Overview

The Flagship Research Grant (FRG) Program is a new platform launched by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) aimed at promoting innovative and impactful research through cross-entity interdisciplinary collaboration within HBKU and beyond.

Through a shared vision, objectives, framework and resources (see diagram below), the program aims to develop an ongoing set of well-integrated research clusters that will carve out distinctive research areas for HBKU in the region and internationally, and to make HBKU a hub to attract and develop talent.

Flagship Research Grant Program




Research Focus
  • Establish research excellence in niche areas
  • Integrate a set of interdisciplinary projects with shared focus and objectives
  • Build competitiveness in research
Collaboration
  • Build networks within and outside HBKU focused on specific research
  • Attract local and international collaborators
Resource Planning and Optimization
  • Better resource allocation based on priorities and research quality
  • Concentration of resources
  • Resource sharing
  • Create a sustainable funding model to support priority research
Capacity Building
  • Build competitive research capacity in focused areas
  • Attract and develop talent
  • Enhance HBKU’s reputation

Cycle 1

It is in our core mission to support Qatar’s society to prosper and strengthen its cultural roots and identity. As the world continues to change at an accelerating rate, social progress is increasingly essential to protect our heritage, culture, community, and the future of our children.

Our research focus in social progress cuts across five key areas:

  • Arabic Language, Culture and Heritage
  • Social Responsibility
  • Social Inclusion
  • Ethics and Policy
  • Family Cohesion
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Cycle 2

Cycle 2 of the FRG focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), one of HBKU’s focus areas. It prioritizes Generative AI (GenAI), which is rapidly transforming our world and has the potential to address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, including sustainable development, precision medicine, and personalized education. However, GenAI also poses new challenges, such as the potential for bias, misuse, and unintended consequences.

HBKU researchers in multidisciplinary, cross-entity teams will focus on the following topics:

  • AI for Personalized Education
  • Safe, Responsible, and Ethical AI
  • AI for Science
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Cycle 3

The 3rd Cycle of the FRG program will fund projects within the FRG focus areas— selected through a rigorous review process — to deliver practical solutions to real-world problems and produce scholarly outcomes. Importantly, it is envisioned that these projects will evolve through internal and external funding and strong stakeholder engagement. The projects are also expected establish significant research capability and deliver tangible impact at a local, regional and international levels.

The FRG Program Cycle 3 focuses on the following flagship areas:

  • Generative AI and Applications
  • Sustainable and Resilient Arid Cities
  • Autism: Causes, Diagnosis, and Intervention
  • Islamic Ethics: From Social Cohesion to Global Challenges
  • Global Transformation: Future of Governance
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