Qatar Foundation for Social Work (QFSW) held a press conference Sunday to announce the launch of an inaugural award for social researchers, specializing in the social work sector.
It aims to invariably stimulate the production of knowledge and scientific evidence and translate them into practical solutions that substantially advance social programs and services, while making a concrete and consequential impact on beneficiaries' quality of life, with official backing from the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (DAAM).
The award comes as part of efforts to substantially advance scientific research in social work, encourage researchers to examine high-priority social issues, and put forward solutions and recommendations grounded in scientific evidence.
These efforts are instrumental in developing social policies, practices and services, supporting knowledge-based decision-making and fostering sustainable social impact.
The award's vision, across the gamut from research to knowledge, and from knowledge to impact, embodies QFSW's thrust toward entrenching scientific knowledge as a bedrock for developing social practices and services and ensuring that research findings move beyond the confines of study and documentation to become genuine opportunities for practical application and tangible benefit.The award is an outgrowth of this broader pursuit of turning research into knowledge and knowledge into measurable social impact.It seeks to raise awareness of high-priority social issues, foster innovation in addressing them, and identify and develop national research capabilities, aiming to enrich the social knowledge base and make its outputs accessible to researchers, practitioners and decision-makers, providing a substantive body of knowledge that can significantly augment policies and practices.Research entries and proposals will be accepted from Nov. 1 to 15, 2026, across three categories targeting secondary-school students, university students and academics, and personnel working in the social sector.
Overall, the award centers on promoting a tight-knit family in accord with Qatar National Vision 2030's pursuit of building a cohesive society rooted in strong family and social bonds. It also aligns with QFSW's priorities of strengthening family stability and advancing sustainable social development.
The targeted research is threefold: social phenomena and transformations; social services, interventions and impact; and policies, advocacy and societal change.
These areas are intended to encourage research into the socioeconomic and cultural transformations affecting families and society; assess social programs and services and measure their impact; and examine policies, legislation and initiatives that contribute to strengthening social protection, empowering individuals and families, and fostering a tight-knit community.
The targeted research groups also include persons with disabilities, older adults, women, children, families, orphans without family support, young people most vulnerable to risks, and caregivers. This approach helps direct scientific research toward social issues arising from the needs of individuals, families and society, ensuring that research remains as closely connected to beneficiaries' needs as possible and remains relevant to the realities confronting them.The award offers three main participation tracks, designed to accommodate different levels of experience and academic and professional backgrounds while promoting an interchange of knowledge between academic research, field practice and community awareness.
The school track targets secondary-school students at public and private schools in Qatar. Entries may be submitted individually or by a research team, provided that the research is overseen by an educational supervisor.
The university and academic track is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers and faculty members. The social-sector professionals track, meanwhile, targets employees, practitioners and specialists working at institutions, centers and other entities operating in the social sector.
Applicants must be Qatari citizens or residents of the State of Qatar. Submitted work must be original, prepared by the applicant or applicants, and must not have previously won another research award.
Participants must also consistently uphold academic honesty and integrity, adhere to research ethics, protect participants' rights and privacy, and maintain the confidentiality of their data, while respecting intellectual property rights and properly documenting all sources and references.
Technical requirements vary by track. Research submitted under the school track must range from 6,000 to 8,000 words and include a simplified list of sources. Entries under the university and academic track and the social-sector professionals track must range from 8,000 to 12,000 words, excluding appendices and references.Both tracks also require an executive summary of no more than 250 words and compliance with established scientific methodologies and citation requirements.In this regard, QFSW's Director of Strategic Planning, Shaima Ahmed Al Janahi, affirmed that the award seeks to raise awareness of high-priority social issues and encourage participants to propound innovative insights and solutions grounded in scientific research, thereby contributing to the development of social services and programs and significantly improving their impact.
Al Janahi explained that the award is committed to supporting this approach from the early stages of education, helping develop analytical and innovative skills among emerging generations and giving researchers and members of the community the chance to contribute meaningfully to understanding social challenges and suggesting appropriate solutions and initiatives to address them.
She added that the award's association with QFSW and its specialized service centers provides a valuable opportunity to connect research findings with the realities of professional practice and implementation.
Participating research can help develop services and programs while enabling researchers to follow the impact of their findings on beneficiaries' lives, Al Janahi highlighted.
For his part, Director of the Shared Services Department at DAAM, Yousef Mohammed Al Nuaimi, said the Fund's support for the award underscores its belief in the importance of scientific research in exploring social issues and laying out practical solutions that contribute to developing programs and services provided to the community.
In essence, the award also offers an opportunity to identify research talent and encourage researchers and social-sector personnel to put their knowledge and expertise to work for the benefit of society, while contributing to practical, actionable recommendations.
The award adopts three major stages of evaluation and judging, beginning with the assessment of research proposals, followed by the evaluation of completed studies and concluding with the assessment of final presentations.
Entries will be assessed against approved forms and criteria covering the research's scientific value, originality and innovation, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis and findings, recommendations, social impact, and the quality of reporting and academic documentation.
A scientific panel comprising specialized judges from various academic and professional institutions in the State of Qatar will oversee the judging process, ensuring integrity, transparency and objectivity.
Under the procedures, each proposal or research paper will be assessed independently by at least two judges. A third judge will be assigned insofar as there is a substantial discrepancy between the evaluations.
Under the award's approved plan, the first stage will see 30 research proposals shortlisted for implementation, with 10 proposals selected in each track.
After the implementation stage concludes and completed research papers are evaluated, 15 studies will be shortlisted for the final presentations, with five selected from each track. The process will culminate in the selection of nine winners, with three winners in each track.
The award offers cash prizes to the top three entrants in each track, distributed as follows:
School Track: QAR 20,000 for first place, QAR 15,000 for second place and QAR 10,000 for third place.
University and Academics Track: QAR 50,000 for first place, QAR 30,000 for second place and QAR 20,000 for third place.
Social-Sector Professionals Track: QAR 50,000 for first place, QAR 30,000 for second place and QAR 20,000 for third place.
The award process begins with the receipt of entries and proposals from Nov. 1 to 15, 2026, followed by the evaluation of proposals from Nov. 16 to 30. The results of the first stage will be announced on Dec. 3, 2026.
The selected research projects will be carried out from Dec. 3, 2026, to March 7, 2027. Completed studies will then be evaluated from March 7 to April 7, 2027. The results of the second stage and the final presentations are scheduled for April 2027, while the final results and closing ceremony are set for May 2027.
As such, QFSW invited those interested in participating to visit its website, www.QatarSocial.org, to consult the award's dedicated page for its terms and conditions, participation requirements, details of the research tracks, evaluation criteria, timetable and other relevant application information.
The award demonstrates QFSW's broader commitment to advancing scientific research as an instrumental tool for understanding high-priority social issues, developing policies, services and practices, and using knowledge to support decision-making and achieve sustainable social impact.These efforts ultimately seek to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and society.
