Highlights

Selected by the Hong Kong government as one of twelve 'Areas of Excellence (AoE)' in Hong Kong, the only AoE selected for conducting environmental research.
Awarded HK$68 million (US$8.7 million) by the UGC (University Grants Committee), including HK$20.5 million (US$ 2.6 million) sustained funding in 2009, in recognition of the outstanding achievements of MERIT.
Awarded HK$50 million (US$ 6.5 million) additional funds by the six collaborating institutions.
Designated 'Regional Centre of Excellence' in Marine Pollution by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) of the United Nations Development Programme in 2008, and this was officially endorsed by 11 national partners. MERIT is poised to play a leading role in managing marine environments in the East Asian region through provision of regional training and advisory support.
In collaboration with our overseas collaborators, successfully established the standard in vitro assay for screening of endocrine disrupting chemicals, adopted as the official protocol by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

Commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and the Hong Kong Government to conduct training courses for senior government officials, environmental professionals and postgraduate students in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.
Organised numerous international and regional conferences and workshops for the United Nations, the international community and the Hong Kong Government.
Developed a suite of acute and chronic bioassays for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Hong Kong Government. The suite of bioassays was subsequently adopted by the Hong Kong Government as the official test for impact assessment and legal control of toxic discharges.