On 17 October 2025, Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE)  hosted the workshop “Navigating the Hong Kong Research Funding Landscape,” led by Dr Catherine M. Capio, Associate Dean for Innovation and Research at Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Associate Professor in Physiotherapy. The session equipped colleagues with practical strategies to craft competitive applications for the Faculty Development Scheme (FDS) and other local funding schemes.

Dr Capio outlined the FDS’s scope and priorities, using her funded project “Move with Errorless Learning (Move WELL)” as a case study. She demonstrated how to frame proposals through three strategic lenses: capability-building, knowledge-transfer, and research-advancement.

Adopting the perspective of a grant reviewer, Dr Capio highlighted key elements of strong proposals — including how to articulate research objectives and impact, construct a coherent project framework, realistic methodologies, and realistic budgets. She also shared actionable refinement tips drawn from the latest FDS Reflective Report.

A dynamic Q&A session followed, focusing on responding to reviewer feedback for resubmissions, and balancing teaching, administrative responsibilities, and research commitments.

The workshop not only deepened faculty understanding of grant processes but also strengthened their confidence, strategic thinking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, reinforcing the integration between teaching and research.