About RDO & Funding Opportunities

Explaining RDO

The Research and Development Office (RDO) is responsible for facilitating the research programs and development by working with a broad range of units and departments across the University. The RDO also provides the necessary infrastructure which supports the efforts of the faculty members and students and upholds the standards which represent the University principles and values.

The RDO's approach towards research and development focuses on significant issues that are best for scholarly research. The objective of the RDO's office is to establish and maintain scholarly research and identify strategic research themes to focus its research and research training programs. Further, RDO builds and maintains research excellence, appropriate to our central role in meeting the research needs and to develop leadership in several identified research areas in order to attract world class researchers.

External Funding

Fostering the scientific research in Kuwait is at the core of GUST as an academic institute, therefore, GUST facilitates and assists researchers & faculty members in applying for external reserach grants while making sure that the highest research standards are applied.

One of the cheif funding orginizations is The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) which continues to fund high-quality research that serves national priority issues and contributes to the advancement of Kuwait.

Who Is Eligible for a KFAS Grant?

  • Researchers / Scientists from the Kuwaiti Research and Higher Education (RHE) sector, governmental institutions, Kuwaiti Shareholding Companies (KSC) and non-profit organizations, are eligible to apply for research grants. However, all applications should be submitted through the institute/organization to which the applicant is affiliated

Online Submission for Grant Requests

Facilitating researchers was the prime objective that is involved with RDO, through PMOS System. RDO’s E-Submission System provides an institutional platform that would allow researchers to access, submit and monitor the status of their research, conference and book grants submissions online.

The E-Submission Systems for RDO funds is intended to be the researchers e-gate to:

  1. Research grants
  2. Conference grants

E-Submission Systems for RDO funds offers an interactive phase to enable them to view the status, and simultaneously keep the GUST faculty research community informed and updated. To access the online submission system click here and create a new case accordingly under "Graduate Studies & Research tab".

Downloadable Materials

Internal Funding (GUST)

GUST Internal Seed Grant Guidelines

Learn essential information and guidelines to support innovation, research, and academic exploration within the GUST community.

Summary

The purpose of the seed grant is to support significant scholarly ideas and creative projects. Faculty may request funding for equipment, supplies, travel, manpower hourly wages, and other miscellaneous uses as approved. Preference will be given to projects that contribute to the strategic objectives and mission of Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST). Proposals will be accepted from full time faculty members across all colleges and departments.

Eligibility

  • Applicant should be a full time faculty/instructor at GUST
  • Applicants must demonstrate interest in research, scholarly ideas and creative projects

Required Documents

  • Duly filled seed grant Application form (on GUST Apps @PMOS)
  • CVs of all research-team members

Submission Process

  • Documents should be submitted through GUST Apps @PMOS to the office of Research & Development, Graduate Studies & Research
  • Timeline and deadline for the application is __ to___ 202_ of the academic year
  • Awards will be announced as and when the applications are processed and approved

Criteria for Selection

The overall merit of the research project will be considered and evaluated by a research committee of the applicant’s designated department. The research committee will grade the proposal based on a point system and the evaluation report faculty reviewers with recommendations will be submitted to Director for Research and Graduate Studies. The final selection will be made based on the following criteria:

  • Intrinsic merit of the work and potential impact of the research on the academic field of study
  • IRB approval (if applicable)
  • Potential for the award to provide a basis for further research support from external sponsors
  • The proposal will be evaluated by a non-disclosed internal committee
  • All applications must be approved by HOD, GSR and VPAA

Research Project Budget

Awards can be up to KD 3000/-. Awards are for one year, no-cost extensions will be granted.

Budget and expenditures should be allocated to the following categories:

  • Capital Expenditure
  • Operational costs
  • Consumables
  • Temporary Manpower (including consultation/services) will be paid up to KD 2500/-
  • Visiting Experts
  • Research related travel

Terms and Conditions

The research Grant study is an intellectual property of GUST, kindly refer to the GUST handbook for further details with regards to intellectual property.

If the PI leaves the university prior to the completion of the grant, funds may not be transferred to another faculty at GUST.

Support and foster international collaboration to strengthen research capacity.

Affiliation with Research Center is encouraged and emphasized.

Acknowledgement to GUST and the Research Centers (i.e. if affiliated with any) for the Seed Grant support must be included in any published work or presentations directly resulting from this award.

Research extension may be granted for up to 3 months or upon PI’s request.

If the awardee has no publications arising from the previous grant funding, the PI’s application for the next submission will suspended for up to one year. Upon justification, the cancellation of the suspended period for the submission may be considered.

  • Multiple sequential grant applications will not be accepted without journal publications arising. If two consecutive (or simultaneous) grants are awarded, and no publication arises from either, then a third grant cannot be applied for until one year has elapsed since the second grant was awarded. For example, if an applicant has been awarded a grant in Spring semester, then they may apply for another grant in Fall even if no publication has arisen from the first grant in Spring. However, the applicant cannot apply for a third grant in the Spring of the next year unless a publication has arisen from one of the two grants awarded in Spring and Fall.
  • Any exceptions to this policy must be clearly justified and will be exceptional cases

Reporting Requirements

Within one year of the end of the approved award, the seed grant recipient must provide a final report to the Research and Development Office (RDO) a month after the end of the project. The report should outline the work that was accomplished and describe the proposal(s) submitted as a result of this award. The report should also detail any significant deviations from or extensions to the project described in the original proposal.

It is highly recommended that the research be presented at a seminar in GUST to other faculty members.

Student Research Grant

The GSR office is thrilled to introduce the (Student Research Award).

The amount of this award is KD1000, and it will be handed to selected GUST students in order to assist him/her to do a research in collaboration with one of the universities outside Kuwait.

Students interested in this award must fulfil the following criteria:

  1. Should have done at least one research project with GUST faculty
  2. Provide a recommendation letter from GUST faculty who has collaborated with the student in the research
  3. Provide a proposal letter of 1 or 2 pages for the planned research
  4. A plan of the upcoming research if the candidate gets the award (research topic, country, university name, faculty name, etc.)

To apply, please reply back to this email with the needed documents no later than March 30, 2024.

Kindly note the following:

  1. A committee will review the applications and choose one student
  2. Student must provide evidence of using the award for his/her research. (passport stamp, ticket, etc.)
  3. Student to present his/her research at GUST (Optional)

For inquiries, please contact:

Dr. Kamaludin Dingle

Acting Director of GSR office

Mrs. Aisha Seixas

Senior Research Support Specialist