FAQs
A. About the Foundation of the Prize
A-1 How was the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize established?
The BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP), established in 2022 by the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation (HKATI) and title sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong), is a non-governmental merit-based award.
A-2 What are the purposes of the STIP?
The STIP aims to reward outstanding scientists and research teams in Hong Kong or in research-related institutions set up by Hong Kong organisations and located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, for their significant achievements in scientific and technological innovation and transformation. The STIP encourages them to serve the motherland, connect to the Greater Bay Area, and contribute to the world with its foothold in Hong Kong.
B. About BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize
B-1 What are the eligible fields of STIP?
The SITP established 5 key and eligible fields in response to the nine strategic emerging industries proposed by the nation’s 14th Five-Year Plan and in line with the initiatives that the Hong Kong SAR government focuses on. They are Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Life and Health, Advanced Manufacturing, FinTech and New Materials and New Energy.
B-2 What is the amount of the STIP and what is the source of its funding?
The STIP is title sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) and offers HKD 10 million for each edition, with HK$2 million (before tax) awarded in each field.
B-3 How can the prize money be used?
Laureates have full discretion over the use of prize money.
B-4 Does the STIP recognise individuals or teams? If a team wins, will the prize money be shared among team members?
Both individual scientists and research teams are eligible for recognition under the STIP. If a team is nominated, the members shall be no more than 5 members; in the case of a team award, the prize money will be shared among team members.
C. Eligible Nomination
C-1 What are the nomination requirements?
(1) The nominee must uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and exemplify the highest standards of social integrity and professional ethics.
(2) The nominee's scientific or technological work must be primarily conducted in Hong Kong or in research-related institutions set up by Hong Kong organisations and located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
(3) The nominee should not be over 50 years of age as of the nomination deadline. Exceptionally distinguished candidates may be considered up to the age of 55.
(4) Previous laureates are ineligible for re-nomination within five editions.
D. Nominator
D-1 What are the responsibilities of nominators for the STIP?
The nominator is expected to log in to the STIP website (www.stip.hk) to complete the online nomination process. The nominator should provide a detailed description of the nominee’s achievements in technological innovation, effectiveness in research translating, social and economic impact, and innovation value. The nominator should also elaborate on how the nominee’s research, solution, or invention meets the nomination criteria of the Prize, serving as the basis for the nomination rationale.
D-2 Who is eligible to be a nominator? Must the nominator be a professor or researcher?
Open to all individuals. Nominations from research team members, science and technology professionals, industry representatives, and startup teams across all sectors as well as public are welcome.
D-3 Can a company or organisation serve as a nominator?
Companies or organisations are not eligible to nominate unless specifically invited to do so.
D-4 How many nominees can each nominator put forward?
Each nominator may nominate up to one individual or one team per edition of the award. For team nominations, the team may consist of no more than five members.
D-5 As a Nominator, can I nominate someone from my own organisation, or must I nominate someone from elsewhere?
Yes, you may nominate colleagues from your own organization or individuals from other organizations.
D-6 Can I self -nominate?
No, self-nominations are not accepted for the STIP.
D-7 Can I be both a nominator and a nominee?
Yes. You may nominate others and also be nominated by someone else, but self-nominations are not accepted.
D-8 Can I use my nominator account from previous editions for the current edition?
Yes. Nominator accounts registered in previous editions can continue to be used for the current one.
E. Nominee
E-1 Is it possible to nominate a person/team who has already been recognised by other awards?
Yes. Such nominations are encouraged if they meet the STIP criteria. Recognition or awards granted by other organisations or institutions do not affect eligibility for this award.
E-2 Can I nominate an organisation, institution or company, or must the nominee be an individual?
The STIP may be granted to an individual or a team of scientists. For team nominations, the number of members must not exceed five.
E-3 If a project’ s results or research involve multiple groups, institutions, or companies, how should nominations be made?
The nominator may submit a team nomination for up to five key contributors whose work spans multiple organisations, institutions, or companies.
E-4 Should I contact the nominee to avoid multiple nominations for the same person?
The STIP values the perspectives of multiple nominators and accepts cases where more than one person nominates a nominee.
E-5 Does the nominee have to be a Hong Kong permanent resident?
