Prof. Alex HE Jingwei, Professor in the Division of Public Policy (PPOL), has been awarded the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS) 2025-26 from Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council (RGC), recognizing his academic excellence, contributions to policy research, as well as social and economic applications.

With this fellowship, Prof. He will receive HK$669,200 to support his research project “Understanding China’s Huge and Complex Health Policy Reform: A Governance Approach”.  This project aims to contribute to scholarly knowledge on health policy through an integrative interdisciplinary approach. It examines China’s complex health policy reforms initiated in 2009, which impact 1.4 billion people. Traditional analyses often focus on health economics, leading to a narrow understanding that overlooks the vital roles of governance and political economy. By highlighting these aspects, this project provides a more comprehensive understanding of health policy reforms in a country of continental scale.

The HSSPFS was first launched in 2012/13. It aims at granting extended time-off and supporting funds to outstanding investigators with a proven track record of research and publication under the disciplines of the Humanities and Social Sciences Panel to enable them to focus on research work and writing. Each year, the HSSPFS awards a maximum of 10 fellowships.

This recognition adds to Prof. He’s growing accolades, including his recent appointment by the WHO’s Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies to lead a regional consortium focused on digital health innovation, and the IPPA Transition and Developing Economies Award 2025, among others.

Congratulations to Prof. He on this well-deserved recognition!