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GLOBAL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Program

KAUST Investigator, Dr. Ahmed F. Ghoniem, MITThe KAUST Global Research Partnership Program (GRP) will enable world-class scientists and researchers from leading institutions to collaborate on solutions to challenging scientific and technological problems facing Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world.

The Partnership is KAUST’s primary mechanism for initiating research programs for its faculty and students, developing advanced scientific knowledge, advancing KAUST’s mission and development as an institution, and contributing to the larger global research enterprise.

The Partnership will provide three major streams of funding:

  • Centers and Centers-in-Development — KAUST is providing five-year grant support to university-based, multi-investigator Centers, with industry participation possible.  In addition, three-year awards for KAUST Centers-in-Development are being provided to smaller groups seeking to assemble the resources for a KAUST Center.
  • Investigators — KAUST is providing five-year grants to accomplished and promising individual scientists or engineers at leading university-based laboratories.  Each Investigator is expected to spend a minimum of three weeks per year on the KAUST campus participating in research and academic life.

  • Research Fellows — KAUST is providing three-year support to exceptional postdoctoral researchers.  It is hoped that many of these post-docs will spend time at and consider launching their faculty careers at KAUST.

In May 2008, KAUST hosted the GRP Technical Symposium, the first global gathering of the GRP award recipients. Symposium participants presented their latest findings in various fields, shared ideas, and established a truly global network of scientific collaboration.

The GRP will grow in size and scope as the University opens its doors, allowing KAUST to leverage the relationships in its externally funded network and develop high-quality research activities on its campus.

For updated news and information or to review KAUST’s list of frequently asked questions about the GRP, please visit the KAUST news section.

How the Partnership Will Work
  • Scientists' work supported through the Global Research Partnership at their home institutions
  • KAUST grants administered with deference to host institutions' policies on intellectual property, facilities and administrative cost reimbursement
  • Merit-based peer-review throughout the Partnership application and awards process
Grant Criteria
  • Quality of the proposed scientific or engineering research
  • Relevance to KAUST's research objectives
  • Contribution of the research activity to the development of KAUST and the global research and education enterprise
Initial Research Focus Areas
  • Genomics of salt-tolerant plants
  • Water desalination
  • New frontiers in efficient low-cost solar cells
  • Innovative construction materials that are more durable and environmentally friendly
  • Integrated approaches to next generation energy systems
  • New paths in computational science and applied mathematics
  • Novel approaches in extending the utility of hydrocarbons
  • Basic and applied research in nano-materials
  • Studies of marine and soil environments in Saudi Arabia