Digital scholarship is an area of research and teaching that uses digital technologies to extend the life of scholarly resources and create research tools, with a view to facilitating information sharing and new research findings. Sponsored by the University's Research Committee, the Digital Scholarship Grant supports the dissemination of scholarly resources developed during faculty research. The programme recognises that primary sources, data, and other scholarly content hold significant value beyond their original research purpose and merit broader community access.

Sharing scholarly resources can contribute to the overall reputation of the University via:

• Raising the visibility of the HKBU and the corresponding academic departments
• Promoting research and research impacts
• Providing a direct credit to the researchers
• Leading to new collaborations between users of the materials and researchers

It can also benefit academia through:

• Promoting innovation and potential new uses of the materials
• Reducing the cost of duplicating material collection
• Providing important resources for education
• Encouraging new interdisciplinary fields

All full-time HKBU academics at the rank of Research Assistant Professor or above (including those from the practice track) are eligible to apply. Academics from all disciplines are welcome to submit applications. All Principal Investigators can hold only one Digital Scholarship Grant or Non-Grant project at a time.

The Grant supports projects that extend the life of scholarly resources and make their intellectual content openly accessible online, through the use of digital technology. Scholarly resources that contain substantial value to the research area can be supported, including original research data, manuscripts, photographs, audio-visual materials, digital objects, etc. on condition that these materials are not already freely accessible on the web at the time of grant application. In all cases, these projects should be designed to create or enhance access to scholarly information; they should also facilitate sharing and exchange of knowledge in the scholarly community. All projects supported (fully or partially) by this Grant must have their websites developed and kept under the HKBU Library's web domain name, even after the Principal Investigator leaves the University.

Applications may be submitted for projects that address one or more of the following activities:

• Digitising materials
• Preserving and improving access to born-digital resources
• Developing databases, virtual collections, or other digital resources to provide integrated access to materials
• Developing online tools for visualization and analysis of research data
• Online publishing of books or journals

This grant may not be used for:

• Research Projects (applicants interested in these projects should apply for other internal grants as appropriate.
• Developing tools to assist teaching and learning (applicants interested in these projects should apply for Teaching Development Grant)

To ensure accuracy and consistency of data, usefulness of web applications, and the longevity of scholarly resources, this Grant only supports collaborative projects that incorporate expertise from both HKBU faculty and HKBU librarians. Interested colleagues should first consult with the Library to discuss the scope of work including an enhancement of dataset for database development, digitisation standards and methodologies, user interface design, and database structure and functionalities.

• Contributes to academia and/or the general public
• Budget, staffing and resource requests are well planned
• Organisation & description of project process is clear
• The project results in successful and sustainable outcomes
• Research data or material collection is rigorous and of a high quality
• Feasibility and readiness of data

The call for applications for the Grant is usually announced once a year in September with the deadline in November. If funding is still available after the First Round, a Clearing Round will be announced in December and closed in January of the following year.

First round: Applications accepted between September 1st and November 30th

Clearing round: Only if funding is available

Application forms with all necessary documentation should be submitted to the Digital Initiatives and Research Cluster of the University Library at libms@hkbu.edu.hk on or before the application deadlines. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered in the next round. In any case, you should expect to receive an email confirming receipt of your application within three working days.

Proposals are evaluated by a panel comprising library professionals and representatives from the Research Committee. Recommended proposals are then sent to the Vice-President (Research and Development) for final approval and endorsement.

Maximum funding for each supported project is HK$ 200,000. Budget items can include (1) Staff Salaries and Fringe Benefits; (2) Technical Resources and Services as needed; (3) Miscellaneous; and (4) Copyright Fees as needed. Travel expenses and website launch events CANNOT be funded by the Grant.

Principal Investigators may hire research assistants, project assistants, or student helpers on a short-term basis to help enhance the source materials for online access. Expected duties of these project staff may include data cleaning or enhancement, converting images to text using OCR technology, assigning subject-specific indexing data to materials, etc. Please consult the Library for input and guidance on the process.

Please refer to the latest pay scales that are provided on the HRO website. To hire research assistants, please refer to the "Payment Rates for Research Staff"; to hire project assistants, please refer to "Pay Structures for Non-Teaching Staff". On top of the actual salary, medical cost (3.5% of salary) and employer's MPF contribution (5% of salary) should also be included in the budget.

The Library will provide IT and graphic design support, but in case the project scope is too large or too complicated for the Library to handle on its own, the Principal Investigator can hire outside technical services to design the system, on the condition that there is proper documentation for system specifications to ensure sustainability and system integration. The Grant can also be used to purchase software for website development or server service as needed.

