Management Measures for Open Funds of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), Ministry of Education(Revised 2018)

In order to further utilize and leverage the excellent scientific research conditions and academic environment of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (hereinafter referred to as “the Laboratory”), achieve the openness benefits of the Laboratory, attract promising external researchers to conduct collaborative research, continuously expand the pool of high-level mobile researchers, and improve the efficiency of fund utilization, these Measures are hereby formulated in light of the recent implementation status of the Laboratory’s open funds and the revision suggestions made at the third meeting of the Laboratory’s Executive Committee regarding the Management Measures for Open Funds of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University) (Formulated in 2007).

Chapter I: Principles for Open Fund Establishment

Article 1 The Open Funds are primarily oriented toward scientific problems in the field of applied surface and colloid chemistry. Based on chemical science, they aim at frontier research, original innovation, and high‑technology applications, with emphasis on applied basic research and interdisciplinary integration with emerging frontier fields. The Funds are dedicated to research in areas including functional surface/interfacial materials and molecular gels, surface/interfacial chemistry in catalytic processes, surface/interfacial chemistry in biosensing methods and device development, and surface/interfacial science in the preparation of new energy materials and their device fabrication.

Article 2 The Laboratory publishes annually the Guide to Open Research Funds of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (hereinafter referred to as the “Guide”), which specifies in detail the scope of funded areas.

Chapter II: Eligibility and Types of Open Fund Support

Article 3 Applicants for Open Fund projects shall be from outside the Laboratory, and generally under the age of 45.

Article 4 The Open Funds are categorized into Key Projects and General Projects, with an implementation period of 2‑3 years. If changes to the research plan are necessary during the project execution, approval from the Laboratory shall be obtained.

Chapter III: Application and Approval Procedures for Open Funds

Article 5 Once the Open Fund Guide is finalized, it will be announced to the public, and applications will be accepted from the date of announcement. The Laboratory encourages its fixed researchers to raise funds independently as open projects to attract outstanding external researchers to participate in their research. The Laboratory may publish the Guide on their behalf, manage the projects uniformly, and provide matching funds at a certain proportion.

Article 6 The Laboratory’s Executive Committee shall first conduct a preliminary review of the applications, determine preliminary evaluation opinions and funding amounts, and then the Laboratory’s Academic Committee shall conduct a comprehensive review. Finally, the Laboratory Director shall issue the project approval letter and notify the applicants and their host institutions.

Chapter IV: Implementation and Management of Open Funds

Article 7 During the project implementation period, the project leader or key researchers shall visit the Laboratory at least once to deliver an academic presentation. The Laboratory shall assign designated personnel for project management. The project leader shall submit an annual progress report before December 15 each year.

Article 8 Upon completion of the research project, the project leader shall submit to the Laboratory, within one month, the overall research summary, academic papers, research reports, relevant original materials, and a financial statement of fund usage.

Article 9 For the research output, the Laboratory collaborator shall be one of the major contributors, and the acknowledgments shall explicitly state: “Supported by the Open Fund of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), Ministry of Education” (English version: Supported by Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Shaanxi Normal University), Ministry of Education).

Article 10 If, upon inspection, a research project is found to be discontinued for justified reasons and cannot proceed, or if the funded research deviates substantially from the research outline without valid justification, the Laboratory’s Academic Committee shall review the case and may terminate the project funding.

Article 11 The conclusion of an Open Fund project shall be evaluated by the Laboratory’s Executive Committee and submitted to the Laboratory’s Academic Committee for final approval. For projects with outstanding achievements or significant research value, the Laboratory may provide continued funding and award a certain amount of laboratory operating funds to the collaborators.

Chapter V: Financial Management of Open Funds

Article 12 All approved project funds shall be used exclusively for the purposes specified and only for expenditures directly related to the open research project. They shall not be misappropriated for other purposes. Any such misuse, once discovered, shall result in termination of funding.

Article 13 Scope of fund expenditures: research expenses directly related to the funded project (including materials, purchase of small specialized instruments and equipment, equipment rental and maintenance, processing, testing, and collaboration fees); research allowances and travel expenses for researchers, etc.

Article 14 All expenditure standards shall comply with the financial regulations of Shaanxi Normal University. All expenses shall be reported and settled in a timely manner at the Finance Office of Shaanxi Normal University, with the Laboratory’s endorsement.

Chapter VI: Supplementary Provisions

Article 15 These Measures shall take effect as of the date of promulgation, and the Management Measures for Open Funds of the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Formulated in 2007) shall be repealed simultaneously.

Article 16 These Measures shall be interpreted by the Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry.