What is Al Qasimi Foundation’s Doctoral Research Grants
The Al Qasimi Foundation’s Doctoral Research Grants encourage scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research toward informing policymaking in the United Arab Emirates. These grants financially support PhD candidates in the research phase of their dissertations.
What the Grant Supports — What Is Covered
The grant covers all student expenses associated with field research in the United Arab Emirates. This includes return airfares, furnished accommodation for up to 12 months, a stipend to cover living costs, and research support. Recipients are expected to produce one or two policy papers as part of the grant, and to record a podcast or make at least one presentation to the local research community.
Grant Objectives
The grant aims to provide opportunities for distinguished doctoral candidates to conduct innovative applied research and make a positive impact on the community of Ras Al Khaimah. It seeks to foster high-quality research that builds the region’s research capacity, build a community of scholars, promote collaboration among international universities and national institutions in the UAE, and encourage cross-cultural exchange that generates new ideas and understanding.
Eligibility Conditions
Applicants must be current PhD students at an accredited university, in good academic standing. If English is a secondary language, they must meet a minimum TOEFL or IELTS threshold (TOEFL iBT 85 or IELTS 6.5). The applicant must have completed all PhD coursework and be ready to conduct the field research portion of the dissertation. They must have an approved research proposal (or one in process) that includes a literature review and a detailed research methodology. The proposed research must have Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from the applicant’s home institution. Crucially, the proposed research must include Ras Al Khaimah (or the UAE) as at least one part of the research. Research in certain areas is excluded: business or marketing, agronomy, engineering, IT or computer science, lab-based or scientific studies, and medical degrees are not eligible because they are not considered “policy-related.” Preference is given to projects in fields such as education, public policy (urban planning, economics, public health, environment), or closely related social‑science areas.
Selection Process and Number of Awards
The grant review is competitive and based on academic merit and the relevance of the proposed research. The foundation’s Directors and Advisory Board evaluate applications. Each year only two Doctoral Research Grants are awarded, reflecting the limited number available and the high selectivity of the process.
What Recipients Are Expected to Deliver
Recipients must deliver a set of outputs designed to influence policy or practice: a final report summarizing key findings and outcomes, a policy brief summarizing recommendations and implications, a public (or hybrid) presentation to local stakeholders, a policy‑oriented publication or op-ed, and a scholarly article suitable for submission to a peer‑reviewed academic journal.
