Last Update on: 21 October 2024

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1. Purpose
2. Scope
3. Definitions and Acronyms
4. Objectives
5. Annual Allocation
6. Eligibility Criteria
7. Grant Benefits and Payment
8. Application Process
9. Review and Evaluation
10. Per Diem and Conference Reimbursements
11. Acknowledgments
12. Implementation, Compliance, and Reporting
13. Compliance and Performance Indicators
14. Document Amendment Information
15. Appendixes

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of these guidelines is to support the administration of the Conference Attendance Program at KFUPM.  

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2. SCOPE

1. These guidelines, apply to all norms issued to support conference attendance.
2. These guidelines apply to all KFUPM full-time faculty and researchers.

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3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS 

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4. OBJECTIVES

1. The Conference Attendance Program supports the attendance of eligible KFUPM professorial-ranked faculty and equivalent researchers to international conferences.
2. The program encourages faculty and researchers to interact and exchange ideas with internationally renowned scholars and researchers, promote KFUPM’s research, and support the cohort of innovative ideas.

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5. ANNUAL ALLOCATION

5.1 Conference attendance supported by KFUPM funding through the University budget.

1. A maximum of one conference attendance may be allocated in a fiscal year to all professorial ranked faculty (charged to University Fund) and equivalent researchers (charged to Center Fund) based on a paper presentation, or on a keynote speech or based on 3 ISI/Scopus Journal papers published in the last 2 years prior to the conference dates and not having utilized for any conference attendance before. The applicant must be a full-time faculty, or researcher at KFUPM.
2. Attendance(s) based on published ISI journal papers in a conference, are applicable only to conferences which are categorized as A*.
3. Postdocs are eligible for one conference per fiscal year based on a paper presentation only (this is a competitive award administered by Deanship of Research)
4. Faculty members who are eligible for the “emerging faculty program” can attend one conference categorized as A* or A once. Decision is based on competition and applications are solicited once a year and results are announced by Deanship of Research. 

5.2 Conference attendance supported by KFUPM research grant funding. 

1. One more conference attendance may be allocated in an academic year to full-time professorial-ranked faculty at KFUPM affiliated with an (Interdisciplinary Research Center “IRC”), funded through the University Internally Funded IRC Research Project on:
   • a paper presentation; or
   • a keynote speech; or
   • 3 ISI/Scopus Journal papers published in the last 2 years prior to the conference dates and not having utilized for any conference attendance before;

5.3 Conference attendance supported by external funding (i.e., externally funded research project). 

1. Subject to the terms and conditions (specified by external funding agencies) there may be one conference attendance grant available to the full-time faculty, or researcher at KFUPM in a fiscal year under externally funded projects (grants) based on a paper presentation or a keynote speech or 3 ISI/Scopus Journal papers published in the last 2 years prior to the conference dates and not being utilized for any conference attendance before.
2. The University might support more than one conference in addition to (5.3.1) based on the nature of the project, no objection letter from department chairman, justification from center director and availability of fund in the project.

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6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

6.1 Applicant Eligibility 

1. All professorial ranked faculty members and equivalent researchers at KFUPM are eligible to apply for conference attendance grants under the University Internal Fund.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions specified by external funding agencies, all faculty members and equivalent researchers as principal investigators (PIs) or co-investigators (CoIs) are eligible to apply for conference attendance under externally funded projects (grants).

6.2 Conference Eligibility 

1. The program supports attendance at flagship conferences:
   • ranked as A* or A provided by departments and approved by the DR, and listed on the DR website; and indexed or having a presence in Scopus and Web of Science.
2. The program also supports attendance at non-flagship conferences:
   • proposed by applicants through their respective department heads;
   • evaluated, ranked and approved as class (B) by DR

6.3 Conference Paper Eligibility 

1. Applicants seeking conference attendance support to attend may submit an application based on acceptance of a:
   • full length paper; or
   • extended abstract; or
   • paper abstract.
2. Applicants seeking conference attendance support from KFUPM to attend may also submit an application as an invited or keynote speaker.
3. Applicants seeking conference attendance support from KFUPM to attend a regional conference (conferences listed in the regions O, A, B, C as given in the Appendix 2) may submit an application based on paper presentation along with a published Q1/Q2 ranked ISI journal paper published within two years of the conference dates. Such regional conferences should be ranked A* or A by DR.
4. Applicants seeking conference attendance support from a KFUPM funded research project may submit an application based on acceptance of a paper, extended abstract or abstract:
   • related to the funded research project;
   • that represents one of the outcomes of the funded research project.

6.4 Conference Attendance Restricted Period 

1. The program does not support conference attendance during restricted periods (see Appendix 1).
2. Where attendance is supported by external organization, the program supports conference attendance with the consent of KFUPM and that external organization.

