State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (University of Macau)

Management Methods for Open Research Projects 2023

Submission Closed

I. General information

  1. The State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (hereinafter referred to as “The Lab”) of the University of Macau (UM) is implementing the Open Research Project Programme (hereinafter referred to as “The Project”), for strengthening academic exchanges, improving the quality of research, serving as an interdisciplinary research platform, and fostering high caliber talents. To this end, The Lab has made the management methods (hereinafter referred to as “This Method”) in compliance with The Lab policy of “openness, mobility, union, and competition”. The Project is open to all international or national scientists and researchers working in universities, and other academic and R&D institutions.
  2. The Project is a crucial scheme to connect The Lab with other institutions by utilizing lab-scale resources including know-how and professionals to consolidate research outputs and talent cultivation to advance current technologies in the related field. Applicants are encouraged to carry out the research collaboration with the members of The Lab.
  3. The Project implementation mechanism shall be in a collaborative framework. There must be at least one full-time faculty member of The Lab joining The Project as a collaborator (hereinafter referred to as “Collaborator”). The role of the Collaborator is the coordinator in The Project and shall have a close research interest with the applicant.
  4. The Lab launches the “SKL-IoTSC(UM) Guidelines for Open Research Project Applications” (hereinafter referred to as the “The Guideline”) in due course. The Project proposal will be reviewed by SKL-IoTSC ORP Review Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “The Committee”), through a fair, transparent, and rigorous assessment system.

II. Evaluation process

  1. The applicant shall submit an electronic project proposal to The Lab within the designated application period, according to The Guideline released each year.
  2. The proposal would generally be evaluated depending upon the anticipated outputs and outcomes; relevance of the proposal with the scope of The Guideline; novelty, feasibility, and scientific merit of the proposed research; clear identification of the research problem; clear articulation of methodology and rational budgetary plan; the technical, social, and economic viability of the proposed research and be able to make major progress.
  3. The Project is affiliated with The Lab, the applicants are encouraged to carry out joint research with The Collaborator of The Lab. The Collaborator is ineligible to apply for The Project as PI.
  4. The Project should be time-bound normally for a duration of 24 months.
  5. The applicant must be a holder of a doctorate’s degree or have been working in a position of assistant professor or above. The Project is to be led by faculties or scientists working in recognized universities, other academic or R&D institutions, and enterprises. Priority will be given to projects that have led to significant outputs, the PI/research team has relevant experience from previous research in the chosen area, the PI has led key national projects, or the PI/research team has research collaboration with The Lab.
  6. The Project proposals received will be evaluated for final selection and support by The Committee, through a fair, transparent, and rigorous assessment system. The decision of The Committee regarding the selection of projects is final and no further queries will be entertained.

III. Monitoring of The Project

  1. The PI of The Project is required to participate in at least one academic activity organized by The Lab during the project period and in the meantime report the research progress to The Lab.
  2. Implementation of The Project will be monitored through SKL-IoTSC ORP Progress Report and SKL-IoTSC ORP Financial Report. The PI will also furnish the scan copies of research outcomes in terms of publications, awards, patents, and knowledge transfer, within one month after completing the first year of The Project.
  3. On completion of The Project, the PI is required to submit a complete and detailed SKL-IoTSC ORP Final Report and SKL-IoTSC Financial Report along with receipts, within 2 months after the date of completion of The Project.
  4. At the conclusion of The Project, the PI shall submit the following technical documents to The Lab: a comprehensive report on the research details; the accepted or published academic papers with proper acknowledgment of The Lab; the raw data collected in The Project, such as experimental logbooks, etc.; the evaluation report; the award certificate; and other relevant supporting documentary evidence with regard to the achievements.

IV. Funding management

  1. The Project duration is up to 2 years and the grant is up to MOP80,000 per each awarded project. The Lab will announce the commencing date of The Project each year.
  2. Funding management of The Project shall be strictly in accordance with the financial guidelines of UM. Upon completion of The Project, PI shall provide timely the final statement of expenditure along with copies of invoices or supporting documentary evidence, for The Committee review and endorsement.
  3. Eligible costs: personnel (research manpower) and indirect cost (management costs); minor research equipment and consumables; paper publication and national & international conferences; visiting scholar travel, etc.
  4. The PI shall ensure that financial and purchase procedures are followed as per the prevailing norms of UM and all costs must be eligible according to UM’s rule, within the allocated budget.
  5. The PI would assume financial obligations and responsibility for The Project and will be responsible for the compliance, reasonableness, authenticity, and relevance of the utilization of funds.
  6. In case of the unforeseen event of discontinuance in The Project, The Lab reserves the right to intervene if necessary and, in extreme cases, terminate The Project at any stage upon the Director’s approval.

V. Knowledge sharing and management

  1. The research outputs and know-how generated from The Project would be the property owned jointly by both UM and PI organizations. In the event of applying for academic awards and patent applications, both parties take joint responsibility for carrying out the procedures as per the relevant norms and regulations.
  2. Intellectual Property (IP) that existed before The Project, will remain the exclusive property of the owner. Any commercialization of the original IP shall require a new prior informed consent in writing issued by the IP owner. The terms of such commercialization shall be subject to a separate mutual agreement between the involved parties.
  3. During the execution of The Project, the generated scientific achievements, know-how, and intellectual property rights (together hereinafter referred to as the “The Knowledge”,) would be jointly owned by both UM and PI organizations. Any commercialization or utilization of The Knowledge shall require a new prior informed consent in writing from both parties. The terms of such commercialization shall be subject to a separate mutual agreement between the involved parties.
  4. The research outputs and know-how generated from The Project would be utilized by The PI organization and UM for teaching and education, and academic research in a form of gratuitous.
  5. The acknowledgments for publications, awards, patents, and knowledge transfer shall be: The Open Research Project Programme of the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (University of Macau) (Ref. No.: SKL-IoTSC(UM)-20241-2026/ORP/GAxx/2023).
  6. The PI of the funded project is encouraged to further apply for the key or major national or international projects jointly with The Collaborator of The Lab.

VI. Supplemental provisions 

  1. Subject to the nature of The Project that the research must be accomplished together with the Collaborator of The Lab. Hence, the DL No.122/84/M dated 15/12/1984, subsequently amended by the Law No. 5/2021 (Regime das despesas obras e aquisicão de bens e serviços) is not applicable.
  2. This Method shall come into force from the day of promulgation.
  3. This Method is made in English and Chinese. In case of any discrepancy or inconsistency between the two versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.
  4. The State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (University of Macau) reserves all rights for final explanation.

Attachment: [IOTSC ORP Management Methods 2023]