Teaching Development Grants

4 categories of grants are available:

1. TDG Seed Funding – TDG 1
   This grant is intended for small-scale, single-proposer teaching and learning projects. The funding ceiling is HK$50,000, and the maximum duration is 18 months with no extension request accepted.
    
2. Staff-Initiated Development Projects
   This is the usual TDG grant supporting innovations, new ideas and experiments to enhance teaching and learning. The maximum funding set for each single-proposer proposal is HK$200,000.
    
3. University and/or Departmental Collaborative Endeavours
   To enhance the impact and sustainability of our TDG projects, collaborative efforts and endeavours at both the University and Departmental levels as well as with external organizations are highly encouraged. TDG proposals which involve collaboration within/across Departments/Faculties and/or external organizations will have a grant ceiling of HK$300,000.
    
4. Communities of Practice (CoPs)
   The CoPs funding set for each proposal would range from HK$200,000 to HK$500,000, depending on the sustainability, size and impact of the proposal. A more detailed application form is available for applying for TDG to support a CoP.

Completed application forms should be submitted to the TDG Panel for vetting via the following way:

• Send along the hardcopy of application to the following address:
  Dr Theresa Kwong
  Centre of Holistic Teaching and Learning
  AAB803, 8/F, Academic and Administration Building,
  No. 15 Baptist Rd, Baptist Rd Campus,
  Kowloon Tong

Based around the order of funding priorities, selection of TDG proposals will be carried out according to the following criteria:

• Intrinsic merit (Double weighting applies for these criteria)*
  • Addressing significant issues with respect to traditional/virtual/mixed-mode teaching and learning (T&L)
  • Promoting pedagogic research and scholarship of T&L
• Innovation (Double weighting applies for these criteria)*
  • Developing new pedagogical or teaching approaches
  • New ideas regarding aims, objectives and/or methods of traditional/virtual/mixed-mode T&L
• Design
  • Appropriate project design with clear goals and specific activities/methodology
  • Clear/Feasible implementation plan
  • Involving student(s) as investigator(s) in the project
  • Engaging students to benefit their learning
  • Involving collaboration with colleague(s) outside the PI’s Department/Faculty and/or individual(s) from external organisations
  • Appropriate budgeting
• Project Outcomes and Evaluation
  • Evaluation mechanisms to ensure the project is effective in achieving the outcomes
  • Achievable and appropriate intended outcomes, including how the project could enhance the quality of traditional/virtual/mixed-mode T&L, and the number of target students involved in the project
  • Ongoing monitoring process included
• Impact
  • Likely to improve traditional/virtual/mixed-mode T&L for a sizable number of participants
  • Likely to continue as part of a regular programme in the future
  • Outcomes likely to apply in a wider context
• Alignment to University’s Strategic Direction
  • Addressing the issues set out in Institutional Strategic Plan 2018-2028
  • Assisting students to achieve the HKBU Graduate Attributes

* Double weighting applies for these selection criteria due to their direct relevance to the primary purposes of TDG on enhancing the quality of traditional/virtual/mixed-mode T&L at the University.

1. Project investigator(s) will NOT be allowed to change any budget items in the project unless with strong justifications once the proposal is approved;
2. In case of any need(s) of adjusting the budget, project investigators should submit their application providing sound justifications, together with a revised proposal, highlighting the impact of the proposed change on the budget; and
3. The following budget items are limited to a maximum change of 10%:
   • Staffing,
   • Conference expenses, and
   • Expenses relating to student participation in the project.

In any case, the initiation of a Withdrawal Request can only be made by the Principal Investigator (PI) should there be strong reasons supporting his/her request. No Withdrawal Request will be considered after the first half of the duration of an approved project.

Should a PI decide to withdraw an application submitted to the TDG Secretariat before formal review, the PI should inform the Secretariat via email listing the reasons for doing so. However, once the TDG application has gone through the formal review and is approved by the TDG Panel, a Withdrawal Request will only be considered if a justification statement listing the reasonable reasons as perceived by the TDG Panel is provided.

Should the TDG Panel approve the Withdrawal Request, a notification email will be sent to the PI, with copies sent to his/her Department Head and School/Faculty Dean. In addition, all unspent funding of the approved project will be returned to the TDG Central Pool. The PI will also have to submit a written report and financial report if he/she has spent part of the approved funding.

(Please click HERE for a list of budget items not supported by the TDG Panel.)

Click to jump to the section below: Staff / Equipment / General Expenses

1. Staff

1.1 Types

1. Student Project Assistant/Helper
   Student Project Assistants/Helper should be current HKBU students.
2. Project Assistant
   Project Assistants are available on a short-term basis. Based on the need of each case, the appointment can be made on a full-time or part-time basis and for a period as the case warranted.

1.2 Pay Rates

1. Student Project Assistants will be remunerated at the standard hourly pay rate for part-time helpers recommended by the Finance Office. The pay scale for project assistants appointed for TDG projects follows the “Pay structure for Research Staff” (up to the salary level of Senior Research Assistant) as stipulated by the Personnel Office.

1.3 Detailed justification would need to be provided for recruitment of all project-related staff. Expected duties of each project-related staff member and duration of employment should be stated clearly. The duties expected of a Project Assistant would be to work directly with the Principal Investigator to assist in performing the duties as stipulated in the endorsed TDG proposal.

