Qatar National Research Fund
October, 2009
Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie,
Executive Director, QNRF
Outline
 Overview
 Qatar Foundation (QF)
 Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS)
 Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF)
 QNRF Programs & Activities
 National Priorities Research Program
 Undergraduate Research Experience Program
 Biannual National Research Survey
 Conferences and Workshops Sponsorship Program
 Special Research Program
QATAR FOUNDATION
for Education, Science and Community Development
An independent, chartered, nonprofit
organization
committed
to
the
development of Qatar and its people.
Founded in 1995 by HH the Emir Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
Chairperson: HH Sheikha Mozah bint
Nasser Al-Missned.
Qatar Foundation Overview
QF Mission and Vision:
“Qatar Foundation is guided by the principle that a nation’s true
wealth is its people. Our goal is to develop that human potential:
 by creating a network of centers committed to delivering
first-rate education, supporting science and research
and promoting community development.
 by partnering with world-class educational and research
institutions.
 by building a unique Education City, featuring state-of- the-art
technology and facilities, that is a hub for the creating, sharing
and finding practical uses of knowledge”.
Qatar Foundation Overview
QF Innovation, Science, Technology and Research Entities.
QF supports a network of centers and
partnerships with elite institutions:
 Education City.
 Research Centers of Excellence.
 The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).
 The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).
 International Partners.
Qatar
Foundation
Convention
Centre
Qatar Science
Technology Park
Sidra Medical and
Research Centre
Faculty of Islamic Studies
Northwestern University
Weill Cornell Medical
College in Qatar
Georgetown University in
Qatar
Schools
• Qatar Academy
• Bridge program
• The Learning Centre
Carnegie Mellon Qatar
Texas A&M University
at Qatar
Virginia Commonwealth
University Qatar
Qatar National Research Strategy
(QNRS)
Overview of QNRS:
QF is entrusted with the implementation of the Qatar
National Research Strategy (QNRS) whose main drivers are:
 Support for existing industry.
 Diversification.
 International Recognition.
 Environmental Protection.
 Improving Health.
 Education.
 Quality of Life.
QF Research - Long Term Vision
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Phase 1: Pursuit of
Cutting Edge Science
Enrich people skills and research capabilities through the
pursuit of cutting edge science in Qatar:
• Specific programs initiated in year 1
(New programs)
• Support other ongoing programs and initiatives
Phase 2: Position Qatar as Major Regional
Contributor of Science
Advance the national ability to become a major
contributor of science and technology at regional stage
and position among the world leaders in patent filings
Phase 3: Become A Magnet for
Innovative R&D Worldwide
Achieve significant advancement in niche areas of research and
ensure this step forward becomes the growth sectors of tomorrow
Building
Qatar’s
strength from
Day 1
progressing
in parallel
QF Model for Research Integration and Coordination
Qatar Business & Research
Organizations
Qatar Governmental
Institutions
Hamad Medical
Corporation
Pharmaceutical
Engineering
Genomic Medicine & Biobank
Stem cells
RCE
Nano-bio
system
BioEngineering
AES RCE
Other RCE
Nanomedicne
AES Biomed Programs
Cancer
Neurosciences
SIDRA Labs
Clean Energy
RCE
Shafallah
WCMC-Q
Other REC
AES Enviro Programs
Ecology & Water
Built Environm
Green Projects:
Qur’anic BG
Qatar Biodome
Bioinformatics
Moza Rose Garden
Qatar & Arabian
Deserts Gardens
CRES
Other
Labs
Other
Labs
AES ICT Programs
Digital society
Arab Internet Cont.
Computational
Science
Other Research
Facilities
Other RCE
Other
Labs
Qatar National Research Fund
Qatar National Research Fund
Vision:
The Qatar Foundation envisions research as a catalyst for
expanding and diversifying the country's economy;
enhancing the education of its citizens and the training of its
workforce; and fostering improvements in the health, wellbeing, environment, and security of its own people and those
of the region.
Mission:
QNRF will lead the strategic development of a national
research enterprise within Qatar. It is required to work in
close cooperation with government ministries and
departments that have a legitimate interest in the research
enterprise of Qatar.
Qatar National Research Fund
QNRF Goals:
 Build national human potential by using research funding
and other activities to accelerate development of
opportunities for education and training in basic and
applied research in Qatar.
 Fund research that focuses on related national needs.
 Raise Qatar’s international profile in research and expand
non-QNRF funding.
QNRF Programs & Activities
QNRF Programs & Activities
Current:
 National Priorities Research Program.
 Undergraduate Research Experience Program.
 Biannual National Research Survey.
 Conferences and Workshops Sponsorship Program.
 Arab Expatriate Scientists - Fast Track Launch Program.
Tasked:
 Theme Projects Program.
