Institutional Funding Track for Research Groups to Support the Research Identity of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
(Quality of Life and Well-Being – Community Health – Technology and Environmental Research)
Introduction
The institutional funding initiatives for universities launched by the Deputyship for Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Education serve as one of the key enablers for strengthening universities’ research identities and advancing the level of scientific research while ensuring alignment with national priorities.
The Research Track to Support the Research Identity of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University serves as a foundation for providing a stimulating and supportive environment that contributes to achieving the University’s research identity and its vision of becoming a beacon of knowledge, as well as fulfilling its mission of excellence and leadership in scientific research.
The Vice Rectorate for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, represented by the Deanship of Scientific Research, has developed a strategic plan for the Vice Rectorate for Research and Innovation that supports its research identity. This aims to benefit from institutional funding, provide a supportive research environment that strengthens the University’s identity, and attract researchers through the adoption and launch of a number of initiatives and programs that encourage scientific research.
Among these initiatives is the Institutional Funding Track for Research Groups to Support the Research Identity of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (Quality of Life and Well-Being – Community Health – Technology and Environmental Research). This program represents a qualitative advancement in research funding procedures and enhances their effectiveness in accordance with researchers’ needs, supporting the achievement of the University’s strategic objectives by improving the quality of scientific research published in indexed journals and advancing the University’s position in international rankings, which place significant emphasis on indicators of scientific research productivity and publication.
Program Description and Significance
The program aims to motivate and support research groups in achieving the University’s research identity by conducting high-quality research that addresses outcomes aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, particularly those related to promoting health and improving quality of life.
Accordingly, the University’s research priorities have emerged, with a focus on promoting positive healthy lifestyles in society, fostering a culture of well-being, health, and quality of life, and providing solutions and recommendations to reduce prevalent unhealthy lifestyles that may affect human health and safety, as well as contributing to the treatment of, or prevention of, their adverse effects.
The University also seeks to motivate and support researchers in achieving its research identity through high-quality research in the fields of technology and the environment. In addition, the program strengthens the role of research competencies in contributing to the development of policies related to the health and well-being of children, women, and adults, while enhancing the research capabilities of researchers across the University’s colleges and the various fields of science.
Funding Options
The Institutional Funding Track for Research Groups to Support the Research Identity of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University includes the following funding options:
A. Short-Term Research Groups
This category includes the following:
The duration for completing the requirements must not exceed 12 months.
The maximum funding amount is SAR 125,000.
The scientific output must include at least five research papers published in internationally indexed scientific journals within the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection.
The journals must be indexed under citation indexes such as Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) or Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and classified as Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4.
Research published in WOS Emerging Sources or in journals without an impact factor is not accepted.
B. Medium-Term Research Groups
This category includes the following:
The duration for completing the requirements must not exceed 24 months.
The maximum funding amount is SAR 250,000.
The scientific output must include at least ten research papers published in internationally indexed scientific journals within the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection.
The journals must be indexed under citation indexes such as Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) or Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and classified as Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4.
Research published in WOS Emerging Sources or in journals without an impact factor is not accepted.
Research Group Budget Disbursement Mechanism
The research group budget is disbursed in three installments:
First installment: 20% of the approved project budget after signing the contract.
Second installment: 20% of the approved project budget after submitting the progress report and completing 40% of the required scientific output:
This is subject to the conditions stipulated under the Application and Publication Requirements and approval of the recommendation of the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation.
Final installment: 60% of the approved project budget after submitting the final report and completing the full required scientific output:
This is subject to the conditions stipulated under the Application and Publication Requirements and approval of the recommendation of the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation.
Objectives
Benefit from institutional funding to achieve the University’s research identity and support research whose outputs are aligned with its priorities.
Encourage interdisciplinary research collaboration among the University’s departments and colleges, as well as with researchers at local, regional, and international universities, in areas that serve community health, well-being, and improved lifestyles.
Motivate researchers to align their research with the University’s research ecosystem and identity by facilitating research funding procedures and enhancing their effectiveness.
Increase the number of scientific publications in indexed journals, with outputs consisting of research papers published in international journals indexed in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection and having an impact factor according to the Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics) for scientific, engineering, medical, social sciences, and humanities disciplines (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4).
Improve the University’s position in global rankings and enhance opportunities for inclusion in new rankings.
Support the University’s opportunities to obtain institutional and programmatic academic accreditation.
Application and Publication Requirements
The research group’s outputs must align with the University’s research identity and its various fields, including quality of life and well-being, community health, and technology and environmental fields.
The Principal Investigator must be a Saudi national holding the rank of Assistant Professor or higher, and must be an employee of the University or of the self-operation program of the Health Affairs Administration and its affiliated centers at the University at the time of submitting the funding application.
The Principal Investigator must have a distinguished scientific publication record indexed in the global database:
Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection
The Principal Investigator must not be on scientific sabbatical leave, scientific assignment, or exceptional leave throughout the duration of the research group contract.
