Professor Sheikh Sulaiman Ibn Abdullah Aba Al-Khail, rector of Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and member of the Council of Senior Scholars, has announced that the Research Excellence Prize will include more fields, the rewards will also be increased and special rewards will be allocated for colleges which contribute effectively and meet their assigned requirements. The announcement was made Wednesday morning 29/7/1438 AH in the conference building at the university, during his attendance to the Research Excellence Prize in its eighth session for the academic year 1437/ 1438 AH, and the granting of incentives for the World Publishing Program in its fifth session in 2016.
His excellency said that "this work will be supported by the university to continue its efforts to achieve its objectives, especially after the unlimited support given by our leaders headed by the Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud -may Allah preserve him- and his highness Crown Prince Mohammad ibn Nayef ibn Abdulaziz, the deputy of the Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques and minister of interior, as well as Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad ibn Salman ibn Abdulaziz, the Second Deputy of the Council of Ministers and minister of defence, may -Allah protect them all- for their continuous work and devoted efforts for this blessed country, their great service to the Two Holy Mosques and all Muslims around the world".
He added, "This prize is compliant with the lawful, economic, political, international and global vision of 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020, whose s impact is obvious and whose benefits are enjoyed through the generous, appropriate and felicitous decrees issued by the Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques may -Allah preserve him. It has reached the young before the older, the distant before the closer and everyone who stepped on this great land, the home of Islam, the home of Qur'an, the home of Sunnah, the home of Tawheed, the country of the Two Holy Mosques and the Qiblah of Muslims".
His Excellency confirmed that the people of this country are capable of accomplishing achievements that can reach the world with their knowledge in Shari'ah (Islamic law), Arabic language, Sociology, Economics, Health, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, and that there is no obstacle that can stand in the way of hard work, determination, patriotism, awareness of the value of time and our duties toward our religion and country.
His Excellency thanked the leaders of this country, headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for their honest work for this blessed country and all Muslims. He also expressed his gratitude to Dr. Fahd ibn Abdulaziz Al-Askar for his exceptional efforts in the past at the Vice-Rectorate for Higher Studies and Scientific Research. He also thanked the Vice-Rector for Knowledge Exchange and International Communications Dr. Mohammad ibn Saeed Al-Alam for his hard work and honest effort in all fields inside the country and abroad. His Excellency also thanked Dr. Abdurrahman Al-Moqbil the Dean of Scientific Research for his distinguished work.
The ceremony started by showing a documentary reviewing the history of the prize. Then the Vice-Rector for Knowledge Exchange and International Communications Dr. Mohammad ibn Saeed Al-Alam delivered a speech on behalf of Dr. Mahmood ibn Sulaiman al Mahmood the Vice-Rector of Higher Studies and Scientific Research and Head of the committee of the prize. In his speech, Dr. Al-Alam explained how the Vice-Rectorate contributed in endorsing many initiatives and projects for scientific research. He then congratulated the winners, encouraged his colleagues to follow by example and expressed his gratitude toward the supervisors of the prize.
The Dean of Scientific Research Dr. Abdurrahman ibn Abdulaziz Al-Moqbil said that the number of published research articles this year has doubled in comparison with previous years. Dr. Al-Moqbil pointed out that the university was distinguished in international publishing for publishing its research works in Thomson Reuters' scientific network. He also confirmed that 26 researchers had applied to compete for the prize for the distinguished research. However, the referee committee selected only two of them, one researcher in the field of Arabic Sciences and the other in Humanities. According to Al-Moqbil the prize committee was keen to insure accurate, objective and fair assessment of research works. A research titled "'atabat al-'onf – kayf yansha' al-'erhab min khilal al-llughah [The initials of violence: How terrorism starts from the language]" by Dr. Mohammad ibn Sa'ad Al-Dakan, Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Criticism, won the prize in Arabic Sciences, while another research entitled "A'dha' hay'at at-tadrees biljami'at as-su'wdyah bayn edrak al-qyadat wa darajat almomarasah [Faculty members at Saudi universities: Between the leaders' perception and the level of practice]" by Dr. Mohammad Khamys Harb, Associate Professor of Management and Educational Planning, won the prize in Humanities.
The Vice-Dean of Scientific Research for Cultural Affairs, Supervisor of the International Publishing Unit Dr. Ra'id ibn Abdullah At-Turki stated that the number of participants this year was more than 100 researchers from the university. Dr. At-Turky also announced the names of distinguished researchers in the International Publication Incentive program and they are: Dr. Kamal Abdaljawad Bradah, Associate Professor of Physics at the College of science; Dr. As'ad ibn Al-Mabrok, Professor of Physics at the College of science ; Dr. Waleed Al-Masy, Assistant Professor of Investment at the College of Economics and Administrative Sciences.
Dr. Al-Turki also announced rewarding three colleges with the highest number of accepted academic papers, which are: the College of Science, represented by the Dean Dr. Mohammad ibn Muhsen Babtain; the College of Computer and Information, represented by the Dean Dr. Waleed Al-Rawdhan; the College of Medicine, represented by the Dean Dr. Khalid Abdulghafar.