 Distinguished Fellowships.
 Facilitate the application of research results.
 Graduate Research Experience Program.
 Secondary Schools Research Program.
 Young Scientists Research Program.
Undergraduate Research Experience Program
(UREP)
Undergraduate Research Experience Program
(UREP)
The QNRF seeks to stimulate a broad array of undergraduate research
opportunities in Education City and Qatar University through
faculty- and other researcher-led projects involving one or more
students inside Qatar.
The (UREP) promotes “Learning by Doing” mentorship activities as
effective methods for undergraduate education. Students gain
experience with team-based research collaboration with faculty,
graduate students, and other undergraduates or research staff.
Undergraduate Research Experience Program
(UREP)
 QNRF conducts two UREP cycles per year, six UREP cycles
have been implemented since the fall of 2006; the seventh
cycle is due in October 2009.
 So far the following has been achieved:
 6 cycles were launched.
 563 proposals were submitted.
 299 proposals were awarded.
 Around 60 publications so far.
 781 students awarded and mentored by 325 faculty members.
 US$6,36 million total funded.
Biannual National Research Survey
(BNRS)
Biannual National Research Survey
The BNRS is intended to be the national repository of research
activities, including data collection efforts, findings, and
scientific and technical publications in Qatar.
So far the following has been achieved:
• QNRF launched the BNRS search engine on Thursday, 5th
Feb, 2009.
• 4600 records encompassing Qatari research from 1970-2007.
• New records over the period 2007 – 2009 is expected to be
incorporated in the BNRS database late this year.
Conferences and Workshops Sponsorship Program
(CWSP)
Conferences and Workshops Sponsorship Program
(CWSP)
Goals and Guidelines:
To create a framework that fosters collaboration among researchers
in Qatar with the global research communities.
To encourage all academic institutions and relevant stakeholders in
Qatar to engage in hosting scientific and academic conferences.
To attract national and international academic institutions and
relevant stakeholders to host their periodic conferences in Qatar.
To give exposure to the importance of research for undergraduate
and postgraduate students in Qatar.
Conferences and Workshops Sponsorship Program
(CWSP) Achievements
QNRF sponsored 4 major international conferences
through the CWSP over the last year:
1.
Logic Programming Artificial Inelegance and Reasoning
(LPAR 08).
2.
Information and Communication Technologies and
Development (ICTD 09).
3.
11th International Conference on Relational Methods in
Computer Science/6th Applications of Kleene Algebra
(RelMiCS11).
4.
17th International Conference on Telecommunications.
QNRF Support Activities Achievements
 Launched the 1st QNRF Newsletter.
 As a testament of its continuing efforts to introduction
research culture in Qatar, 23 Research Offices were
created in academic and non-academic Qatari institutions
to support research and researchers.
 Launched QNRF’s in-house revamped website (more than
1.7M hits to date).
QNRF Support Activities Achievements
Enhanced (in-house) the online submission solution with 3
separate channels for:
•Applicants (around 7000).
•Research Offices (23).
•Peer Reviewers (around 3500).
National Priorities Research Program
(NPRP)
National Priorities Research Program (NPRP)
Overview of NPRP:
 QNRF’s largest grant funding activity.
 Seeking to address key national, regional, and global
needs through research.
 Pursuing research opportunities for which Qatar has a
comparative advantage.
 QNRF seeks to support a broad variety of projects in basic
and applied research in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Natural sciences.
Engineering and Technology.
Medical and Health sciences.
Agricultural sciences.
Social sciences.
Humanities.
National Priorities Research Program
(NPRP)
Benefits of NPRP:
 Service to Qatar.
 Collaboration and sustainability.
 Merit-based research awards.
 Active publication, promotion and outreach.
 Furthering research culture in Qatar.
 Expand knowledge in Qatar.
NPRP Proposal
Project Design and Program Eligibility:
 QNRF accepts individual or collaborative, small or large
proposals spanning between one and three years.
 QNRF encourages:
– Multi-year, multi-disciplinary, and multi-institutional projects.
– Collaborative projects partnering researchers and
academia from different campuses or organizations outside
academia.
– Partnerships between institutions in Qatar and outside
Qatar.
 Awards will be made to institutions and organizations only.
NPRP Proposal
Conditions that must be met:
 At least 50% of the research must be conducted in Qatar by
the research team in Qatar, as measured in person-days spent
on the project.
 At least 65% of the proposed project funds must be
administered by an institution in Qatar and expended within
Qatar.
 The Co-LPI must reside in Qatar (but need not be a Qatari
citizen).
