Introduction
Believing in the role of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University to build an integrated system of scientific research and innovation in order to achieve a sustainable development of the national economy and enhance its global competitiveness in accordance with 2030 vision towards the knowledge of economy as a strategic priority, while innovation is one of the tools that contribute to achieve this goal, the role of the Innovation Unit in the Agency of Scientific Research and Innova tion is to develop and adopt innovative thinking on both individual and institutional levels, motivate IAU staff members to practice creative and innovative thinking and to participate in providing novel solutions for environmental and societal problems through the optimal utilization of economic resources in the context of environmental determinants. The annual innovation competition is one of the innovative projects that the unit seeks to implement in cooperation with the annual innovation competition committee, which is made up of highly qualified group of IAU faculty members with outstanding experiences and innovative features in various scientific fields, under the supervision and chair manship of the Vice-President of scientific research and innovation.
Vision
Developing enhanced innovative way of thinking to move towards knowledge of economy.
Mission
A supportive and stimulating environment that transforms the university into an innovative university capable of sup porting the university's policy, investing in and localizing the knowledge of industry and achieving societal needs.
Objectives
- Spreading the culture of innovation and creativity among the university's staff.
- Supporting and adopting innovations for the university's staff and encouraging them to present their ideas and transform them into innovations of economic value.
- Creating sustainable innovative solutions to societal problems that contribute to strengthening the university's infra structure.
University observatory for data analysis
FAQ
- What are the fields of the award and who does it target?
Annual Innovation Award of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University targets all university employees with different categories (faculty members, male and female students, male and female employees) and disciplines (health, engineering, scientific and humanitarian).
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What is the subject of the annual innovation award?
The Annual Innovation Award Committee tries this year to offer faculties, staff and students the opportunity to participate. Thus, in the first edition of the competition this year, the opportunity is given for any distinguished innovative work, whether it is a development for a new tool or device, adding value to a specific product, developing an administrative or production process, providing a new innovative service, an electronic system that solves a problem that constitutes an innovation, laboratory findings - published research that concerns a new method of performance that is related to any of the different scientific fields, etc. However, it is necessary that it is an integrated work that is applicable and solves any of the environmental, social, or economic problems.
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When will the award be launched?
The Innovation Award is launched annually in January, as registration is available through the Annual Innovation Award application in the (e-Services) tab of the university's website.
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How the arbitration process is done?
The process of arbitrating innovations is carried out by a distinguished group of faculty members that represent variousspecialties and academic disciplines at the university. It is a confidential process in which no information is disclosed to, the innovator about the evaluation committee and vice versa .The arbitrating process begins by sorting out , studying and evaluating the submitted entries, then nominating the winning entries based on the criteria approved by the committee. All arbitrators are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of entries and not to disclose any information related to the innovative idea to anyone or any third parties, by signing non-disclosure form.
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What prizes are awarded to the winners?
The financial value of the award varies based on the categories of university members, (faculty member, students, employees), as the awards go to the top three innovations for each category. The value of the awards varies annually according to what is offered by sponsors from the private and business sectors. The winners will also be awarded the university's Innovation Award shields at the annual celebration, which coincides with the World Innovation Day.
- How does the Annual Innovation Award support innovators?
The Annual innovation award provides support to the university's innovators by adopting their winning innovations, provide the necessary support, and incubate them in the university's business incubator to investigate the best method to market such innovations. Moreover, posting them to the university's Patent and Technology Transfer Office, for protectingits IP and filing these innovations as commercial / industrial products with economic and commercial value that contribute to drive development and progress in our country.
- What are the strategic plans for this event?
Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, represented by the Vice President office for Scientific Research and Innovation, endeavor to spread the culture of innovation in order to promote the development of innovative capacities of its member. This can be accomplished by the formation of the interactivity with the external environment by by paying attention to the innovations that solve societal, economic, or national problems. Also, by working on utilizing the available economic resources in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in line with Vision 2030 and utilizing the winning innovations in the competition to enhance partnerships and cooperations with stakeholders that can get benefit from these innovations, for governmental or industrial sectors.
- Does the university support innovators to complete their innovations? How is that possible?
Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University has several tracks through which innovators and researchers can complete their innovations. The innovation based - scientific research track is the most important one which provides financial support for the research projects of the university researchers in addition, the student projects , individual or innovation teamsfrom students or faculty members. Also, the Innovation Bank , which will be announced soon, works on adopting innovations, where the innovation is evaluated first and then directed either to provide needed materials or academic support or prototyping the innovation in the university's specialized laboratories for preparing it for marketing. If there is an integrated innovation, then its transition to the market is facilitated either by incubating it in the business incubator at the university or by directing it to the appropriate companies to grant needed licenses to get benefit from the innovation.
