About Department of Research

Overview

DU recognizes Research as one of the main pillars of academic excellence. It is currently ranked 2nd in Research among all private Universities in Oman based on its ResearchGate (RG) score. Despite being a relatively new institution, from 2009 until 2015, DU has been awarded eight research grants from “The Research Council” in areas of Energy & Industry, Information Technology & Communication, Languages, Social Sciences and EcoHouse Project.

The Department of Research (DR) strives to create a favorable research environment within DU which encourages, facilitates and promotes research activities across the University.

Vision

The vision of the DR is:“To foster, promote and establish a conducive environment for good quality Research”

Mission

The DR under the umbrella of the office of Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Research (DVC) shall promote, facilitate & foster the Research environment at DU. Its aim is to contribute to the development of the quality Research work at DU and to help it to establish as a leading Research institution in the region.

DU will establish a Research Centre that will be responsible for several clusters that support and develop strategically important local and national topics such as Conservation of biodiversity, frankincense and medicinal plants, sustainable development of Dhofari mountains and coastal areas, issues related to livestock and agriculture, computer and information security, enhanced oil recovery, youth issues, languages, cultural heritage and society, improved traffic system, e-society in Oman, cancer detection and classification, remote sensing, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) etc. The Research Centre will be headed by the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research. A Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council will formulate and propose clusters in the area of strategic importance. The Centre aims to promote quality Research throughout the University.

Research Goal

To promote Research activities and consultancy services and to be the Research hub for all Research activities vital for the region.

Research Objectives

The key objectives of DR are to:

• Strengthen environment for Research activities.
• Provide an environment conducive to consultancy services.
• Develop DU into a hub for Research activities that are important to the region.
• Ensure ethics and bio-safety in Research.
• Establish Research teaching nexus.

Organizational Chart

Roles & Responsibilities of Department of Research

In the capacity of a principal Research agency of the University, the main role of the DR is to provide Research leadership to the University, which entails the following responsibilities:

• Promoting and facilitating independent, collaborative and interdisciplinary Research in the University.
• To build and provide adequate support to develop a community of innovative researchers at the University.
• Develop networks between DU researchers, industry and the community with respect to Research initiatives of mutual benefit.
• To foster and stimulate Research efforts and creative projects.
• To act as a focal point between the University and The Research Council (TRC).
• To encourage and mentor the faculty members and students to obtain various Research grants from TRC through Open Research Grant (ORG), Faculty Mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program (FURAP), Graduate Research Support Program (GRSP) and Social Observatory program (SOP) or through other external funding agencies.
• To develop and enhance Research programs and identify niche areas of interest important to Dhofar region in particular and Oman in general.
• Implementing and revising the Operational Plan for Research on an annual basis.
• Preparing the annual report and any other report related to the Research.
• Ensure objective, ethical and responsible conduct of Research in the University.
• To establish and review policies such as the Consultancy Policy and the Intellectual Property Policy.
• Promote the strategic goal of DU being a hub of Research in Dhofar region.

Promoting Strategic Topics of Interest to Oman:

In order to focus on the strategic topics of interest to Oman, the DR is responsible to:

• Encourage DU faculty in each department to form Research interest groups, which may also involve graduate students. The groups can arrange to meet regularly, say fortnightly, for discussions, involving fields and topics related to strategic Research of interest to Oman and then going ahead with the necessary preparations to carry out the Research.
• Provide TRC literature and necessary guidance to each Research interest group related to funding for strategic Research through Strategic Research program (SRP).

Linking Omani Researchers to International Researchers:

Research is essential to nation building as it underpins progress, economic growth and prosperity. It also helps us better equip and train the workforce and encourages creativity and innovations as it leads to greater entrepreneurship and helps industry grow. In short, Research makes the nation more competitive in the global economy. As per the National Research Strategy for Oman, the government has been actively taking steps to promote quality Research among young Omani researchers. In order to support the government to achieve its goals, the DR at DU should:

• Enhance collaborative Research through joint papers and Research projects.
• Serve on editorial board of reputed international journals and as peer reviewers of journals and conferences.
• Serve as external examiners for PhD & MS Thesis evaluation.
• Participate in international conferences, workshops and seminars.
• Encourage young Omani researchers to apply for membership in academic and professional international associations.
• Invite international researchers to serve as external examiners for Masters’ theses.
• Encourage Master students to publish their Research work.
• Create and institutionalize DU Research Forum (DURF) with open national/international membership for participation in a periodical, say quarterly, lecture series and collaborative Research meetings.
• Develop a database of active Omani researchers in Omani institutions of higher education and invite them for Research-oriented lectures and seminars.
• Sign collaborative Research promotion MoUs with other national/international universities, for example with the Humanities Research Centre of SQU and the associated department at DU to focus on joint Research of interests.
• Initiate holding joint one-day conferences.
• Announce “Best Researcher Award” for young Omani researchers based on international criteria.