Muscat – The targeted funding categories include PhD researchers, Master’s and Bachelor’s researchers, and university and college students in Oman.

This financial support is designed to enhance local research capabilities and foster a stimulating environment for scientific inquiry at various academic levels.

This year, 29 academic institutions submitted research projects, leading to the funding of 475 proposals. Specifically, 158 projects led by doctoral researchers received a maximum of RO 20,000 each, available over a two-year period. In addition, 145 proposals from Master’s and Bachelor’s holders were funded up to RO 3,000 per project, while 172 undergraduate student projects received funding of up to RO 1,500 per research project as a maximum.

The competency-based institutional funding program aims to encourage academic and research institutions to submit competitive research proposals evaluated as a single package. It also grants these institutions greater autonomy to develop and manage their research programs, while allowing for detailed electronic tracking of ongoing projects.

The Ministry plays a crucial role in supporting these institutions through supervision, auditing, and monitoring the outcomes of research efforts. Evaluation criteria include the number of scientific publications, patents, collaborations with other institutions, and contributions from the private sector to enhance the quality of research in line with global standards for innovation.