Industrial Sabbatical Research Program
Last Update on: 01 August 2023
Jump to:
- Purpose
- Scope
- Definitions and Acronyms
- Objectives
- Eligibility Criteria
- Grant Benefits
- Application Documentation and Submission
- Review and Evaluation
- Rebuttal
- Project Inception
- Acknowledgments
- Implementation, Compliance, and Reporting
- Compliance and Performance Indicators
- Document Amendment Information
- Appendixes
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this guideline is to support the administration of the Industrial Sabbatical Research Program.
2. SCOPE
- This guideline applies to internally-funded grants issued under the Industrial Sabbatical Research Program.
- This guideline applies to all KFUPM faculty and researchers.
3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS
| 1. Definitions | |
|---|---|
ABHATHI | A research management platform developed at KFUPM. |
| Project | A product of an approved research proposal that is scientifically reviewed by a competent body and has an allocated fund administered by the DROC. It generally seeks to systematically investigate a problem through scientific methodologies conforming to academic best practices to achieve the defined research objectives. |
| 2. Acronyms | |
|---|---|
| DROC | Deanship of Research Oversight and Coordination |
| KBS | KFUPM Business School |
| KFUPM | King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals |
4. OBJECTIVES
- The Industrial Sabbatical Research Program (the program) aims to:
provide KFUPM faculty and researchers with an opportunity to spend their industrial sabbatical in an industrial organization domestically, regionally, or internationally;
facilitate access to practical experience in industry that will rejuvenate the recipient, broaden the Department’s expertise, and enhance the University’s reputation;
identify needs and problems faced by industry, as well as providing KFUPM faculty and researchers with knowledge and experiences, thus contributing to the development of academic teaching programs as well as the University’s research;
encourage the two-way flow of ideas between KFUPM faculty and researchers and industrial organizations that will be of benefit to both in the form of developing research-oriented expertise, gaining industry specific experience or creating an engineering design or product.
Industrial sabbatical is a privilege and is granted only when it can be shown that the applicant is capable of using this period in a manner that will thereafter increase the applicant’s effectiveness to KFUPM. Industrial sabbatical research program must be relevant to the recipient’s academic development, and in accordance with the needs of the recipient’s Department/center, KFUPM, and the Kingdom.
Industrial sabbatical differs from sabbatical leave which is undertaken with reputable academic and research organizations with the aim of pursuing or extending research in the faculty member’s area of interest.
5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
5.1 Applicant Eligibility
- KFUPM faculty and researchers are eligible to apply for an Industrial Sabbatical Research Program where:
- they have served the University for a period of at least three years; and
- they have authored at least two published papers; or
- they have been awarded at least one KFUPM funded research project as Principal Investigator which led to at least one published paper.
- Applicants must agree to return to KFUPM for at least one academic year of service after the completing of their industrial sabbatical program, otherwise, they have to repay compensation received (i.e., salary plus any other expenses paid by the University during their industrial sabbatical year).
- Applicants may only take one form of sabbatical leave every two years (i.e., industrial sabbatical research program or sabbatical research).
5.2 Activity Eligibility
- The grant can be used to:
- pursue, extend or diversify ongoing research;
- work in industry in the area of research and development to:
- develop applied research-oriented expertise;
- develop expertise in practical oriented course(s); or
- create an engineering design or product; and
- write a research-oriented book or a research monograph.
- Industrial sabbatical research shall not exceed 2 months.
- During industrial sabbatical, the recipient is expected to:
- interact with academicians and/or researchers in the host organisation and other institutions with a view to developing their expertise;
- contribute to the literature in their field by publishing in reputable journals;
- attend scientific meetings and conferences;
- present seminars at the host organization and nearby institutions to promote KFUPM’s standing.
- These activities must be relevant to the recipient’s academic development and in accordance with the needs of their Department/center, the University, and the Kingdom.
5.3 Host Organisation Eligibility
- Applicants will be encouraged to seek placements with host organizations who have the following characteristics:
- name recognition in the field of the applicant (domestically, regionally, or internationally);
- capable of providing a quality applied and/or basic research environment in the related field of the applicant’s area of specialization;
- able to sustain a full year placement by providing a wide range of industry experience, rotation as well as specialist training, if needed.
- These host organizations can be:
- primary industry;
- commercial/manufacturing enterprises;
- governmental organizations;
- local or international;
6. GRANT BENEFITS
7. APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION AND SUBMISSION
7.1 Pre-formal Application
- Applicants should approach a potential host organization on an informal basis to ascertain the likelihood of a successful industrial experience with them.
- Applicants should provide the potential host organization with as much detail as possible about the preferred area of industrial experience, and explore the organization’s capacity and readiness to take on the applicant so as to jointly agree on a tentative plan regarding placement, rotation, training and research cooperation.
- Applicants should prepare a detailed plan setting out:
- the industry topic to be explored;
- the importance of the topic to the applicant, KFUPM and the host organization;
- how the industrial sabbatical leave period will be used;
- justification and selection of the particular host organization and its capabilities;
- whether the placement will be carried out in one or more host organizations.