The research group’s areas of specialization should be interconnected.
The research group must consist of no fewer than three researchers and no more than eight researchers. The participation of postgraduate students is preferred, with at least one postgraduate student from the University.
Research groups are encouraged to conduct seminars and discussion sessions within the University to benefit the largest possible number of University personnel and introduce them to the group’s research outputs.
The Principal Investigator must undertake to publish original research in the form of an Article in internationally indexed scientific journals within the:
Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection
and indexed in citation indexes such as:
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) or
Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)
with a classification of Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4.
Research published in WOS Emerging Sources or in journals without an impact factor is not accepted.
Research must not be published in journals included in the list of prohibited or predatory journals, nor may the publisher be included in the prohibited list, in accordance with the circular issued by the Vice Rector for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, No. 16997, dated 1/5/1440 AH.
The University affiliation must be the first and sole affiliation for all researchers from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University and employees of the self-operation program of the Health Affairs Administration and its affiliated centers at the University. Double affiliation is not permitted.
The affiliation must be written as follows:
Department Name, College Name, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
The official University email address must be used in all correspondence with journals. When adding email addresses to the affiliation, only the official University email addresses of all University-affiliated research team members are accepted.
At least one member of the research team affiliated with Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University must be the first author or corresponding author of the research paper.
At least 70% of the research group members must participate in each research paper submitted as part of the research group’s scientific output. If a research assistant does not participate in publication, a special acknowledgment of their contribution to completing the research should be included after acknowledging the Deanship, in accordance with the program’s approved wording.
The research must not have received funding from any other entity inside or outside the University.
The Principal Investigator may apply to the program as Principal Investigator for a maximum of two research groups.
The proposed research group project must fall within the Principal Investigator’s field of specialization or a related field.
The content and ideas presented in the research must not conflict with Islamic values, national visions, or the University’s objectives.
Researchers must comply with the citation and plagiarism regulations of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, issued by Scientific Council Resolution No. 164/121441, at its twelfth meeting held on 18/6/1441 AH.
Research must not be published with researchers from countries or entities with which the Kingdom does not maintain official relations under applicable regulations, nor in journals originating from such countries or entities. The researcher bears full scientific, legal, and ethical responsibility for the published research.
Ownership of all outputs of the research group, including patents, products, and applications, shall belong to the Deputyship for Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Education, in accordance with Article Six, Paragraph (A), of the Law of Patents, Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties, and Industrial Designs, whether the inventions are registered nationally or internationally.
The research team must adhere to research integrity and research ethics. The University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation shall consider any observations or violations in this regard and take the necessary action.
Published research papers must include an acknowledgment of the support provided by the Deputyship for Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Education using the following wording:
“The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number XXXX.”
Acknowledgment of any other funding entity, whether inside or outside the University, is not permitted.
After approval of research group funding, the research team may not make substantial modifications to the research group, particularly changes to the research group type, research topic, or methodological plan, unless approved by the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation.
If the research group fails to complete its requirements for any reason, and following review of its status and a recommendation by the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support to discontinue the group and terminate the contract with the Principal Investigator, the expected financial commitment to the Principal Investigator upon completion of the research group shall be cancelled, and the Principal Investigator shall be required to repay the amounts already disbursed.
Procedures
Applications for funding are submitted electronically through the mechanism designated for the program, which will be announced by the Deanship of Scientific Research, with all required information completed and all required attachments uploaded at the time of submission.
Applications are reviewed by the relevant committee and the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation.
In case of approval, the Principal Investigator will receive an email containing the grant number and a copy of the contract.
The Principal Investigator must sign the contract and submit it electronically through the program’s designated email address at the Deanship of Scientific Research within a maximum of 48 hours from receipt.
The first installment, amounting to 20% of the research group budget, will be disbursed after the contract is signed.
After publishing the research papers in internationally indexed journals within the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection, in accordance with the Application and Publication Requirements, the researcher submits a request to close the project electronically, along with the required supporting documents.
The request is submitted to the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation to verify compliance with the contract requirements. Upon approval, a payment order is issued to the Financial Department to disburse the agreed installments of the funding.
Extension of the Research Group Period
If an extension of the research group period is required, the relevant department at the Deanship of Scientific Research must be notified at least 30 days before the expiration date specified in the contract.
The extension request must include:
A. Justification for the extension, explaining the work completed up to the date of the request and providing the necessary supporting evidence.
B. A work plan outlining the steps required to complete the remaining research activities during the extension period.
The request and supporting documents must be submitted electronically. Based on the justification provided by the Principal Investigator, the University’s Permanent Committee for Institutional Support responsible for managing funding under the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation may grant the Principal Investigator or research team an additional period to complete the requirements.
The extension period must not exceed six months, and no additional financial entitlements shall be granted to the research team as a result of the extension. The extension may be granted twice, subject to the Committee’s authority to make exceptions.