1.4 The Principal Investigator should ensure that the recruitment of any part-time project assistants for the project would not violate the University policy which stipulates that full-time postgraduate students receiving studentship would not be allowed to take up paid part-time work as well.

1.5 If a honorarium for guest speakers/individuals who have contributed to the project is proposed, the PI should provide relevant justifications and benchmark references to facilitate assessment of the proposed amount of honorarium. The TDG Panel shall, based on the availability of funding, decide whether the proposed honorarium is appropriate/acceptable.

2. Equipment

2.1 Normally equipment such as computers, printers, audio-visual equipment, etc. will not be funded. The Head of Department should be consulted first on the availability of the equipment from the Department or elsewhere in the University.

2.2 At the completion of the project, the equipment will be kept in the Faculty/School office and made available to all staff in the Faculty/School unless it is needed for on-going project development.

3. General Expenses

3.1 The term “Miscellaneous” includes items such as stationery, computer paper, fax, postage, etc. Normally, a maximum amount of HK$2,000 can be requested.

3.2 Other general expenses items may include minor computer equipments or electronic consumables such as films, tapes,CD/DVD/Blue-ray disks, USB flah drives, etc.

3.3 Purchase of specialized books and other teaching materials such as electronic resources, software and non-print materials that are needed for the project is allowed only if these items are not available by other means (e.g. department/faculty funding for teaching materials, etc.). Other incidental materials or non-traditional teaching and learning materials (which are directly relevant to the project) will also be supported with sound justifications.

3.4 The request for funding on the production cost of publication would not generally be supported.

3.5 Travel expenses and overseas trips (including trips for exchange of students and staff) and other one-off events without sustainable outcomes are generally not supported.

3.6 The request for the purchase of furniture, such as computer table, cabinet, etc. will not be considered.

3.7 For projects demanding support services, the Principal Investigator concerned should check the available services within the University (e.g. ITO for technical support services, CHTL/ITO for eLearning support, etc.).

A final report is required for submission to the TDG Panel within three months after the completion of the project. The final report should generally include the following items:

• Preamble (including the purpose of the report and its underlying philosophy, background or historical facts pertinent to the field of study)
• Abstract (limited to 100 words)
• Introduction (including aims and objectives)
• Project design
• Results/Findings (including student feedback on learning as a result of the project and how the project has been monitored for the enhancement of learning and teaching)
• Discussion (its relevance, significance, and its implications for future pedagogic practice)
• How the project has enhanced learning and teaching at HKBU, and the number of target students involved in the project
• Project Outcomes and Evaluation (methods of collecting and assessing evidence, findings and implications, effectiveness/efficiency of the project in achieving the ILOs, impact of HKBU’s learning and teaching, dissemination/sharing of good practices or deliverables)
• A list of publication(s)/conference presentation(s) on the completed TDG project*
• How the project articulates the learning outcomes of the Department/Faculty and the strategic goals of the University (if applicable)
• How the project continues as part of regular programme (if applicable)
• How outcomes of the project apply in a wider context
• Limitations and Difficulties
• Conclusion
• References
• Acknowledgements (if any)
• Keywords
• List of Equipment (if any, purchased with funds from the Teaching Development Grants)
• Publication of Selected TDG Projects (please indicate if you would like / would not like to submit the final report of your report for review for publication purpose)
• Statement of Account (with most updated account information, which can be obtained from the Finance Office)

The final report would be posted on-line in Acrobat PDF format for public access.
The final reports constitute important evidence for continued TDG funding. Should the TDG secretariat is unable to receive final reports from Principal Investigators (PI) within three months after project completion, the TDG secretariat would be obliged to:-

• seek assistance from the PI’s Head of Department (or his/her immediate supervisor, whichever is applicable) for immediate submission of the due report; and
• debar the PI from applying for any other TDG projects until a proper final report is submitted.

*Please note that PIs are required to inform the TDG Secretariat of any future/upcoming publication(s)/conference presentation(s) resulting from his/her completed TDG project. A copy of the publication(s)/conference presentation(s) should be sent to the TDG Secretariat for record. The TDG Secretariat may also approach the PIs to collect evidence of the project impacts in the future.

For projects with a duration longer than 12 months, a progress report, together with an up-to-date financial statement, shall be submitted to the TDG Panel within 1 month after the first project year. The progress report should generally include the following items:

• A brief summary of your project (up to 100 words)
• Interim results/findings
• A plan for completing the project (e.g. whether the tasks were completed accordingly to the project schedule, whether the project will be completed on time, etc.), and how to disseminate the project outcomes and conduct evaluation
• An up-to-date financial statement (can be obtained from the Finance Office system)

The progress report would be posted on-line in Acrobat PDF format for public access.

The University would compile a publication of TDG projects from time to time with a view to disseminating outcomes of TDG projects within and outside the University community. All Project Investigators would be invited to submit their final reports for review before publication. 

Principal and Co-Investigators of completed and on-going TDG supported projects will be invited to share their experiences in workshops/seminars organized by the CHTL. The aim of these sharing sessions is to provide opportunities for colleagues to share with each other their insights and strategies in obtaining the TDG. They can also showcase innovations to enhance learning and teaching as a result of carrying out their projects. 

Please click here for final reports of previous TDG projects.