This program, a strategic long-term investment, aims to develop a set of scientific skills required to put the Kingdom within the group of leading countries globally, in the fields of science, technology, and innovation. The program aims to conduct high level scientific research at the cutting edge of all scientific fields, in order to contribute to new discoveries, and to play a role in building the necessary scientific pillars required to improve the research environment in the Kingdom, and achieve the country’s vision of building a knowledge-based society and economy.

The program’s goals include the following:

• Encouraging distinguished research leaders to conduct research in the fields of basic science, according to the latest scientific knowledge worldwide.
• Encouraging promising researchers to develop original high-risk research ideas.
• Developing scientific skills to promote the Kingdom’s position as a leading country in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.
• Supporting the newest scientific and technological discoveries.
• Enhancing the participation of Master and PhD students in the implementation of basic research in Saudi universities.
• Enhancing the culture of joint research among teams in universities and national research centers, and ensure harmony amongst them.

Researchers in universities and national research centers can benefit from this program. The targeted KPIs by 2020 include the publication of 1800 scientific papers and registering 450 patents, approved in the main areas of the program, namely: natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, and agricultural sciences.

Under this program STU-UQU submitted 56 research proposals in 2017 and 29 proposals in 2018.