No. There is no such requirement. Please note that one of the nomination criteria specifies that technological innovation or scientific research work that is eligible for award should have been primarily completed in Hong Kong, or in research-related institutions set up by Hong Kong organisations and located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
F. Nomination Process
F-1 How should I choose if the nominee’s research spans more than one eligible field? Can I select multiple fields?
You should select the field in which the nominee demonstrates the greatest strength. The STIP does not accept nominations in multiple fields. If multiple fields are selected, the nominee will be disqualified from consideration in the current edition.
F-2 What documents are required for the nomination?
The STIP requires personal information of both the nominator and the nominee, a statement of nomination reasons, two third-party recommendation letters, the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV), and ten representative works with relevant supporting materials. You may view the online nomination form on the officialwebsite of STIP (www.stip.hk).
F-3 What are the supporting materials that the nominator should upload?
You may upload up to ten files showcasing the nominee’s top ten representative works, or other materials that help demonstrate the significance and impact of the research or innovation.
F-4 Who can provide the reference letters? Do the referees have to be scientists?
The two recommendation letters should be written by individuals familiar with the nominee or the team’s work (excluding the nominator). The referees do not necessarily have to be scientists, but the STIP expects the letters to clearly and credibly describe and evaluate the nominee’s scientific or technological achievements and their impact.
F-5 Once a nomination is submitted, how long will it be considered? Does it need to be resubmitted each edition?
Nomination materials must be resubmitted for each edition during the nomination period.
F-6 Does the nomination need to be approved by the nominator’s affiliated organisation?
There is no such requirement for the STIP.
G. Review Process
G-1 Who conduct the review work?
The Review Committee is responsible for conducting the evaluation of the STIP. It reviews nominations, suggests award candidates, and submits recommendations to the Board for approval. The Review Committee has separate review panels corresponding to each award field. Each panel is composed of experts of high academic, professional, or industry standing and exemplary integrity.
G-2 How will the review work be implemented?
The evaluation process of the Prize consists of five stages: Eligibility Screening, Initial Screening, Preliminary Review, Secondary Review, and Final Deliberation. In the Eligibility Screening, the Secretariat is responsible for receiving and reviewing the materials submitted by nominators to verify whether they meet the eligibility requirements and document specifications. During the Initial Screening, members of each review panel independently score qualified candidates based on the evaluation criteria. In the Preliminary Review, the review panel convenes meetings to consider the Initial Screening results, discuss the candidates, and recommend those who meet the required standards. The Secondary Review is conducted by the Panel of Review Chairs, who further examine the candidates that passed the Preliminary Review, confirm the evaluation results, and propose a preliminary list of Laureates. Finally, in the Final Deliberation, the Review Committee deliberates on the Secondary Review results, finalizes the list of laureates, and submits it to the Board for approval.
G-3 What are the review criteria？
The STIP will focus on scientific and technological innovation achievements, transformation of scientific research outcomes, and societal and economic impact.
G-4 Will nominators be contacted for clarification during the review process?
If necessary, the STIP Secretariat may contact nominators for further clarification or additional information.
H. Conflict of Interest & Confidentiality
H-1 Are there any guidelines for identifying and managing potential conflict of interest?
Article 18 of the Charter of the “BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize” provides detailed provisions on the disclosure and recusal principles regarding potential conflicts of interest between reviewers and candidates.
Members of the Review Committee are required to proactively disclose any potential conflicts of interest before conducting the review. Such relationships include, but are not limited to:
- Working in the same institution;
- Teacher–student or familial relationships;
- Collaboration on projects or publications (within five years of the last collaboration);
- Business partnerships, competition, or nomination/recommendation relationships.
If a familial relationship exists between a reviewer and a candidate, the reviewer must recuse themselves from the relevant review process. The Review Committee determines the specific implementation of such recusals.
Additionally, nominators are encouraged to indicate their relationship with the nominee in the nomination form, which helps the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize better understand the context and rationale of the nomination.
H-2 Will the list of nominations be made public?
No. The STIP does not does not disclose the list of nominations.
H-3 Are nominators allowed to contact nominees to obtain additional information?
Yes. Nominators may contact the individuals or teams they are nominating to obtain additional information for the nomination.
