved projects amounted to MOP100 million.

Last year, according to Ma Chi Ngai, president of the Administration Committee of FDCT, 190 annual scientific study reports obtained FDCT approval.

Two hundred and four masters and PhD graduates benefited from the institute’s financing. Those students published 792 papers in total.

Life sciences and medicine comprise the majority of approved projects, followed by natural sciences, and finally information and telecommunication technology.

In 2016, the institute along with another science and technology committee, organized five popular science summer camps and three teachers’ popular science camps, with a total of 309 students and teachers attending the events.

According to Ma Chi Ngai, FDCT also approved 231 science projects, which involved MOP20.97 million, 8,796 students, 28 schools, and four associations.

FDCT approved 263 popular science reports and deemed the majority of the projects to have areas for improvement.

Overall, the institute approved MOP37.3 million for Macau’s State Key Laboratories.

Ma said that this year, FDCT will visit Portugal to sign agreements with the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT) in order to conduct joint programs to finance scientific studies.

In 2016, FDCT studied the feasibility of Macau becoming a smart city. Ma said the study will be completed by the end of this year.

Ma added that FDCT is discussing potential improvements to finance projects for enterprises, which he suggested will be launched soon.

In the year ahead, FDCT will launch new programs and evaluate the newly established State Key laboratories.

At the press conference, FDCT released reports regarding its expenses and revenue incomes from 2013 until 2016, during which FDCT expenses increased nearly threefold from MOP126 million to MOP360 million.

Its income in 2016 was MOP400 million, nearly double that of the MOP234 million in 2013.