NPRP Flowchart
Lead PI
Submit
LOI
Submit
Proposal
RO
Vet
Registration
Statistical
Analysis
Funding
Option
Steering
Committee
RO
Registration
Evaluation
Received
QF
EBOD
Approval
Reviewers
Award
Notification
(RO/LPI)
QNRF
screening
Receiving
Complementary
Documents For
Funded Projects
Notifying
Ineligible
Proposals
FMA Signing
and
Disbursement
Of Funds
NPRP 3rd Cycle Timeline
Payment Schedule
1 year Project
Year 1



100% for equipment
and any associated
material cost, plus
up to 50% of the
remaining annual
budget.
30% upon receipt
and acceptance of
the interim progress
report.
20% upon receipt
and acceptance of
the final report.
2 year Project
3 year Project
Year 1
Year 1
 100% for equipment and any
 100% for equipment and any
associated material cost, plus
associated material cost, plus up
up to 50% of the remaining
to 50% of the remaining annual
annual budget.
budget.
 50% upon receipt and
 50% upon receipt and acceptance
st
acceptance of the 1 interim
of the 1st interim progress report.
progress report.
Year 2
 100% for equipment and any
associated material cost, plus
up to 50% of the remaining
annual budget upon
acceptance of the Annual
Progress Report.
 30% upon receipt and
acceptance of the 2nd interim
progress report
 20% upon receipt and
acceptance of the final
progress report
Year 2


100% for equipment and any associated
material cost, plus up to 50% of the
remaining annual budget upon acceptance
of the 1st Annual Progress Report.
50% upon receipt and acceptance of the
2nd interim progress report
Year 3
 100% for equipment and any associated
material cost, plus up to 50% of the remaining
annual budget upon acceptance of the 2nd
Annual Progress Report.
 30% upon receipt and acceptance of the 3rd
interim progress report
 20% upon receipt and acceptance of the final
progress report
NPRP Achievements
– QNRF Launched three NPRP cycles since April 2007.
– QNRF received over 700 proposals through its in-house
developed submission solution.
– Each proposal was sent to 5 internationally renowned PRs.
– Strict PRs screening criteria were applied (at least assistant
professor with min. 20 publications, has no conflict of interest,
etc).
– Funding was increased from US$25 to US$ 86 million per cycle.
– Size of grants per year was increased from $250k to $350k per
project.
1st & 2nd NPRP Cycles General Statistics
1st Cycle
2nd Cycle
Letters of Intent (LOIs)
341
748
submitted Proposals
206
489
Ineligible Proposals
31
6
Submitting Institutions
18
23
Number of participants
1537
3274
Participating Institutions
302
277
Institutions Countries
33
46
Summary
Distribution of Proposals per Disciplines
1st Cycle
2nd Cycle
230
250
200
150
100
50
0
87
59
100
65
56
48
0 8
27
7 8
Results of the NPRP 2nd cycle
230
250
Vetted proposals
(Total= 489)
Winning proposals
(Total=93)
200
150
100
87
100
56
50
41
18
22
8 1
8
8 3
0
1. Natural
Sciences
2. Engineering
3. Medical and
and Technology Health Sciences
4. Agricultural
Sciences
5. Social
Sciences
6. Humanities
QNRF website ( www.qnrf.org )
To sign in/sign up: (www.qnrfsubmission.info/prog/)
Qatar Development
Doha 2025
Thank You for Your Attention
Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie
Executive Director, QNRF
Qatar Science Technology Park
-600,000-square-meter campus.
- State-of-the-art facilities.
- Free trade zone.
- Business incubator QF.
- Promotes economic diversity, job
creation and commercial investment
in Qatar.
- Anchor tenants include Microsoft,
Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, GE.
Sidra Medical and Research Centre
All-digital 348-bed academic
medical center.
- Specialty care for women and
children plus clinical/surgical
services for all patients.
- World-class biomedical
research center.
-Teaching facility for Weill Cornell
Medical College-Qatar.
- Working in concert with Hamad
Medical Corporation.
- 8 billion US dollar endowment.
- Opening 2012.
Weill Cornell Medical College
- 2 year Premedical Program.
- 4 year M.D. Program.
Carnegie Mellon University
- Business Administration.
- Computer Science.
- Information Systems.
Texas A&M University in Qatar
- Chemical Engineering.
- Electrical Engineering.
- Mechanical Engineering.
- Petroleum Engineering.
Virginia Commonwealth School of the
Arts in Qatar
- Graphic Design.
- Interior Design.
- Fashion Design and Merchandising.
Qatar National Convention Centre
- Opening in 2011 and setting a new benchmark in global venue design.
- QNCC will feature 40,000 sqm of exhibition space over 9 halls with the capacity
for a conference or gala dinner for 10,000 guests, a 4,000-seat conference hall,
2,300-seat lyric style theatre, three tiered auditoria, an additional 52 meeting
rooms, all adaptable to accommodate the full range of events.