The Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) established a new funding scheme, namely the Strategic Focus Area (SFA) Scheme in 2016 to provide funding support for the second stage of development of RISUD. The Scheme aims to support the emergence/growth of a significant number of focus areas of strategic importance which are well aligned with the mission of RISUD. The strategic focus areas (SFAs) are now the main vehicle through which RISUD delivers its research as well as its collaborative and scholarly activities.