Qatar National Research Fund NPRP Program, 2nd Cycle August2008

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Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP) Program, 2nd
Cycle August-2008
Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie, Director, QNRF
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Outline

• Overview
• Qatar Foundation (QF)
• Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS)
• Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF)
• QNRF Programs
• NPRP
• Overview
• Proposal
• Evaluation Process
• Funding
• Ethics, Safety and Regulations
• Timeline

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QF Overview

• Qatar Foundation Background
• Founded in 1995 by His Highness the Emir
• Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
• Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah
• bint Nasser Al-Missnad
• An independent, chartered, non-profit
  organization
• committed to the development of Qatar and its
• people

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Qatar Economic Context

• Qatar is an emerging regional leader in energy,
  research, politics and human development
• Worlds third largest gas reserves, and will soon
  be the biggest producer of LNG and GTL fuels
• Despite a population less than 1 million, US133
  billion of projects are planned
• Situated in the center of the Gulf
• Model for human development, investing heavily in
  education and science
• Stable, secure and excellent international
  relations.

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Gulf Economies
Source IMF, September 2006
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Qatar Foundation Overview

• QF Mission and Vision
• Qatar Foundation is guided by the principle that
  the nations true
• wealth is its people.
• To achieve this goal, QF has been steadily
  developing the need human potential by
• creating a network of centers committed to
  delivering
• first-rate education, supporting science and
  research
• and promoting community development
• partnering with world-class educational and
  research
• institutions
• 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

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QF Overview

• QF Innovation, Science, Technology and Research
• Entities
• Qatar Foundation supports a network of centers
  and
• partnerships with elite institutions
• Qatar Foundation Education City
• The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP)
• The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).

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QF
Convention centre, 10

• Sidra Medical and Research Centre, 10
• Treatment, teaching and research

• Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar
• Medical school

• Carnegie Mellon Qatar
• Computer science
• Business

• Texas AM University
• at Qatar
• Engineering (4 streams)

• Schools
• Qatar Academy
• Bridge program
• The Learning Centre

• Georgetown University in Qatar
• Foreign service

• Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar
• Graphic, fashion and Interior Design

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QF Overview

• QF Innovation, Science, Technology and Research
• Entities
• Qatar Foundation supports a network of centers
  and
• partnerships with elite institutions
• Qatar Foundation Education City
• The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP)
• The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).

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Phase 1
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QF Overview

• QF Innovation, Science, Technology and Research
• Entities
• Qatar Foundation supports a network of centers
  and
• partnerships with elite institutions
• Qatar Foundation Education City
• The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP)
• The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).

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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, well-being,
  environment, and security of its own people and
  those of the region.

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Qatar National Research Fund

• 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. Its tasks will address the following
  specific roles
• Research Infrastructure Planning
• Research Workforce Development
• Research Project Funding
• Research and Technology Commercialization and
• IP Management

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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 Qatars international profile in research
  and expand
• non-QNRF funding.

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Qatar National Research Strategy QNRS

• Overview of QNRS
• QNRF is entrusted with the implementation of the
  Qatar
• National Research Strategy (QNRS).
• Main drivers for QNRS
• Support for existing industry
• Diversification
• International Recognition
• Environmental Protection
• Improving Health
• Education
• Quality of Life

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QNRS - Research Areas

• Water
• Air
• Ecology

• Networks
• Robotics
• Machine Translation

• Oil and Gas
• Petrochemicals
• Energy
• Aviation Operations

QNRS
Education
Arts and Humanities

• Methods / systems

• Design
• Regional history, culture, law, political
  science
• Islam Shareah

Public Policy / Management Sciences
Health and Social Sciences

• Obesity
• Cardiovascular
• Diabetes

• Management
• Conflict Resolution

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QNRF Programs
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QNRF Programs

• Current
• National Priorities Research Program
• Undergraduate Research Experience Program
• Biannual National Research Survey
• Tasked
• Conferences and Workshops
• Distinguished Fellowships
• Facilitate the application of research results
• Graduate Research Experience Program
• Secondary Schools Research Program

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National Priorities Research Program NPRP
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Overview of NPRP

• QNRFs 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

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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 and about Qatar

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Program Design and Program Eligibility

• Encouraging multi-year, multi-disciplinary, and
  multi-
• institutional projects, as well as small
  individual projects.
• Encouraging partnerships between campuses and
• academic and non-academic organizations.
• Collaborate with accredited research
  organizations in other parts of the world.
• Awards will be made to institutions and
  organizations only

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Conditions that must be met

• At least 65 of the proposed project funds must
  be administered by a university or other
  institution in Qatar and expended in or from
  Qatar
• Over 50 of the research must be conducted in
  Qatar, as measured by person hours spent on the
  project.
• One Principal Investigator (PI) must reside in
  Qatar.