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7. GRANT BENEFITS AND PAYMENT

The grant will provide:

1. a total per diem which includes the actual conference days plus the extra per diem days (see Appendix 3) which covers local transportation charges (e.g., car rental, fuel expenses, parking fee, toll fee, taxis, trains) and meals;
2. a round trip ticket made directly through the designated travel agency, as per the University policy, from Dammam to the conference location in accordance with the travel regulations, indicated in Appendix 4;
3. the faculty member is supposed to contact the designated travel agency for booking of his/her tickets after the approval from the DR, for his\her conference attendance;
4. The designated agency must adhere to the restricted routes/airlines/hotels that are specified by university, or within certain price range. Late reservation(s) will not be entertained if expensive;
5. The university has the right through a designated travel agency to facilitate accommodation (hotel) reservation to the faculty members;
6. The total per diem would be reduced to 50% of the original per diem in case University provides the accommodation for the applicant through the designated travel agency;
7. The total per diem would be reduced to 25% of the original per diem in case University provides the accommodation and the food for the applicant;
8. The conference registration fee, with an upper limit (capping of 2000 USD);
9. Visa fee (including the insurance if not provided by the University);
10. Single exit- re-entry visa fee (for non-Saudi applicants);

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8. APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Department Chairman is the sole responsible for approval of faculty conference attendance while assuring smooth operations of course covering, student engagement and other responsibilities associated with the Department. 
2. Center Director is the sole responsible for approval of researchers conference attendance as well as faculty evaluation and postdocs based on the Center Funding. 
3. All applications must be submitted in the Fusion ERP such that the applications reach the CSO, at least 30 days (approximately four weeks) prior to the conference dates. 
4. Applications must include:
   • evidence of acceptance from the conference organisers (i.e., letter of acceptance, or letter of invitation);
   • a copy of the paper or abstract or an extended abstract where the recipient has applied to present a paper;
   • a copy of the invited/keynote speech (in PPT or PDF format), where the recipient has been invited to present.
5. All applications must be submitted through the Fusion ERP to the respective Department or Center Head, for onforwarding to the CSO. 
6. The CSO shall verify aspects of the application, including:
   • the applicant’s employment status and affiliation;
   • the status of the conference (i.e., flagship or non-flagship conference);
   • conference duration (excluding registration and other social functions);
   • any related workshops and tutorials scheduled at the beginning or the end of the conference (up to a maximum of one extra day);
   • the region and country, where conference attendance requires travel;
   • possible funding sources (i.e., University Internal Fund, KFUPM funded research project, Interdisciplinary Research Center (IRC) project, Externally funded research project).

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9. REVIEW AND EVALUATION

1. The criteria for reviewing and evaluating proposals includes the following:
   • Availability of funding for conference attendance:
     • availability of KFUPM internally funded provision for conference attendance;
     • availability of External funded research project provisions.
   • Applicant eligibility:
     • a full-time faculty affiliated to an academic department or an Interdisciplinary Research Center (IRC) at KFUPM.
   • Conference eligibility:
     • flagship conference(s) from the approved list of DR (Click Here);
   • Conference paper eligibility:
     • accepted paper, extended abstract or abstract;
     • invited or keynote speaker invitation;
     • 3 ISI/Scopus Journal papers published in the last 2 years prior to the conference dates;
   • Conference timing:
   • not in restricted period;
2. DR shall discuss the proposals received and either:
   • recommend for immediate approval; or
   • not recommend for approval.
3. The CSO shall advise the applicants of DR’s decision. 

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10. PER DIEM AND CONFERENCE REIMBURSEMENTS

1. With the completion of the conference, the recipient should submit to the CSO:
   • Per Diem request in the Fusion ERP;
   • soft copy or link of the conference proceedings (as provided by the conference organizers);
   • submission of the required receipts, invoices, proofs of payment pertaining to;
     • conference registration fee and the proof of payment (bank statement);
     • round trip ticket booking and the relevant tickets;
     • the hotel room booking and the relevant receipt\invoice paid;
     • visa fee receipt (including the insurance) and the proof of payment (in case of transaction through Bank);
     • single exit re-entry visa fee payment proof (for the international applicants);
2. The Finance Department shall make payment to the recipient. 

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11. AFFILIATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

1. Proper acknowledgment of KFUPM affiliation and conference attendance support (along with the project number, where relevant) in abstracts, publications and other outcomes is mandatory.
2. Multiple affiliations in conference or journal paper(s) are strictly prohibited and allowed with the prior consent of the Dean, DR.
3. Multiple acknowledgements in project outcomes should be treated according to the Multiple Project Acknowledgement Guidelines.

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12. IMPLEMENTATION, COMPLIANCE, AND REPORTING

1. DR shall implement these guidelines.
2. Non-compliance with any provision in these guidelines shall be reported to DR.

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13. 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 conference applications received, approved and rejected each year; 
2. Number of faculty members, researchers applying for, and receiving support for conference attendance;
3. Level of funding support for conference attendance each year.

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14. DOCUMENT AMENDEMTN INFORMATION

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15. APPENDIXES

• Appendix 1 - Conference Attendance Restricted Periods
• Appendix 2 - Countries Under Different Regions and Locations
• Appendix 3 - Extra Per Diem According to the Regions
• Appendix 4 - Round Trip Tickets and Ticket Class