NSTIP Submission Guidelines for Application

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan

2

Table of Contents

GENERAL GUIDELINES ............................................................................................................. 3

APPENDIX (1): INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE RESEARCH

PROPOSAL APPLICATION FORMS .......................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX (2). HOW TO COMPLETE TABLE D1-6: DETAILED EXAMPLE .................... 11

APPENDIX (3): EXAMPLES OF COMMON FORMAL ERRORS .......................................... 15



3

General Guidelines

The General Secretariat of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan

is pleased to announce the deadlines for the submission of research proposal

applications to the Strategic Technologies Program- NSTIP.

Submission dates:

- Proposals will be accepted twice a year:

a) 1-31 March.

b) 1-30 September.

Submission requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted through the NSTIP e-portal at:

http://nstip.kacst.edu.sa only on the specific date for submission.

2. It is recommended that applicants read the guidelines on filling the research

proposal application before beginning the application process. (Appendix 1).

3. The applicant must verify that the research proposal is aligned with one of

the strategic technologies priorities and its tracks and sub-tracks.

4. The budget of the proposed research project should not exceed 2 million

SAR, and must comply with the “Strategic Technologies Program Projects

Payment Rules”.

5. “The Scientific Integrity Guidelines” must be observed.

6. Compliance with “the Living Creatures Research Ethics Law” when dealing

with living creatures or parts thereof or its genetic materials.

7. Compliance with the rules adopted on researcher participation in more than

three research projects, which state that a researcher may participate in more

than three research projects within the strategic technologies program on the

following conditions:

http://nstip.kacst.edu.sa/



4

- The researcher cannot be principle investigator (PI) in more than three

research projects.

- The researcher cannot participate in more than a total of five research

projects.

- The researcher may not receive in compensation for the research projects in

which he participates more than the awards granted for three projects per

month.

- The researcher must receive a “strongly recommended” evaluation at least

once in one of the projects funded by the NSTIP “strategic technologies

program”.

- The Science and Technology Units (STU) in the government bodies are

responsible for the implementation of these procedures.

8. The record of the researcher must be checked and found to be clear of

remarks of any violation of “Scientific Integrity Rules”.

9. The signature, national ID and legal residence cards numbers of each

researcher must be checked.

10. The following additional documents must be included in the research project

proposal:

- For research proposals that are being resubmitted after prior evaluation, a

response to the comments of the evaluators on the proposal.

- Official letter from the consultant stating his consent to provide the

project with his consultant services should the project need consultants.

- Informed consent form for research proposals involving living creatures

or parts thereof or their genetic material.

11. The STU’s of the relevant bodies must ensure that:

- All application requirements are complete.



5

- There are no formal or technical remarks comments on the research

proposals applying for the fund.

- There are no previous comments in the researcher’s record related to

violations of Scientific Integrity Rules.

12. To document the electronic application, a list of the research proposals that

meet all the requirements must be submitted with a formal letter from the

science and technology unit according to the attached schedule, to the

following address:

The Secretary General of the NSTIP

KACST

PO BOX 6086 Riyadh 11442

KSA

13. The representatives of the official authorities are instructed to deliver the

official letters within the deadline to submit applications to the KACST

Administrative Communications Center- Building 26- Ground Floor.



6

List of research proposals submitted for the grants (1433/12)

Note Code Proposal Status Principle

Investigator

Proposal

Title #

The code of the research

proposal must be

indicated in the case it is

revised or resubmitted

based on the comments

of the NSTIP General

Secretariat.

The project status

must be listed:

-New

-Revised post

evaluation

-Revised based on

the comments of

the NSTIP

General

Secretariat

1

2

3



7

Appendix (1): Instructions for the completion of the research proposal

application forms

The following guidelines are intended to be tool to help researchers complete the

requirements for submitting research proposals to the Strategic Technologies

Program, and fill in the application form accurately, avoiding any technical or

formal comment that may hinder the immediate acceptance of the application

before the evaluation process.

The application form:

The research projects application includes a number of essential elements that must

be completed accurately for the initial acceptance of the proposal to be secured, as

well as the following evaluation and supporting decision-making process. The

General Secretariat recommends that all researchers carefully study these

instructions before they start to fill in the application form, as follows:

1. The instructions attached to the English form regarding the required

information must be read and followed before beginning the application

process.

2. The detailed information requested in every subsection must be provided-

it’s not sufficient to simply list the information in the relevant tables, as the

tables are only meant to provide a summary of those sections, and not to

substitute for the required detailed information.

3. The tables of any specific section must be inserted within the relevant

section and not be all grouped at the end of the proposal.

4. The form must be completed in English only (including the CVs of

researchers and consultants) unless otherwise specified,

5. First Page:

The first page contains general information about the proposal, such as address

both in English and Arabic, the name of the technical program, as well as the main

and secondary areas of study, in addition to other general information about the



8

project proposal. The first page must include the name of the technology program

(e.g. biotechnology), followed by the general area of study (bio-polymers for

example) and the secondary more specific area of study (such as bio-catalysis).