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NPRP Proposals Life Cycle
Lead PI Registration
Read instructions
Prepare proposal
Submit Proposal
RO Registration
RO Vet
Notifying Ineligible Proposals
QNRF 3 evaluation letters
QNRF Prescreening
Reviewers
QF-EBOD Approval
QNRF
Steering committee
Applicant
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Letter of Intent

• The Lead PI is required to submit a LoI online by
  no later than October 1, 2008 and is required to
  do the following
• Select one decimal classification from the
  Frascati fields of science and technology
  classification
• Provide three to five key words that describe
  clearly the research proposed
• Title and brief description of the proposal
• Information included in this letter is considered
  draft information for planning purposes and PIs
  may modify information in the final proposal.

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Proposal Preparation

• The lead PI must fill in the appropriate proposal
  templates available at the website using the
  instructions, and electronically submit all
  required documents.
• Proposals must be submitted in English, except in
  a limited number of research areas in which the
  primary international language of research is
  Arabic

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The Role of Submitting Institution

• The Research Office (RO), or equivalent, in the
  submitting institution will have online access to
  proposals submitted by the lead PI in order to
  check and vet them.
• The RO will bear final responsibility for
  ensuring that all proposals submitted by its
  institution comply with
• QNRF policies, as stated within the RFP
• Institution own internal policies
• Laws and regulations applicable to the
  jurisdiction in which the research is being
  conducted

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The Role of Submitting Institution (Cont.)

• The RO, will also have the following action
  options before the submission deadline
• Accepts submitted proposal and upload the
  required endorsement letters.
• Rejects the submitted Proposal.
• Returns the Proposal back to the lead PI for
  modification.
• If the RO, or equivalent, does not take any of
  the mentioned actions by the deadline, the
  proposal will be considered as rejected.
• The RO is responsible for advising QNRF of any
  change in the status of the PIs and their contact
  information during the pre- and post-award
  process.

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NPRP Funding

• QNRF plans to fund a total of US45 million in
  research for the 2nd NPRP cycle over the period
  2009-2011.
• Grants of up to a maximum of US350,000 per
  project per year.
• QNRF may invite proposals for projects of
  exceptional merit and extraordinary national
  importance with higher level of funding.
• Research expenses that may be funded include
• Compensation of staff if their salary is not
  already covered
• Equipment and material purchases, repair and
  maintenance
• Conferences research-related travel costs
• Publication and communication costs
• Translation costs
• Special training

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NPRP Funding
Payment Schedule

• 50 upon signing of the Contract
• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the six-month
  progress report.

• 50 upon signing of the contract
• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the six-month
  progress report.

• 40 upon signing of the Contract
• 40 upon receipt of the six month progress
  report
• 20 upon receipt and acceptance of the final
  report.

• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the six month
  progress report
• 30 upon receipt and acceptance of the six month
  progress report
• 20 upon receipt and acceptance of the final
  progress report

• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the annual
  progress report
• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the six month
  progress report

• 50 upon receipt and acceptance of the annual
  progress report
• 30 upon receipt and acceptance of the six month
  progress report
• 20 upon receipt and acceptance of the final
  progress report

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NPRP Ethics, Safety Regulations

• Projects must comply with
• Relevant ethical considerations and safety
  standards
• Safety guidelines related to chemical,
  biological, and radioactive materials
• Ethical procedures for human subjects research
  published by NHA
• Code of Practice

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NPRP Proposal Evaluation Process

• Minimum 3 international peer reviewers per
  proposal
• Proposals will be evaluated on
• Scientific merit (80 points)
• Contribution to knowledge in the subject or to
  the literature (20 points)
• How sound is the experimental design? (20 points)
• How relevant are the projected results to
  problems in specific research area? (15 points)
• How reasonable is the cost and justification of
  each category in the Budget? (15 points)
• What may be the benefits of the proposed research
  activity to society? (10 points)
• Research Team Qualifications (20 points)
• Qualifications of research team (10 points)
• Are the proposed staffing and facilities,
  including equipment and material available or
  requested, adequate to successfully execute the
  project? (10 points)

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Timeline
The following dates represent the major
milestones of the National Priorities Research
Program
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NPRP-1st Cycle Winning Proposals
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Thank You for Your
Attention Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie
Director, QNRF
www.qnrf.org