Director's Message

As the start up Director of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), I am delighted to welcome you to our website and to share with you our motivation, vision and goals, in addition to introducing you to some of the initiatives we have launched so far.

The initial idea for the formation of QNRF came up from Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Chair of Qatar Foundation (QF) in early 2003. During the period 2004 to 2005 QF conducted the necessary surveys and studies for the formation of QNRF. The relevant reports and business and implementation plans were approved by the Executive Board of Directors back in 2005. With the arrival of the start up team, over the period from April - August 2006, QNRF was formally established in August 2006.

Being the leading institution in Qatar dedicated to funding research in the national interest, the QNRF strives to address the state’s priorities, both economic and social, and pursue opportunities to attract researchers of the highest caliber to study topics of local, regional, and global importance.

Our goals at QNRF can be summarized as:

• Funding research that focus on related Qatar national needs;
  • Building national human capital by using research funding and other activities to qualitatively advance the development of education and training in basic and applied research in Qatar. In turn, arming Qataris with the appropriate background and training to attain more competitive leadership positions
  • Promoting economic performance and diversification
  • Advocating environmental standards and natural resource management
  • Addressing health issues.
• Raise Qatar's international profile in advanced research and thus expand external funding opportunities.

The QNRF business plan outlines a variety of activities and funding programs to advance its mission and goals. Such programs include:

• Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP)
• National Priorities Research Program (NPRP)
• Workshops, conferences, and short courses
• Joint ventures in innovative enterprises
• Distinguished fellowships
• Biannual National Research Survey
• Outreach service to Qatari institutions for applied research

As it was once said “A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”. Last fall the QNRF took its first step in the long journey towards realizing its ambitious goals by launching the inaugural UREP. The QNRF team was delighted to receive four times the expected number of proposals compared with what was originally envisaged in QNRF’s business plan. In fact the number of proposals received was equivalent to the projected number for five years from now. This achievement impels all of us to stride with ever-bigger steps in implementing the forthcoming QNRF activities.

To add to this UREP’s success, I am pleased to announce that during April 2007, QNRF will launch its flagship research program, the National Priority Research Program (NPRP). The RFP of this program, which is currently posted on this website, was tailor made for the research needs and conditions of Qatar, but drew on the state of the art on-line submission procedures of the world’s leading research-funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF).

If our ambitions prove to be doable, and inshalla they will be, I am confident that the NPRP will represent a giant leap in the QNRF’s steps towards meeting Qatar’s research goals.

I am very pleased to invite you to explore our website further, and become better acquainted with our mission, ambitions, and vision.

 
Dr. Abdul Sattar Al-Taie