About Research Chairs

The council of King Saud University in the session dated 1/4/1428AH approved the launch of “Research Chairs “. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia considered a leading country at the regional level in adopting the concept of Research Chairs in response to the wise leadership to develop the scientific research and contribute sustainable development based on knowledge economy.

Research Chairs are distinct and timeframe scientific entities that are assigned to distinguished scholars to conduct pioneering research that enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of economic and social sectors It plays a vital role in complementing scientific research systems in critical scientific fields, and encourage innovation and apply outputs to benefit society. This in turn accelerate the national development and enhance the national capabilities and elevate  the status of societies.

Many countries have established research chairs and encouraged their institution to invest in them. In 2000 Canada established Research Chairs Program that support 2285 research chairs with annual investment of 311 million Dollar. the program aimed to attract distinguished scholars to enhance scientific research quality. Similarly Japan approved a research chairs program in 1987 also USA and the European union.

The establishment of research chairs aims to create distinct research entities with clearly defined priorities based on national and societal needs in which outputs contribute to solve contemporary issues and benefit from global expertise to achieve scientific partnership with different society sectors in accordance with its own mechanisms to preserve the rights of the funder and the university, and to achieve research aims facing challenges or developing or creating ideas. Research chairs also aim to attract the best global researchers and adopt graduate students (master-PHD) to complete scientific research system and development of innovation and in which outputs serve the community.

Research Chairs at King Saud University are divided into:

Chairs supported by the university, and the research priorities are based on national and societal needs.

- Chairs supported from outside the university through participation between the private sector and the university, according to its own mechanisms to preserve the rights of the funder and the university.