Equipment such as computers, iPads, tablets, printers, audio-visual equipment, etc. cannot be funded. The grant can support miscellaneous items such as stationery, computer paper, fax, postage, etc. with a cap at HK$ 2,000.

Part of the funding (with a cap at one-third of the total budget) can be used to subsidize copyright fees if necessary, but the Principal Investigator must submit written endorsement with the exact amount signed by copyright holders, along with the grant application form.

The Library will serve as the budget controller for all Digital Scholarship Grant projects. Principal Investigators are responsible for all hiring, out-sourcing, or purchasing procedures, but the expenses are charged through the specific account with the approval of the University Librarian. When making claims, Principal Investigators are reminded that:

• Original receipts must be submitted to the Finance Office for reimbursement;
• Approval for Budget virement, if necessary, has to go through VPRD via the University Librarian;
• Virement between projects is not allowed, and any unspent balance must be returned to the Research Committee and the Library;
• No expenditures are allowed after project completion.

All projects are expected to start within three months of approval and finish within one year. The Library may conduct a mid-term review to evaluate project progress and ensure timely completion. Projects with insufficient progress or significant delays may be terminated, scaled back, or required to revise their timelines.

An extension of the project duration for a maximum period of one additional year is possible upon the approval of the panel. The Principal Investigator must send an email to the Digital Initiatives and Research Cluster, providing justifications for extension and the new proposed deadline at least one month prior to the original due date.

At the completion of the project, the Principal Investigator is recommended to co-organize a launch event with the Library, promoting the website internally within the University or to the public. The event can be a small reception, a launch seminar, a press conference, etc. Any costs associated with the launch event cannot be funded by the Grant.

All Principal Investigators are required to submit a brief completion report to the Digital Initiatives and Research Cluster within 6 months after the latest project deadline approved by the panel. If a Principal Investigator has any outstanding completion report, s/he cannot submit another application until the report is submitted.

Principal Investigators who complete projects on schedule without extensions will receive higher consideration in future rounds of Grant applications. Those who fail to meet deadlines without valid reasons may be suspended from reapplying for 2 years.

The Library commits to host all projects for 5 years and will review and evaluate them afterwards. After 5-year hosting or the departure of the Principal Investigator from HKBU (whichever is the earlier), the Library has the discretion to continue to host the project, revamp it for enhancement, or take it down from the server depending on website usage and the Library's funding availability. In case the Library decides to take down a digital project, all original electronic files of the website will be sent to the Principal Investigator on request.

The report template can be downloaded from here:

The Library reserves the right to withdraw support and funding for any approved projects by providing reasonable justification and advance notice to the Principal Investigators.

If a Principal Investigator becomes ineligible to continue the project (e.g. departure from HKBU, prolonged leave, incapacity), they should make every effort to identify a suitable Co-Investigator who has been involved in the project since its commencement and submit a formal request to the Library for approval of project transfer. If no suitable replacement can be nominated, the project will be terminated.

Upon confirmation of the Principal Investigator’s departure, they must immediately notify the Library and freeze all project account(s). No further expenditure should be incurred, and any unspent funds must be returned to the Research Committee and the Library upon termination.

Brief information of all funded projects can be found from Project Showcase. All application materials, completion reports, copyright documentations, etc. are uploaded on HKBU IRIMS managed by the Library, which can be accessed by the panel, the Library's senior management, the Research Committee, and VPRD as necessary.

2024/25:

• An Online, Open-Access Catalogue of Seventeenth Century Harpsichord Music (DSG/2425/101); Prof. CHUNG Yu Sum David (Department of Music)
• Transnational Religious Exchange of Chinese Protestant Christians and the Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism, 1974-2021 (DSG/2425/102); Prof. KWOK Wai Luen (Academy of Chinese, History, Religion, and Philosophy)
• Rediscovering a Chinese Intellectual Woman Gu Shuxing’s Photography and Global Travels (1910s-70s) (DSG/2425/105); Dr WANG Yizhou (Academy of Visual Arts) (Terminated)

2023/24:

• The Chinese/English Translation & Interpreting Learner Corpus (CETILC): A learner corpus for the study of lexical cohesion (DSG/2324/104); Dr Janice Jun PAN (Department of Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies)
• Finding the Heritage of the Sai Kung Catholic Villages by the Production of 360 Virtual Tours (DSG/2324/103); Prof. CHU Cindy (Department of History)
• A Digital Archive of the Theatrical Works of Danny Ning-Tsun Yung (DSG/2324/105); Dr YEUNG Jessica (Department of Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies)
• A Stranger/Helper at Home: Hong Kong Families with Migrant Domestic Workers (DSG/2324/101); Dr CHEUNG Adam (Department of Sociology)

