Last Update on: 11 March 2025

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1. Purpose
2. Scope
3. Definitions and Acronyms
4. Objectives
5. Eligibility Criteria
6. Grant Benefits
7. Application Documentation
8. Review and Evaluation
   
9. Acknowledgements
   
10. Implementation, Compliance, and Reporting
    
11. Compliance and Performance Indicators
    
12. Document Amendment Information
    

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of these guidelines is to support the administration of the Early Career Research Grant.

2. SCOPE

1. These guidelines apply to meet the needs of faculty who have recently received their Ph.D., or those who are away from research for various reasons. 
   
2. These guidelines apply to all KFUPM faculty and researchers.

3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS 

4. OBJECTIVES

The Early Career Research Grant aims:

1. To assist the career development for new faculty joining KFUPM after recently receiving PhD, introduce them to the research culture and opportunities at KFUPM, and familiarize them with the relevant research procedures.
2. To help faculty members who have been relatively uninvolved in their research to reinvigorate their research activities, improve their own research profiles, and contribute to KFUPM’s overall research outcomes.
   

5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Applicant eligibility

1. All professorial rank faculty members (Assistant, Associate, and full Professors) who:
   • Joined KFUPM within the last two years; or
   • Have received their Ph.D. degrees within the last two years; or
   • Have been away from research, which is defined as faculty who either:
     • Have not been involved in an internally-funded research grant (either as PI or Co-I) within the past three years; or
     • Have not published at least one journal paper within the last three years.
2. The PI shall nominate a senior faculty member who will act as a mentor for the proposed project. The nominated mentor must be a professorial rank faculty member, and agree to guide the new/junior faculty member through all project phases starting from writing/reviewing a proposal until acceptance of project final report.
3. The proposed mentor cannot be involved in more than two projects supported under the Early Career Research Grant.

6. GRANT BENEFITS

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7. APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION 

7.1 Proposal Template

1. Application may be submitted by the PI throughout the year.
2. Application must be submitted electronically through ABHATHI using the appropriate Proposal Template.

7.2 Budget Preparation 

1. Applications must include a detailed budget (Read More).
2. When the proposal is accepted, the approved project budget will be conveyed before the official start of the project along with the project approval memo.

8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION

1. Proposals will be evaluated by selected internal reviewers, and if necessary, international experts in the field.
2. Proposals will then be screened and evaluated by DR.
3. The criteria include the following:
   • project justification;
   • relevance to KFUPM research strategic areas;
   • clarity and achievability of proposed objectives;
   • methodology;
   • significance of the project’s expected outcomes.
4. The URC shall discuss the proposals received and their evaluations, and either:
   • recommend for immediate approval; or
   • not recommend approval.
5. Applicants will be advised and informed accordingly.  

9. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Proper acknowledgment as per the stipulated KFUPM acknowledgment rules and regulations as given at the link here, any deviation from which will render the respective publication-outcome as NOT acceptable.

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10. IMPLEMENTATION, COMPLIANCE, AND REPORTING

10.1 Implementation and Compliance

1. DR shall implement these guidelines.
2. The DR shall monitor projects supported by Early Career Research Grants.
3. Non-compliance with any provision in these guidelines shall be reported to DR.
4. Type-A report will not be considered for calculation of research units in the faculty promotion.
5. Refereed and approved Type-B report is eligible for inclusion in the calculation of research units in the faculty promotion.

10.2 Reporting:

1. The PI shall submit a progress report semi-annually (every 6 months) on or before the due date as per the agreement in the prescribed Progress Report Template available on the DR website.
2. The PI shall submit a final report on the findings to DR within one month of the completion date of the project. There are two types of final report format that should be used:
   • Type-A Report: In the event the project team has submitted/accepted/published Journal Paper(s) a brief final report in the DR format should be submitted along with all copies of the publication(s).
   • Type-B Report: In the event the project team does not have published/submitted Journal paper(s), a detailed report needs to be submitted.
3. The PI could apply for extension of the submission date before 2 months of the original submission period.
4. Submission of the final report after the one-month period without getting approval from DR could affect future funding requests submitted by the PI

11. COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 

In monitoring and reviewing the implementation of these guidelines, the following compliance and performance indicators shall be used:

1. Number of grants awarded each year;
2. Submission of funded project progress and final reports;
3. Number of successfully completed projects each year;

12. DOCUMENT AMENDMENT INFORMATION