The manual of Research Support System Rules & Regulations, 2013, has progressed into its third edition, with a wider scope and substance, providing latest outlook of Research Sector's Rules & Regulations for the grant of awards and supportive facilities to faculties for pursuing advanced and innovative research. The manual documents currently applicable bylaws on the fundamentals of research support system at Kuwait University, with inclusion of new clauses, and clarifications on existing articles, as RS moves towards creating a receptive and flexible system of governance in rendering grant support.

The underlying purpose is to set the faculties momentum for scientific innovation and creativity through greater provisions, benefits and resources as stimulants for high quality research, the compelling basis for which is the RS Research Support System, mobilizing the entire grant process. This system is continuously being reviewed and reformed to make it an attractive domain for researchers to claim funds under any of the established grant support categories, through well defined, original and scientifically sound proposals in basic and applied sciences, and in arts and humanities.

With RS policy geared to achieving this purpose, the manual ideally provides a most reliable and authentic guide on current procedures, new additions and modifications, deemed necessary in the changing scientific climate. New grounds for research and development have been created with the induction of two new programs within the RS policy framework, concerning the establishment of Research Chair and Postdoctoral Fellowship (Chapter 9), both purely research centered openings, significantly enhancing RS commitments beyond the existing grant support dimensions, with new legislative clauses stipulated and included in the manual.

The manual redefines the funding levels for awarding grant support, with raised allocations earmarked for the sustenance of small, medium-range and large-scale projects. New fiscal parameters have also been set for mission participation, based on country-wise groupings, while purchase procedures, manpower hiring on approved projects, and petty cash settlement have been further explained and clarified. In addition, provision has been made to extend the benefit of consultative and statistical services (Article 16) for accommodating faculties project-related needs, subject to simple conditions, and the privilege of small project-related acquisitions granted through specific amount allocated as research facilities reward (Article 17), the value of which is tied to the duration of the project.

In addition, RS developmental outlook has further crystallized in setting new areas of priority research, based on faculties input, offering researchers wider choices and options. These newly established priorities, with 15 identified areas, would remain valid until 2014, with special benefits extended to researchers for priority research. At this juncture, RS focus is also on the sustenance of elevated quality standards in KU research, for which continuity of incentive rewards would remain the stimulant for researchers to achieve distinguished outputs, both from funded or unfunded research that gets published in top ranking journals of international repute and impact. RS policy thrust would remain on this ambitious goal, setting the benchmark for high quality research at KU, with the manual outlining explicit requirements and entitlements for attaining distinguished outputs of world standard.

All inclusive, the manual condenses the entire grant support universe within the frame of 77 articles, providing first-hand knowledge on the mechanism and modalities of grant awards system at KU. Intended as an invaluable users-manual for researchers, the document aims at facilitating faculties in wading through the critical phases of project submission, approval, implementation, reporting and publications stages, placing essential information at their disposal, for implementing and accomplishing their research goals. In releasing the manual�s 3rd edition, it is RS ardent hope that the faculties would draw maximum benefit from the available resources in achieving outstanding and internationally credible results, the goals that KU is aspiring to achieve.

In preparing the manual's updated edition, I appreciate and commend the joint efforts of the Assts. Vice President, Prof. Haitham Lababidi, Prof. Nejib Smaoui, and Prof. Obaid Al-Otaibi, for reviewing and refining the grant support rules and regulations. I also acknowledge the input and efforts of Dr. Promila Sharma for giving the manual its final shape, as well as Ms. Bedoor Al-Qurayan for translation support, and Mrs. Shaheen Nawaz for artwork and design.

Prof. Hasan Abdul Aziz Al-Sanad                                                      
Vice President for Research