2022/23:

• Crisscross 7000 years - Art and Technology of Mortise and Tenon (DSG/2223/107); Ms. QIN Lai Yin, Anna (Academy of Visual Arts)
• The Digital Legacy of Hong Kong Culture – Bridging Audio-Visual Art World and Physical Reality (DSG/2223/108); Dr Yupeng Li (Department of Interactive Media)
• Asian-European cities online energy map (DSG/2223/111); Dr Man-wai Cheung, Darren (Department of Geography)

2021/22:

• Synergy between Tradition and the Contemporary – Brush and Ink, Materiality and Multimodality: Chinese Calligraph and Seal Engraving (DSG/2122/105); Dr Chak Kwong LAU (Academy of Film)
• 100 Chinese Protestant Christian Hymns from Qing China (DSG/2122/110); Dr Man Kong WONG (Department of History)
• Metapicturing Hong Kong: A Virtual Archive of Photo Pictorial (1964-2005) (DSG/2122/103); Academy of Film (Discontinued)

2020/21:

• Sci-fi blockbusters' representation of female cyborgs and its impacts on audiences' perception of human-machine communication (DSG/2021/105); Dr Xinzhi ZHANG (Department of Journalism)
• Mapping Touristic Encounters in Southwest Asia (DSG/2021/102); Dr Elvan COBB (Department of History)

2019/20:

• Historical Geographic Information System Project (Battle of Hong Kong Map 1941) (DSG201903); Dr Chi Man KWONG (Department of History)
• Hong Kong Facebook News Analytics Dashboard (DSG201902); Dr Stephanie Jean TSANG (Department of Journalism)
• Sounding/Resounding Hong Kong's Chinese Musical Past: Digitization of the Music Office's Chinese Ensemble Music Collection (DSG201901); Prof. Helan YANG (Department of Music)

2018/19:

• An Archive of Materials about Augustine Mok-chiu-yu's Works from the 70s Biweekly to His Community Theatre in the 2010s (DSG/1819/104); Dr Wai Yee Jessica YEUNG (Department of English Language and Literature)
• Hong Kong Traditional Handicraft: Piu Sik Parade (DSG/1819/101); Prof. Mee Ping LEUNG (Academy of Visual Arts)

2017/18 (2nd round):

• Men Studies in Greater China (DSG/1718/207); Dr Tak Mau Simon CHAN (Department of Social Work)
• An Oral and Documentary History of Hong Kong Protestant Christians from 1970 to 1997 (DSG/1718/204); Dr Wai Luen KWOK (Department of Religion and Philosophy)

2017/18 (1st round):

• The Art of Chinese Calligraphy by Han Yunshan (DSG/1718/106); Dr Chak Kwong Daniel LAU (Academy of Visual Arts)
• The Chinese-English Political Interpreting Corpus (CEPIC) (DSG/1718/104); Dr Janice Jun PAN (Department of English Language and Literature)
• A Disappearing Art: Bookplates and Hong Kong (DSG/1718/103); Dr Sarah Ng (Academy of Visual Arts)

2016/17 (2nd round):

• Yinheritance? Cultural Celebrations for Ethnic Minority Children's Well-being (DSG/1617/204); Dr Angel LAI (Department of Social Work)
• Online Catalogue of Keyboard Arrangements of Jean-Baptiste Lully's Music (DSG/1617/202); Prof. CHUNG Yu Sum David (Department of Music)

2016/17 (1st round):

• Materialism Among Children and Youth in China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Singapore (DSG/1617/101); Prof. Kara CHAN (Department of Communication Studies)

2015/16 (2nd round):

• Journalistic Role Conception and Role Performance (DSG/1516/202); Prof. Colin SPARKS (Department of Journalism), Prof. HUANG Yu (Office of the Dean of Communication)
• Hong Kong Solar Map (DSG/1516/201); Dr LO Tek Sheng, Kevin, Dr MAH Ngar-yin, Daphne, and Prof. ZHOU Qiming (Department of Geography)

2015/16 (1st round):

• Development of the HKBU Chinese Corpus of Political Speeches (DSG/1516/104); Prof. Kathleen AHRENS (Language Centre)
• Primary Archival Documents on the Documentary Film in India (1948-1975): Digitizing, Preserving and Developing Online Visualization Tools (DSG/1516/102); Dr Camille DEPREZ (Academy of Film)