Dhahran Techno Valley Collaborative Research Grant
Last Update on: 27 May 2025
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- Purpose
- Scope
- Definitions and Acronyms
- Objectives
- Eligibility Criteria
- Grant Benefits
- Application Documentation
- Review and Evaluation
- Acknowledgments
- Implementation, Compliance, and Reporting
- Compliance and Performance Indicators
- Document Amendment Information
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of these guidelines is to support the administration of the Dhahran Techno Valley Collaborative Research Grant.
2. SCOPE
- These guidelines apply to internally-funded grants issued under the Dhahran Techno Valley Collaborative Research Grant.
- These guidelines apply to all KFUPM faculty and researchers.
3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS
| 1. Definitions | |
|---|---|
Principal Investigator | The primary individual responsible for the preparation, conduct, and administration of a research grant and project agreement. |
| Project | A product of an approved research proposal that is scientifically reviewed by a competent body and has an allocated fund administered by DR. It generally seeks to systematically investigate a problem through scientific methodologies conforming to academic best practices to achieve the defined research objectives. |
| Proposal | A detailed and structured request for funding prepared in accordance with the sponsor’s instructions and requirements. |
| Dhahran Techno Valley | A science park that houses a collection of local and international companies that are interested in contributing to the vision of the University towards devising innovative and creative solutions that can help build the economy and improve the well-being of the society. |
| 2. Acronyms | |
|---|---|
| Co-I | Co-investigator |
| DR | Deanship of Research |
| DTV | Dhahran Techno Valley |
| IP | Intellectual Property |
| IRC | Interdisciplinary Research Center |
| ITT | Innovation & Technology Transfer |
| KFUPM | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals |
| PI | Principal Investigator |
| RC | Research Committee |
4. OBJECTIVES
4.1 The program aims to:
- foster research collaboration with DTV companies in areas of mutual interest;
- promote basic and exploratory research in areas that would otherwise be too risky for companies to be entirely responsible for at first;
- promote collaborative research that is anticipated to evolve into larger more applied research, which can then be adopted by industry to eventually produce solutions and products;
- promote co-publishing of high-quality papers in internationally renowned journals and the joint-filing of patents involving collaborations between KFUPM and DTV companies;
- facilitate increased exposure of KFUPM researchers and students to industrial problems and experiences.
4.2 Projects funded through this program are expected to result in:
- high-quality publications involving both KFUPM and DTV researchers; and/or
- the formation of a more applied research project, based on an idea that matured through this grant, that is of interest to the concerned DTV company in the form of a client-funded (or a collaborative research) project.
4.3 Projects funded through this program may also result in other forms of IP outcomes that may be shared by both the University and the DTV company.
5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
5.1 Applicant Eligibility
- KFUPM faculty members and researchers who share research interests with companies in the DTV are eligible to apply for Dhahran Techno Valley Collaborative Research Grants as:
- the PI; or
- a Co-I.
- Applications must include researchers external to KFUPM from the DTV company as full and active collaborators. Collaborators from the DTV company are eligible to apply as Co-Is only.
- DTV company collaborators are eligible where they intend:
- acting as mediators to market the idea to the company in the search for additional funds to continue further with the project;
- being heavily involved in all the phases of the project, including proposal writing.
- Start-ups intending to collaborate on the research project must have:
- a valid Commercial Registration (CR) in Saudi Arabia
- an approval from the DTV Entrants Committee to be hosted in DTV
5.2 Financial Proposal Eligibility
- Applications require an equivalent amount of matching funding from the DTV company, bringing total project budgets to a maximum of SR 200,000.
- Matching funds may include both cash and non-monetary in-kind contributions, comprising:
- access to the DTV company facilities for use of equipment;
- involvement of DTV company representative(s) in the research team;
- facilitation of availability of chemicals and materials, even if they are charged to KFUPM during the initial phase;
- joint authorship on research project outcomes published in internationally renowned journals, presented at international conferences, and shared with the public media.
6. GRANT BENEFITS
7. APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION
7.1 Proposal Template
- Application my be submitted by the PI throughout the year
- Application must be submitted electronically through system using the appropriate Proposal Template available on the DR website, along with collaboration agreements from the concerned DTC company.
7.2 Budget Preparation
8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION
- Proposals will then be screened by DR.
- Proposals will be evaluated by the RC based on the received input from expert in the field.
- Expert will evaluate applications against the following criteria:
- clear relationship between project and technology area of benefits to KFUPM;
- project novelty and importance;
- technology readiness level of the project outcomes;
- clarity in the role of each team member;
- value and impact of the involvement of the DTV company in the project;
- facilities and resources available to support the proposed research;
- direct and indirect budget contribution of KFUPM and the DTV company;
- team size proportionate to the commitment and contribution from both parties.
- For applications involving start-up collaboration:
- The start-up brings their early stage technology, at least at Technology Readiness Level (TRL3) or above, to be further developed through the project.
- The start-up intends to sign a R&D collaborative agreement with KFUPM to cover the project scope.
- The Research Committee shall either:
- recommend for immediate approval; or
- not recommend for approval.
- Applicants will be advised accordingly by the Research Office.
9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Proper acknowledgment of KFUPM affiliation and internally-funded research grant support (along with the project number) in all publications and other outcomes is mandatory.
- Publications or other outcomes with no acknowledgement of the project number will not be considered as part of that project.
- Multiple acknowledgements in project outcomes should be treated according to the Multiple Project Acknowledgement Guideline.
10. IMPLEMENTATION, COMPLIANCE, AND REPORTING
- ITT and RO shall implement these guidelines.
- DR shall monitor projects supported by Dhahran Techno Valley Collaborative Research Grants.
- PIs shall provide progress and final reports to the DR. Reporting requirements include:
- six monthly progress reports, including a detailed financial report; and
- a final report, within 30 days of the end of the grant period.
- Progress reports shall be evaluated by the DR.
- Non-compliance with any provision in these guidelines shall be reported to VPRI.
11. COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
In monitoring and reviewing the implementation of these guidelines, the following compliance and performance indicators shall be used:
- achievement of funded project milestones;
- achievement of funded project deadlines;
- submission of funded project progress and final reports;
- number of mid-course revisions to funded projects.
12. DOCUMENT AMENDEMTN INFORMATION
| Version # | Amendment Date | Amendment Description |
| 1 | Month, date, year |