Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) has launched a re-engineered version of its flagship funding programme, the National Priorities Research Programme (NPRP), as an “enhanced two-track model designed to address Qatar’s research priorities”.
QNRF is part of Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D).
Now in its 11th annual cycle, the NPRP has “evolved to become a mission-driven support mechanism for research projects that aim to produce solutions to Qatar’s foremost challenges, and target ‘hotspot’ areas that hold the greatest opportunity for the nation to gain a comparative advantage through its research and innovation efforts”, according to a press statement.
By introducing a new twin concept of clustered and standard models – respectively known as NPRP-C and NPRP-S – for the programme’s latest cycle, QNRF is placing greater emphasis on enabling research projects that demonstrate the potential to generate tangible economic benefit for Qatar, without compromising scientific excellence or the advancement of knowledge, the statement notes.
The call for the submission of proposals for NPRP 11 is now open, with those that succeed to be awarded during 2018.
Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie, executive director of QNRF, said: “Over the last 10 years, QNRF has been the foremost enabler of Qatar’s research and development landscape, and QNRF’s latest version of the NPRP illustrates our versatility and commitment to continually enhancing and sharpening the support we provide to the nation’s research community."
Noor al-Merekhi, deputy executive director of QNRF, noted: “We have revamped the NPRP to give it a fresh perspective and purpose, where it encourages the formation of partnerships and the building of teams focused on addressing Qatar’s priorities through collaboration.
The structure of the research teams supported under NPRP-C has been upgraded to allow multiple sub-projects, each with its own lead principal investigator, to be clustered together and steered by a programme director. Such projects will address themes such as carbon capture and utilisation, the prediction, early diagnosis, and prevention of diabetes, and the development of a cyber-resilient financial technology sector, in a holistic manner, the statement adds.
Meanwhile, NPRP-S proposals will follow the standard model, namely single projects with one lead principal investigator to focus on pre-determined priority themes within the areas of energy and environment; information and communications technology; biomedical and health; and social sciences, arts and humanities.
To raise awareness among Qatar’s research community on the newly restructured NPRP 11th cycle, QNRF has held two information sessions. These events have emphasised how the NPRP has been designed to stimulate collaborations between research institutions and their commercial research partners, to promote a culture of public-private partnership in Qatar and achieve a successful translation of the research outcomes.
For those who could not attend, QNRF will hold two NPRP webinars Friday and Saturday and those wishing to participate should register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/9016876443170245890
