State Science & Technology Awards

Eligibility

Candidates for nomination by the HKSAR Government for the STIA and SSTPA must be either residents of the HKSAR with Chinese nationality who have made outstanding creative contributions in the areas of scientific discovery and technological development, and who have promoted the progress of science and technology; or persons of Chinese nationality who have engaged in scientific research and technology development in the HKSAR. The candidate's major research and development work should be conducted and completed in the HKSAR. In case the candidate cooperates with researchers outside the HKSAR, the candidate should be the principal person to complete the project.

An individual or several individuals working together is/are eligible for nomination. However, the number of award winners for a single project under the STIA and the SSTPA is restricted according to the quota set for the respective categories of Awards. A project cannot be nominated for the SNSA, STIA and SSTPA simultaneously in the same year.

A person who merely manages or facilitates any research projects on science and technology is not eligible for nomination.

State Technological Invention Award (STIA)

The STIA will be conferred on persons who work in the fields of science and technology, and whose significant technological invention is used to produce products, industrial techniques, materials and their related systems by applying the knowledge of science and technology.

The above-mentioned products include all kinds of instruments, equipment, apparatus, tools, parts, and biological new species; industrial techniques cover the fields of industry, agriculture, medical treatment and health; materials include new substances obtained by different kinds of technological methods; systems refer to the integration of technology of products, techniques and materials.

The significant technological invention should meet the following criteria:

  1. The inventions must not yet have been invented by other people, or made public previously;
  2. The inventions must be original and creative; and
  3. Upon implementation, the invention must produce considerable economic returns or social benefits.

The nominated invention under STIA should have relevant intellectual property evidence, demonstrated its extensive application for more than one year and have achieved significant results. The invented products or materials should have been put into production and application. The invented industrial techniques should exhibit its broad application in production.

The STIA will not be awarded if the invention includes a technology that merely relies on personal experience and skills that cannot be realized repeatedly.

A candidate for the STIA must be the person who created part of, or the whole of the technological aspect of the invention. An individual's name, or the names of several people who worked together on the invention, can be put forward for this award. The number of award winners for a single project will be limited, and in general will not exceed 6 persons for each project winning the first class or second class award.

State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (SSTPA)

The SSTPA will be conferred on persons who work in the fields of science and technology and have made outstanding contributions, including:

In the implementation of technology development projects ¡V persons who have accomplished significant science and technology innovation, transferred their science and technology achievements, and created substantial economic benefits.

Technological development projects refer to the completion, application and promotion of products, technology, techniques, materials, design and biological species which have significant market and practical value, during scientific research and development of technology.

In the implementation of public welfare projects ¡V persons who have engaged in foundation work and public welfare using science and technology and have achieved substantial social benefits after trials and implementation.

Public welfare projects refer to obtaining significant achievements from, and application and promotion of foundation work in science and technology such as standards, calculations, and information and files of science and technology popularisation; and public welfare related science and technology industry such as environmental protection, medical treatment and health, investigation of natural resources and their reasonable utilization, and the forecasting, monitoring, alleviation and prevention of natural disasters.

Nominees for the SSTPA should meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Made significant contributions to the design of the overall technology proposal of the project;
  2. Made significant contributions and technological innovations towards solving key technology problems;
  3. Made creative contributions towards the commercialization and promotion of application process;
  4. Made important contributions towards the industrialization of advance technology.

The nominated project under SSTPA should have demonstrated outstanding technology innovation; extensive application for more than one year that generated substantial economic returns and social benefits, and have obvious contribution to the science and technology advancement of the industry.

The number of award winners for a single project will be limited, and in general will not exceed 15 persons for the first class award and 10 persons for the second class award.

Eligibility Assessment

ITC will conduct eligibility assessment on all HKSAR entries to ensure that they are eligible to take part in the Awards scheme, and that each person meets the requirements for the HKSAR laid down by NOSTA.

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