MUSCAT: The Research and Innovation Authority has announced the outcomes of the inaugural cycle of the 'Collaboration Programme with Sultan Qaboos Academic Chairs', which has resulted in the approval of funding for a portfolio of strategic research projects.
This initiative forms part of the national drive to maximise the scholarly impact of these distinguished Chairs while deepening international research partnerships in alignment with the strategic objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
This flagship programme is designed to catalyse cross-border research collaboration, equip Omani researchers and innovators with world-class competencies, and foster the production of high-impact studies that yield evidence-based solutions to pressing national challenges. In so doing, it further consolidates the Sultanate of Oman’s standing within the global research and innovation ecosystem.
The first cycle attracted substantial engagement and intense competition from the academic community, with a total of 46 research proposals submitted by nine Omani research institutions. These proposals were coordinated in partnership with twelve Sultan Qaboos Chairs hosted by pre-eminent universities and academic institutions worldwide.
Following a rigorous final evaluation process, funding was approved for eight collaborative research projects to be undertaken jointly by the Authority, seven local research institutions, and the respective international Chair holders. The approved projects span five priority research domains aligned with national development needs.
In the field of international relations, Middle Eastern studies, religion and shared human values, the project 'Transformations in the Contemporary Middle East: Artificial Intelligence, Gender and Culture' has been sanctioned. The principal investigator is Dr Rukhshana Bano of Muscat College, in collaboration with the Sultan Qaboos Chair for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Tokyo, Japan.
Within the discipline of Arabic and Islamic studies, the project 'The Belt and Road Initiative as a Framework for Strategic Hedging in Sino–GCC Relations (2013-2025)' has been approved. It is led by Dr Imran al Abri of Sultan Qaboos University, working alongside the Sultan Qaboos bin Said Chair for Arabic Studies at Peking University in China.
In the water and desert agriculture sector, two projects have received support. The first, 'Seawater Desalination Using High-Performance Capacitive Deionisation Technology for Desert Farming Applications', is headed by Dr Mohammad Asim Siddiqui of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences – Shinas Branch, in cooperation with the Sultan Qaboos bin Said Chair for Desert Agriculture at the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.
The second project, 'Environmental Studies on Water Flow in Porous Media Using Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Management in Oman', is directed by Dr Khalifa al Kindi of the University of Nizwa, in partnership with the Sultan Qaboos Chair for Quantitative Water Management at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
In the information technology domain, two further projects have been endorsed. The first, entitled 'Hardware Accelerator for Post-Quantum Cryptography', is led by Dr Adnan Kabbani of the A'Sharqiyah University, in association with the Oman Chair for Information Technology at NED University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan.
The second, 'AMaOO-AD: Adaptive Multi-Objective Optimisation Techniques for Amphibious Unmanned Aerial Vehicles', is spearheaded by Dr Gopal Rathinam of the University of Al Buraimi.
In the mathematical sciences, two projects focusing on energy and intelligent modelling have been funded. The first introduces an 'Intelligent Flow Assurance Model for Multiphase Pipelines Integrating Fuzzy Knowledge Maps and Computational Fluid Dynamics', under the leadership of Dr Aliya al Farsi of the Middle East College, in collaboration with the Sultan Qaboos Fellowship in Mathematics at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The second project, 'Electrolysis for Green Hydrogen Production: A GPU-Accelerated and HPC-Enhanced First-Principles Model Supported by Machine Learning Optimisation', is directed by Dr Ali Taqi of Sultan Qaboos University.
These approved research endeavours represent a significant step forward in the knowledge exchange between the Sultan Qaboos Academic Chairs and Omani national institutions. They further demonstrate the programme’s success in forging research bridges that serve domestic priorities while contributing to the sustained development of local research capabilities.
The Research and Innovation Authority plays a pivotal role as an active conduit between international Chair holders and researchers within Omani academic and research institutions, thereby enhancing opportunities for joint scholarly collaboration, facilitating the exchange of expertise, and generating innovative responses to national, regional and global challenges.
It is worth noting that the Sultan Qaboos Academic Chairs, Professorships and Fellowships constitute a pioneering initiative that embodies Oman’s civilisational commitment to advancing human knowledge and fostering intercultural dialogue and rapprochement between the Arab world and nations across the globe. - ONA
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