- The detailed plan and a KFUPM confirmation letter request (see Appendix 2) will be forwarded to the potential host organization requesting their input and formal agreement to the placement. The application can proceed once the host organisation provides formal agreement to the plan and proposed placement.
7.2 Letter of Intent
- Applicants are encouraged to submit applications for industrial sabbatical at least three (3) months before the intended program date. Only applicable during summer for faculty members.
- Applicants should submit a letter of intent to communicate their interest in applying for industrial sabbatical research program to the Department Chair or Center Director.
- The Department Chair will acknowledge receipt of the applicant’s letter of intent, with copies sent to the Dean of Research.
- The Department Chair or Center Director will advise the applicant of any available information that disqualifies them from further consideration in accordance with KFUPM rules and regulations. This advice shall be sent to the applicant within two weeks of receipt of the letter of intent, and copies shall be sent to the Dean of Research.
7.3 Application
- Eligible applicants should submit their application to the Department Chair or Center Director based on the announcement of the University.
- Applications should also include the following:
- a research proposal/plans (see grant list and Abhathi)
- a letter of acceptance from the host organization;
- a Statement of Understanding and Compliance (see Appendix 1);
- a letter of sponsorship from industry;
- a request for additional support with justifications;
7.4 Budget Preparation
Applications should be with organizations that have agreement with University for such program.
7.5 Application Submission
Applications must be submitted electronically through ABHATHI using the appropriate Application Form (see Abhathi).
8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION
8.1 Review by Department Chair/Center Director to determine eligibility
- Applications will be reviewed by the Department Chair/Center Director taking into consideration:
- the applicant’s academic and research activities in the Department/Center;
- the relevance of the proposed industrial sabbatical leave project to the applicant’s academic development, the Department/Center, the University, and the Kingdom; and
- the staffing situation in the Department/Center during the proposed year of absence of the applicant.
- Applications received by the Deanship of Research shall be forwarded to the Research Committee.
8.2 Review by Select Experts
- Applications will be reviewed by select experts in the field (as needed). For projects that are carried out within Saudi Arabia, there will be two reviewers, one internal and one from within the Kingdom. For projects carried out outside Saudi Arabia, there will be two reviewers, one internal and the other from outside the Kingdom.
- Expert reviewers will use the following criteria:
- project justification;
- clarity and achievability of proposed objectives;
- methodology;
- significance of project’s expected outcomes.
8.3 Evaluation by the Research Committee
- The Research Committee shall discuss the applications and either:
- recommend for immediate funding; or
- not recommend for funding.
- Where the Research Committee endorses an application, the recommendation will be submitted to the Scientific Council for endorsement. Where the Scientific Council endorses an application, the recommendation will be submitted to the University Board for approval.
- If the proposal is rejected, the applicant’s, Department Chair/Center Director will be advised the applicant accordingly, within two weeks of the Scientific Council’s deliberations.
- Where the application is approved, the final itemized budget will be conveyed, before the start of the leave, along with the project approval memo.
9. REBUTTAL
- Where an application is rejected, the applicant has the right to request reconsideration. The request must include detailed reasons in support of the claim.
- The rebuttal must be submitted within one month of the receipt of the rejection and should be forwarded through the same channels as the application.
- Where the outcome is a second rejection, the case is considered closed. The faculty member or researcher is eligible to apply again after two years.
10. PROJECT INCEPTION
The project may commence where:
- A Research Project Agreement Form is submitted to the Research Office, no later than one week after receipt of the project approval memo;
- The recipient enters the project in the Enterprise Resource Planning system to facilitate project financial transactions, procurement, and all financial related matters according to the approved budget, as well as the official start and end dates.
11. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Proper acknowledgment of KFUPM internal support (along with the project number) and support by the host organization 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.
12. IMPLEMENTATION, COMPLIANCE, AND REPORTING
- DROC shall implement this guideline.
- The Research Committee shall monitor projects supported by Industrial Sabbatical Research Program.
- Non-compliance with any provision in this guideline shall be reported to DROC.
- Recipients will provide progress and final reports as required by DROC, including:
- a recommendation report to enhanced academic and research programs at University;
- a short final report, within one month of the completion date of the project;
- an accomplishment report from the host organization;
- a seminar to the Department on the benefits of the industrial sabbatical leave.
- In exceptional circumstances, the submission date may be extended, but any requests must be made in writing, and approved by DROC before the original submission period expires. Submission of the final report after the one-month period may result in the non-payment of the final instalment of the compensation and can affect future funding requests submitted by the recipient.
- The Research Committee shall evaluate the final report and make a recommendation to the Scientific Council, on the scale of Distinguished / Excellent / Very Good / Good / Fair / Poor. The outcome will be sent to the Academic Dean and to the Faculty and Personnel Committee. Where the Research Committee’s rating is Fair or below, the recipient may not be considered for the next cycle of sabbatical.
13. 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.
14. DOCUMENT AMENDMENT INFORMATION
| Version # | Amendment Date | Amendment Description |
| 1 | Month, date, year |