The strategic technologies and related main and secondary areas of study for all

technology programs can be obtained from the relevant science and technology

unit, or from the following link:

http://www.kacst.edu.sa/en/research/Pages/default.aspx

6. Second Page: Project information:

All requested data must be provided as follows:

- List the proposed research project budget, which must correspond to the

overall amount indicated in the budget table.

- Indicate the time (months) needed to complete the research, listing in the

subsequent cell the suggested start date (month, year).

- The names of the Principal Investigator (P.I) and participating

researchers, (Co. I), their professional titles, and fields of expertise must

be indicated in the appropriate table cells. Additional staff involved in the

research project, especially graduate students (Masters, PhD) must also

be listed.

- The guidelines stipulate the participation of graduate students in the

project. In case there are no such participants, the proposal must indicate

so and explain the reason for it.

- When a consultant or more are needed to participate in the project, the

name and country of origin of the consultant must be indicated, in addition

to a letter from the consultant expressing his consent to participate in the

research, and his CV at the end of the proposal. The budget must in such

case detail the hours of professional service expected to be provided by the

consultants, and the relevant tables must also indicate this information.




9

7. Table D1-2: The project goals must be listed in the same order listed in the

project in detail (rather than in summary or numbers). The second cell entry

must explain the work method adopted by the researchers to meet these

goals.

8. Table D1-3: As mentioned previously, the project objectives must be entered

in the first cell, followed by the implementation phases of each objective,

followed by the tasks, activities and techniques used to achieve these

objectives in the third cell.

9. Table D1-4: The first table cell must contain the names of the researchers

and assistants, followed in the second cell by the role of each and the time

expected for each to complete his task within the project timeline. The

number of work hours must correspond to the number used in the budget

table to calculate compensation.

10. Table D1-5: The first cell must show the phases and activities/tasks to be

conducted, while the second cell shows the names of researchers responsible

for the implementation of this phase, followed in the subsequent cells by the

time (months) expected for the completion of this phase.

11. Table D1-6: This is considered one of the most important tables of data, as it

reflects whether or not the proposal falls within the strategic proposals. The

first cell entry must list the expected outcomes of the implementation

phases, while the next cell lists in detail text (as opposed to Goal1, Goal2

etc..) the strategic goals of the technology program to which the project can

be attributed. (e.g.: the key goals of the biotechnology program which the

research will achieve). Strategic goals are listed in the strategic programs’

booklet at the Science and Technology Unit, or can be accessed at:


12. The research proposal does not necessarily have to achieve all the strategic

objectives, but the outcomes must be aligned with the purpose of these

strategic objectives. A (√) or (X) mark must appear in the second cell(s)

when mentioning the expected outcomes, below the listed strategic goal




10

corresponding to the relevant outcome in the first cell. In the third cell, list

the objective that will be achieved as mentioned in the proposal in detail as

opposed to numbers and codes, to maintain clarity & facilitate the work of

the outside evaluator (attached is a detailed explanation with examples to

show samples of D1-6).

13. Table D1-7: The budget table cells are clear, the required details must be

provided, and the numbers given need to be verified to assure that the

overall sum corresponds to the amount listed on the first page under the

budget.

14. Table D1-8: This table shows the adherence of the research team to some of

the mandatory guidelines of research activities. The signatures of the team

on this document attest to the team’s acceptance of all the terms and the

consequences of potential violations.



11

Appendix (2). How to complete Table D1-6: detailed example

1. Cell 2 of table D1-6 includes a number of columns based on the number of

strategic goals the research proposal is expected to achieve in terms of the

targeted strategic technology. Each column has a title: Goal 1, Goal 2, etc…

2. The researcher needs to show the number of strategic goals (from the

targeted technology strategic goals booklet) expected to be achieved,

inserting as many columns in the relevant table as there are goals.

3. The researcher needs to describe in detail in the first cell the expected

outcomes to be achieved in order, and the corresponding project objectives

achieved as a result in the third cell, (which are the same ones as the ones

listed at the beginning of the proposal usually in the second page of the

form). The researcher decides at this point, and based on what is written in

the first and third cells, which of the identified strategic goals will be

achieved, writing the goal down in one of the columns of the second cell

(see example 1 of the below table).

4. The researcher may, in case he does not wish to write again the strategic

goals he will achieve in the second cell, write them once in the appropriate

space below or above the table, with a clear title, i.e. Goal 1, Goal 2, etc… A

check or x mark is then written down in the appropriate column in the

second cell (i.e. under Goal1, Goal2 etc…) to identify the objective. The

same table was written in this manner in example (1) and clarified in

example (2) to illustrate this point.

5. The research proposal can achieve one or more of the goals of the targeted

strategic technologies- it does not have to achieve them all to be considered

a strategic proposal.

