SUMMER 2025 NO.98 / THOUGHT LEADERSHIP BRIEF 2 ASSESSMENT This article proposes the establishment of a university matching fund by the Government to facilitate technology transfer in Hong Kong’s universities within the context of an “output-thinking” mindset. Compared with the prevalent “input-thinking” approach in many countries' innovation and technology policies, this proposal advocates for an “output-thinking” approach. “Input-thinking” refers to a mindset that primarily focuses on injecting financial resources to foster innovation and technology development, without giving due attention to the effectiveness of resource utilization and the quality of the processes involved. The underlying belief is that more input would automatically yield more output. However, empirical evidence suggests that this is not always the case, and such “input-thinking” has created a gap between investments and the expected returns. On the other hand, “output-thinking” recognizes that the economic competitiveness of companies and countries hinges on effectively managing the entire innovation process. It considers all factors that influence the successful outcomes of the innovation process and determine the competitiveness of companies and national economies. These factors include the efficient and productive utilization of resources, in addition to financial input. Figure 1. Fund Matching Situation of Hong Kong’s Universities from 2005 to 2008 (HK$ Million) Successful innovation and technology management leads to high effectiveness and productivity in the innovation process. In essence, “output-thinking” emphasizes that successful innovation and technology result from a combination of input and effective management. Another aspect of promoting technology transfer in Hong Kong’s universities is fostering a culture of knowledge transfer. The government’s matching fund can play a pivotal role in this regard. Currently, the Hong Kong government matches university self-raised donations. The purpose of the matching fund is to encourage a philanthropic culture that supports education in society. This program has played a significant role in the past, with billions of HKD allocated annually, greatly facilitating donations from society to universities. However, upon closer examination, it is evident that most of the funds have been allocated to the two universities with the longest history and the largest alumni networks. In contrast, universities with shorter histories and limited alumni networks receive only limited funding. In a way, the matching fund has become a reward for historical factors rather than a recognition of a university’s current contributions to society. Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of the matching fund among Hong Kong's tertiary institutions in 2005/06, 2006/07, and 2007/08. 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Baptist University Lingnan University of Hong Kong Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Institute of Education Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology University of Hong Kong 2005/06 2006/07 2007/09
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