Sultan Qaboos Chairs programme funds eight collaborative research projects
The Authority for Research and Innovation announced the results of the first cycle of the Sultan Qaboos Chairs programme, approving funding for eight collaborative research projects. According to the authority, the awards were selected from 46 proposals submitted by nine Omani institutions in coordination with 12 Sultan Qaboos Chairs at leading international universities.
The programme aims to deepen research collaboration between Oman-based researchers and international chair-holders, the authority said. The funding supports projects across five strategic areas aligned with Oman Vision 2040, including international relations, Arabic and Islamic studies, water and desert aquaculture, information technology, and mathematics.
Programme overview and selection context
The inaugural cycle attracted strong competition from universities and research centres across Oman. Officials said the Authority for Research and Innovation evaluated proposals on scientific merit, relevance to national priorities, and the potential for capacity building. The final selection approved eight projects to be co-funded by the authority and seven local research institutions working with international Sultan Qaboos Chairs.
Furthermore, the programme is framed as a long-term mechanism to strengthen international research partnerships, transfer knowledge, and build local research capacity. The authority added that selected projects will receive technical support to ensure outcomes are disseminated and linked to national policymaking where appropriate.
Funded projects and international partners
The funded portfolio spans five priority research areas. In international relations and Middle East studies, Muscat College’s Dr. Rukhsana Bano will lead a project titled “Transformations in the Contemporary Middle East: Artificial Intelligence, Gender and Culture” in collaboration with the Sultan Qaboos Chair in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Tokyo.
In Arabic and Islamic studies, Dr. Imran Al-Abri from Sultan Qaboos University will investigate “The Belt and Road Initiative as a Framework for Strategic Hedging between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (2013–2025)” with the Sultan Qaboos bin Said Chair for Arabic Studies at Peking University.
Water and desert aquaculture received two awards. Dr. Mohammed Asim Siddiqui of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences – Shinas will research high-performance ion-exchange desalination techniques for desert agriculture with the Sultan Qaboos Chair for Desert Aquaculture at Gulf University, Bahrain. Dr. Khalifa Al-Kindi of the University of Nizwa will lead an environmental study on subsurface flow in porous media using remote sensing, GIS and geospatial AI in partnership with the Sultan Qaboos Chair in Quantitative Water Management at Utrecht University.
In information technology, two applied projects were approved. Dr. Adnan Kabani of the University of Ash Sharqiyah will develop a post‑quantum cryptography accelerator in cooperation with the Oman Chair in Information Technology at NED University of Engineering and Technology (Pakistan). Dr. Gopal Rathinam from the University of Buraimi will advance adaptive multi-objective optimisation techniques for unmanned amphibious vehicles.
The mathematics cluster funded two projects focusing on energy and modelling. Dr. Alia Al-Farsi of Middle East College will develop a smart model to secure multiphase flow in pipelines by integrating fuzzy knowledge maps with computational fluid dynamics alongside the Sultan Qaboos Fellowship in Mathematics at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge. Dr. Ali Taqi from Sultan Qaboos University will work on GPU-accelerated, first-principles modelling of electrolytic green hydrogen production, incorporating machine learning optimisations.
Sultan Qaboos Chairs as a mechanism for research collaboration
The Sultan Qaboos Chairs programme is designed to leverage long-standing academic links between Oman and partner universities. The authority said these chairs and fellowships act as focal points for knowledge exchange, joint supervision, and researcher mobility. Therefore, the initiative is expected to enhance both immediate project outputs and longer-term institutional ties.
Additionally, officials highlighted that projects were chosen to address national challenges such as water scarcity, sustainable food production, digital security, and clean energy. The selection process prioritised proposals that combine rigorous science with clear pathways to policy impact and capacity building for early-career researchers in Oman.
Implications for Oman research capacity and international partnerships
Observers note that the approved projects extend Oman’s engagement in international research networks and create opportunities for technology transfer. Furthermore, by aligning projects with Oman Vision 2040, the authority aims to ensure research contributes to economic diversification and sustainable development goals.
Researchers involved in the funded projects will be expected to report progress periodically, publish findings in peer-reviewed venues, and participate in workshops and exchanges hosted by both local institutions and international chair-holders. This approach, according to the authority, will help institutionalise best practices and foster a pipeline of skilled researchers.
Supporting broader research ecosystems
Programmatic support will include administrative coordination, ethics and compliance guidance, and facilitation of researcher exchanges. The authority also indicated plans to monitor outcomes against measurable indicators such as publications, patents, trained personnel, and contributions to national policy debates.
What to watch next
Beneficiaries of the first cycle will commence work in the coming months, and the authority expects preliminary reports within the first year. Stakeholders said future cycles of the Sultan Qaboos Chairs programme may open to additional thematic areas depending on evaluations of early outcomes and evolving national priorities.
Readers should watch for calls for the next funding round, announcements about researcher exchanges, and early publications from these projects. The authority stated it will publish regular updates and that successful demonstrations could inform scaling of research collaboration mechanisms across other Omani institutions.
In conclusion, the first cycle of the Sultan Qaboos Chairs programme represents a coordinated step to strengthen international research collaboration, build local capacity in critical fields, and support Oman’s strategic development goals. The next 12 months will be pivotal for translating funded research into tangible contributions to science and policy.