6. Following all the above instructions is intended to help the researcher clearly

demonstrate to the outside evaluator that the research proposal is indeed

aligned with the targeted strategic technologies goals, especially that the



12

authority evaluating the proposals keeps a copy of the goals of all the

strategic technologies adopted by KACST.

Example (1) How to Fill Table D1-6 for A Strategic Research Proposal in the

“Energy Technology”

PROJECT

EXPECTED

OUTCOMES

STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

GOALS PROJECT

OBJECTIVE

ACHIEVED GOAL 1 GOAL 2 GOAL3

1 A new whole-

field approach for

the aerodynamic

analysis of wind

turbines using the

state-of-the –art

computational

technologies will

have been

developed

Efficiently

exploiting

national

energy

resources.

Supporting

national self-

dependence

in critical

energy

technologies

Faster and

better design,

simulation and

analysis

technologies

and methods

for new

generation

wind turbines

2. An advanced

parallel CFD code

with RANS,

HRLES and LES

models for fluid-

structure

interaction for

single blades and

whole rotors will

have been

developed

Efficiently

exploiting

national

energy

resources.

Supporting

national self-

dependence

in critical

energy

technologies

New

experimental

methods for

aerodynamic

analysis

3. Fast and

effective physics-

based multi-

disciplinary

optimization

methods will have

been produced for

Efficiently

exploiting

national

energy

resources.

Supporting

national self-

dependence

in critical

energy

technologies

Supporting the

local energy

industry to

attain

development

and growth

with

Testing and

verification

and resource

center to be set

up



13

Example (2) How to Fill Table D1-6 for A Strategic Research Proposal in the

“Energy Technology”

the aerodynamic

and structural

dynamic design of

wind turbine

blades.

technology

solutions

4. The best

efficiency in the

field will have

been achieved

through analysis

and optimization

as we have done

for ARC’s AS-400

series turbine.

Efficiently

exploiting

national

energy

resources.

Supporting

national self-

dependence

in critical

energy

technologies

Supporting the

local energy

industry to

attain

development

and growth

with

technology

solutions

Transfer of

technologies to

local industry

PROJECT

EXPECTED

OUTCOMES

STRATEGIC

TECHNOLOGY

PROGRAM GOALS PROJECT OBJECTIVE

ACHIEVED GOAL

1

GOAL

2 GOAL3

1 A new whole-field

approach for the

aerodynamic analysis

of wind turbines using

the state-of-the –art

computational

technologies will have

been developed

X X

Faster and better design,

simulation and analysis

technologies and methods for

new generation wind turbines

2. An advanced

parallel CFD code

with RANS, HRLES

and LES models for

fluid-structure

interaction for single

X X New experimental methods

for aerodynamic analysis



14

Goal 1: Efficiently exploiting national energy resources.

Goal 2: Supporting national self-dependence in critical energy technologies.

Goal 3: Supporting the local energy industry to attain development and

growth with technology solutions.

blades and whole

rotors will have been

developed

3. Fast and effective

physics-based multi-

disciplinary

optimization methods

will have been

produced for the

aerodynamic and

structural dynamic

design of wind turbine

blades.

X X X Testing and verification and

resource center to be set up

4. The best efficiency

in the field will have

been achieved through

analysis and

optimization as we

have done for ARC’s

AS-400 series turbine.

X X X Transfer of technologies to

local industry



15

Appendix (3): Examples of common formal errors

1. Failure to use the appropriate application form (CNPSTI Form RE-D1).

2. Failure to complete the application form entirely and correctly.

3. Filling in some fields in Arabic.

4. Writing CV in Arabic, or using the Arabic language in inappropriate parts

(such as an Arabic abstract).

5. Failure to attach a response letter addressing the evaluators’ comments in the

case of a resubmitted, revised proposal.

6. Failure to indicate the research status (new, resubmitted, revised) or

indicating the incorrect status.

7. The proposal does not correspond to its indicated strategic goals (listed in

table D1-6). For example the proposal strategic objectives relate to

biotechnology whereas the proposal is classified to be in the field of math

and physics. If the classification of the proposal remains the same then the

targeted goals of math and physics technology should be adopted.

8. Failure to include table D1-6 which shows whether the proposal is aligned

with the targeted strategic technology goals- all cells must be completed

with the required information.

9. Lack of graduate students in the project without a convincing explanation to

justify this absence.

10. Failure to indicate the role of the consultant if the project does need

consultant services.

11. Failure to attach the consultant’s CV.

12. Failure to include the letter stating the consultant’s consent to participate in

the project.

13. Failure to include the CV of any of the research team members.

14. Failure to include informed consent table in case of projects dealing with

living creatures, or parts of them or their genetic materials .



16

Date post:	24-Jun-2015
Category:	Business
Upload:	king-abdullah-medical-city-kamc-research-center
View:	5,762 times
Download:	0 times

NSTIP Submission Guidelines for Application

Business