Gender disparities in academia are well-documented, with women receiving less research funding and recognition than men. While previous research has primarily focused on biomedical and STEM fields in Western contexts, this study addresses the gap in knowledge concerning social sciences and Asian contexts. The researchers investigated whether gender, submission rate, success rate, and award amount could predict annual changes in research grant funding at the Faculty of Social Sciences (FOSS) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) between 2015/16 and 2020/21. HKU provides a unique case study due to its blend of Eastern and Western cultural influences, its status as a leading research institution, and the societal norms in Hong Kong such as the prevalent use of live-in domestic helpers which lessen the household burden on women. The study aims to address four common myths about gender disparity in research funding: that men are better represented among faculty, submit more grant applications, have higher success rates, and win larger awards. By examining two major funding mechanisms—the General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS)—the study sought to determine if measurable gender differences exist in terms of submission rates, success rates, and average award size. The study also aimed to unpack the factors that might contribute to any observed differences between male and female applicants.

Extensive research demonstrates persistent gender inequalities in academia. Women experience longer publication times, receive less credit for their work, and their publications receive fewer citations. They are also underrepresented in faculty hiring, senior positions, and journal referee roles. While considerable evidence exists for gender disparities in biomedical and STEM fields in the West, with fewer women applying for grants and receiving smaller awards, less research addresses social sciences and non-Western contexts. A meta-analysis showed male applicants had a 7% higher success rate than females. However, some studies found no gender disparity in grant success. A UK study on Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grants revealed no gender differences in success rates or award size in social sciences, with women slightly outperforming men among junior academics. Candidate explanations included higher female representation, less gender-stereotyped research practices, and the creation of critical knowledge fostering respect for female scholars. Research on gender disparities in research funding in Hong Kong remains limited, despite Hong Kong’s unique cultural blend and its status as a leading research hub. Earlier surveys indicated women received less public research funding than men, while a more recent study identified managerial and neoliberal practices within universities as major obstacles for women academics.

This quantitative study used data from the FOSS at HKU on grant applications for the GRF and ECS schemes from 2015/16 to 2020/21. The data included the number of eligible applicants, submission rates, success rates, and total funding amounts, stratified by gender and funding scheme. Gender information was based on self-reported data from applicants. Ethical approval was obtained from the HKU Human Research Ethics Committee. The study assessed two grant outcomes: whether an application was funded and its award amount. Data on successful applications and award amounts were publicly available, while information on submission numbers by gender and scheme was obtained from the Dean of FOSS. The study examined four indicators: number of eligible staff, submission rate, success rate, and average award amount (in HKD). A decomposition analysis was employed to determine the contribution of the number of staff, submission rate, and success rate to changes in the number and total amount of awards, stratified by gender. This allowed the researchers to assess the relative importance of these factors and their impact on the overall changes observed for each year of the study period. This method helped empirically address the impact of each factor on the changes in awards over time and allowed for assessment of the four initial gender myths.

Descriptive statistics showed that women at HKU had higher overall submission (59.2% vs. 57.4%) and success rates (33.1% vs. 29.3%) than men. The average amount per award was similar for both genders. Women substantially outperformed men in the ECS success rate (50.0% vs. 29.2%), while GRF success rates were similar. Decomposition analysis revealed that for changes in the number of awards, the success rate was consistently the most impactful factor. For example, from 2019/20 to 2020/21, while the submission rate for men slightly decreased, the increase in their success rate resulted in a net positive contribution to the number of awards. For changes in the total award amount, the success rate, submission rate, and amount per award were all significant factors, especially the success rate, while submission rates played a smaller role in the total funding amount. Across the five-year period, women showed consistently better performance in submission rates and success rates, especially in the early career scheme.

The findings challenge the four initial myths regarding gender disparity in research grant success. Women at HKU in the social sciences performed as well as, or better than, their male counterparts. The higher success rate of women in the ECS suggests that addressing early career support may be especially critical for promoting gender equity in research funding. The researchers attribute the lack of gender bias to several factors: increased female representation in social sciences at HKU (due to recruitment strategies that are open and gender-neutral), the strong track record of successful female scholars, and the nature of social science research, which may foster less gender bias. The success of female applicants in social sciences can also be attributed to the cultural environment of Hong Kong, the university's commitment to gender equity, and supportive government policies.

This study provides valuable empirical evidence on gender equity in research grant funding in a leading Asian social sciences faculty. The results refute common myths about gender bias, showing that women significantly contributed to, and even outperformed men in, obtaining research grants. The lack of bias is likely due to several interconnected factors including the university’s proactive gender equity initiatives, Hong Kong's unique cultural context, and supportive government policies. Further research across different institutions and disciplines is necessary, considering factors such as age, research domain, and specific academic positions, but these results suggest that promoting gender equity and providing supportive structures can positively impact the success of female researchers.

This study has limitations. It focused on a single institution, potentially limiting generalizability. It lacked control for factors such as age, specific research domains, and academic positions, which could influence grant funding outcomes. The study's focus on social sciences does not fully represent the diversity of research fields, and it did not consider internal university factors impacting funding. The data are not publicly available due to privacy concerns.