Overview

PSU identifies research as a key result area (KRA) of its overall institutional performance as declared in its mission statement. It is considered to be an integral part of the educational process, a pathway to address the needs of the local community, and a potential contributor to the development of the local knowledge-based economy. Research is also regarded as a potential source of income for the institution.

Purpose

This policy provides a broad course of action for the development and implementation of research activity and management in the university.

Scope

Institution-wide

Definitions:

Unless otherwise stated, the following definitions shall apply for purposes of this policy:

1. Research:

   the conduct of systematic inquiry, experimentation, and knowledge sharing in which faculty members and students engage.

2. Funding:

   The provision by the university of financial and material provisions necessary to conduct a research project.

3. Research Grants Bylaws:

   A set of rules and procedures codified by the university to guide and regulate the processes of in-house funding of research projects and stipulate their expected deliverables.

4. Book-Authoring and Book-Translation Grants Bylaws:

   A set of rules and procedures codified by the university to guide and regulate the processes of in- house funding of book-authoring and book-translation projects.

5. College Research Committee (CRC):

   Chaired by the college dean and co-chaired by the College Research Director (CRD) and members representatives from all colleges totake charge of processing all college research activities.

6. College Research Director (CRD):

   Person in charge to follow up on all research related activities at the college level in direct collaboration with the college dean.

7. Research Labs Bylaws:

   A set of rules and procedures codified by the university to guide and regulate the processes of establishing and funding research labs and stipulate their expected deliverables.

8. Research Lab:

   is a group of researchers from diverse and integrated academic disciplines, which has sufficient research capabilities and experience to ensure the marketing and quality of research production and knowledge transfer

9. Research Group:

   A group of researchers formally recognized as one work team which conducts research projects in a certain field of inquiry.

10. Distinguished Research Incentives:

    Monetary rewards for faculty members who publish research papers in high-impact journals.

11. Research Excellence award:

    A monetary award of SR 25,000 along with formal honors conferred upon the PSU researcher with the most significant research output in a given calendar year. This award is divided into two sub awards; one for the Science and Engineering and the other for Humanities and Social Sciences.

12. Principal Investigator:

    A university faculty member who heads a team conducting a research project and manages the budget.

13. Co-Investigator:

    A faculty member, or an expert, who works with others on a research project under the leadership of a principal investigator.

14. Research Assistant:

    A person who helps in some functions of a research project without making any intellectual contribution.

15. Consultant:

    An expert who provides technical advice on some aspects of a research project.

16. Reviewer:

    An expert assigned to provide critical appraisal of a proposed or completed research project.

17. Institutional Review Board:

    PSU’s in-house research ethics committee which ensures that any PSU-affiliated research involving human or animal subjects is compliant with local and international codes and protocols on research ethics.

Policy
Funding:

Research Projects:
One of the major goals of Prince Sultan University is to promote academic research in the applied, technical, and theoretical domains of knowledge. The College invites proposals from its faculty members and passes them through a process by CRC. Proposals deemed feasible and of satisfactory scientific merit are awarded the necessary funds and subjected to a follow-up process. The process is guided by the Research Grants Bylaws. Faculty members are also encouraged to apply for research funding from external sources.

Research Groups:
To achieve strength in specific research fields, the university supports the establishment of focused research groups. Proposal for the creation of a research group is submitted by a group of faculty members to the concerned CRC and later the college council. The council recommendation is submitted to the RICC for approval. Once approved, the research group receives seed funding and appropriate physical space. The group’s output and feasibility will be periodically assessed. Groups showing sustainability and growth potential will be considered for upgrading into research centers, centers of excellence, or spinoff commercial entities.
The process is guided by the Research groups Bylaws.

Research Labs:
To achieve strength in specific research fields, the university supports the establishment of focused research groups. Proposal for the creation of a research lab is submitted by a group of faculty members to the concerned CRC and later the college council. The council recommendation is submitted to the RICC for approval. Once approved, the research lab receives seed funding and appropriate physical space. The lab’s output and feasibility will be periodically assessed. Labs showing sustainability and growth potential will be considered for upgrading into research centers, centers of excellence, or spin off commercial entities.
The process is guided by the Research labs Bylaws.

Expectations:
All faculty members who hold a doctorate degree are expected to engage in research activities and publish research papers. A major part of the annual evaluation of the performance of doctorate holders is allotted to research. Other faculty members (who do not hold a doctorate degree) are encouraged to participate in research activities and publishing.
Publishing in high-impact journals greatly enhance faculty members’ chances of retention at the university, in addition to making them eligible for the Distinguished Publications Incentives.

Ethics:
PSU requires its researchers to observe local and international research ethics standards and protocols when carrying out research projects that involve humans and animals. To this end, proposals for such projects must be submitted to PSU’s Institutional Review Board (registered at the National Committee of Medical and Bioethics) for review and approval.

Research Activities:
PSU is keen on promoting an active research-conducive environment and developing the skills of students and junior researchers. PSU holds a number of annual research forums. These scholarly gatherings can be discipline-specific or multi-disciplinary. These forums and international symposiums are designed by the Colleges specifically for undergraduate students to write research papers or prepare posters and present them to peers.

Research Commercialization:
It is in the context of advancement of research and community service that PSU supports and encourages efforts toward commercializing university research and bringing them to the public for the general benefit to the community and to the Kingdom. PSU encourages such commercial developments and applications while safeguarding the university and individual rights. Research program includes work done by faculty members during their association with PSU or work done with full or partial use of PSU resources. The inventor should receive forty percent (40 %) of the net royalty income. Joint inventors share in the 40% equally. Such shares will continue to be paid to the inventor even if his/her association with the university has ended. In case of death of the inventor, the royalty shares will be paid to the lawful heirs according to Saudi laws.