Overview

Designed to advance HBKU’s institutional research priorities, the Flagship Research Grant (FRG) Program fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by bringing together colleges and research institutes to conduct impactful, strategically aligned research through integrated, cross-cutting approaches. The flagship research areas are unique because they draw on HBKU’s well-established domain knowledge and a broad range of competencies to deliver multidisciplinary and outcome-driven research.

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 promotes cohesiveness and engagement across multiple key dimensions including:

Research

Joint projects that cut across multidisciplinary themes, engage multiple entities, and have the potential to evolve to deliver tangible impact and build significant capacity

Resources

Efficient use of shared research infrastructure (facilities, research equipment), utilization of joint research funding, collaborative workshops, and stakeholder engagement.

Academic

Opportunities for development of co-taught courses based on the project topics, and student engagement in interdisciplinary research projects.

Program Objectives

Launch FRG within HBKU that bring together colleges and research institutes to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and pursue innovative research aligned with shared strategic goals.

Maximize collaboration and ensure effective partnership across HBKU entities through targeted investment.

Advance impactful research in clearly defined research areas by uniting faculty, researchers, and students from across HBKU disciplines and entities to address complex societal and scientific challenges.

Produce high-quality scholarly outputs (e.g., journal articles, books), develop practical solutions to real-world problems, and build human capital through mentoring, training, and collaborative research experiences.

Support multidisciplinary research initiatives with the potential to scale over time to build differentiated institutional capacity that can deliver significant impact.

Program Focus 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

Awardees

Project Title Project Lead Project Lead Entity Research Team Research Team Entities Flagship Areas

A cell line multi-omics AI based approach to screen for the effects of a Qatari RGS4 gene mutation on G protein stabilization in Autism.

Jouke-Jan Hottenga

 QBRI

Vladimir Katanaev

Nady El Hajj

Halima Bensmail

Houari Abdesselem

Khalid Ouararhni

Mohammed Shaker

Yongsoo Park

QBRI

CHLS/CSE

QCRI

HBKU Core Labs

HBKU Core Labs

QBRI

QBRI

  • Autism
  • Generative AI & Applications

Integrated Aerial-Ground Intelligent Sensing and AI Platform for Resource-Efficient and Sustainable Agriculture in Qatar’s Arid Climate

Amine Bermak

 CSE

Roberto Baldacci

Abdelkrim Khelif

Bo Wang

Sa'd Abdel-Halim Shannak

Sanjay Chawla

CSE

CSE

CSE

QEERI

QCRI

  • Sustainable & Resilient Arid Cities
  • Generative AI & Applications

MESHKAT: Modelling and Evaluation of Solar Hubs in Qatar – A Customer-Driven AI Platform for Sustainable Arid Cities

Luluwah Al Fagih

 CSE

Dhabia Al Mohannadi

Selma Awadallah

Dunia Bachour

Ameni Boumaiza

Esmat Zaidan

CSE

CSE

QEERI

QEERI

CPP

  • Sustainable & Resilient Arid Cities
  • Generative AI & Applications

Environmental exposure and human health in Qatar: A generative AI-enabled framework for risk assessment and communication

Georges Nemer

 CHLS

Rami Alfarra

Mohamed Abdallah

Ala Al Fuqaha

Omar Albagha

Christos Fountoukis

QEERI

CSE

CSE

CHLS/QBRI

QEERI

  • Generative AI & Applications
  • Sustainable & Resilient Arid Cities

Environmental Health in Urbanised Arid Regions: Assessing the Effects of Natural Dust and Anthropogenic Pollution on Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Functions

Rami Alfarra

 QEERI

Omar Albagha

Nehad Alajez

Juan Murias

Halima Bensmail

Shamjad Moosakutty

Azhar Siddique

CHLS/QBRI

QBRI

CHLS

QCRI

QEERI

QEERI

  • Sustainable & Resilient Arid Cities

AI-Enhanced Resilience for Data Centers in Arid Cities: Sustainable Cooling, Predictive Control, and Climate-Aware Cost Optimization

Sertac Bayhan

 QEERI

Haitham Abu Rub

Sanjay Chawla

Ahmet Faruk Aysan

Abdlmonem Beitelmal

Nurettin Sezer

Christos Fountoukis

Sa'd Shannak

Ali Ghrayeb

Othmane Bouhali

CSE

QCRI

CIS

QEERI

QEERI

QEERI

QEERI

CSE

CSE

  • Sustainable & Resilient Arid Cities
  • Generative AI & Applications

Transformative Global Governance Led by Non-Western Small and Middle Powers: The Cases of Qatar and South Africa in Pursuing Peace and Justice in a Fractured World

Sultan Barakat

 CPP

Steven Wright

Ka Lok Yip

Mustafa Elamin

Kim Moloney

CHSS

CL

CIS

CPP

  • Global Transformation

Visualizing Adaptive and Transformative Governance: Qatar at the Nexus of Local, Regional, Transnational, and Global Change

Evren Tok

 CPP

Esmat Zaidan

Georgios Dimitropoulos

George Mikros

Asmaa Alfadala

Abdulfatah Mohamed

Kehinde Olaoye

CPP

CL

CHSS

CPP

CIS

CL

  • Global Transformation

NAVIA: Neurodiversity Assessment and Voice-enabled Intervention AI

Shammur Chowdhury

 QCRI

Fouad Al Shaban

Shazia Afzal

Deborah Giustini

QBRI

QCRI

CHSS

  • Autism
  • Generative AI & Applications

Islamic Media Ethics in the Digital Age: AI-Powered Solutions for Combating Misinformation and Promoting Constructive Cross-Cultural Dialogue

Rashid Yahiaoui

 CHSS

Mustafa Jarrar

George Mikros

Mahmoud Al Hirthani

Mutaz Al Khatib

Logan Cochrane

Firoj Alam

CHSS

CHSS

CHSS

CIS

CPP

QCRI

  • Islamic Ethics
  • Generative AI & Applications

Important Documents

Application Guidelines
Research Plan Template
Commitment Letter