Visiting Researcher

Introduction

As part of its mission to support research excellence and enhance its role in advancing scientific research and contributing to building a sustainable knowledge economy, and in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Deanship of Scientific Research at the University of Tabuk has launched the "Visiting Researcher Program." This initiative aims to attract a distinguished group of professors and researchers from prestigious international universities to benefit from their experience in developing the capabilities of the university’s researchers, and to build an integrated research environment that fosters international research partnerships and high-level scientific competitiveness.

Program Description

The program is a collaborative initiative between researchers from the University of Tabuk and distinguished international researchers holding the rank of Professor. These researchers are selected based on specific criteria and for a defined period. The goal is to enhance the competitiveness of university researchers, improve the quality of their work, and achieve global excellence in scientific publishing by assigning the visiting researcher clear tasks that contribute to the program’s objectives.

Program Objectives

1. Promote research activity within the university and enhance the scientific research skills of its researchers.
2. Provide a suitable environment for scientific collaboration with outstanding professors and researchers from top international universities and research centers.
3. Increase scientific publishing in high-impact ISI-indexed journals.
4. Improve the quality of globally classified scientific publications at the university and raise the citation rate of its research outputs.

Program Duration

The contract lasts for one year from the signing date, with the possibility of renewal for another year based on performance evaluation and approval from the Deanship of Scientific Research.

Selection Criteria for Visiting Researchers

1. Must either be listed in the ISI Highly Cited Researchers, published annually,
   or be a faculty member (Professor rank) from one of the top 200 universities according to the Shanghai Global Ranking of Universities, with a recognized academic reputation and strong research experience.
2. Preference is given to researchers who have received international awards from reputable organizations in their field or who hold patents registered with global institutions.

Responsibilities of the Visiting Researcher and the Participating Researcher from the University of Tabuk

1. The visiting researcher, along with the participating researcher from the University of Tabuk, must submit a research plan proposal (“Performance Charter”) relevant to their specialization before signing the contract.
2. The visiting researcher is expected to actively engage in research, support the development of research and publication skills among the university's researchers, and ideally contribute to creating a nurturing environment for innovative ideas that may be translated into investment projects or result in patents in advanced scientific fields.
3. Two visits must take place within the first six months of the contract as follows:
   • One visit by the visiting researcher to the University of Tabuk, and
   • One visit by the participating researcher from the University of Tabuk to the home institution of the visiting researcher.
4. During the visit to the University of Tabuk, the visiting researcher shall present at least three in-person workshops or lectures and participate in university-organized conferences, seminars, and events. Likewise, the participating researcher must engage in joint research activities during their visit and deliver a lecture on the joint research at the visiting researcher’s university.
5. A minimum of two joint research papers must be published.

Conditions for Accepting Published Research

1. The research resulting from this program must be original (Original research) and published as an article in a scientifically classified journal within the WOS Core Collection databases, with an Impact Factor at the time of inclusion in either of the following citation indices:
   Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) or Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4. Research published in WOS Emerging Sources or journals without an Impact Factor will not be accepted.
2. The financial support provided by the Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Tabuk must be acknowledged as follows:
   "The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at  University of Tabuk  for funding this work through the Visiting Researcher Program No XX."
   No mention of financial support from any other entity within the university or the Kingdom is allowed, except for acknowledgment of any non-financial contributions from individuals or organizations.
3. The research must not be published in journals that appear on the list of predatory journals or publishers, according to the directive of the Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research (No. 16997, dated 1440/5/1H). The lists can be found on the following links:
   • Predatory Journals List
   • Predatory Publishers List
4. Double Affiliation is prohibited in the published articles. All researchers must be affiliated exclusively with University of Tabuk.
5. The official university email must be used by all researchers affiliated with the university in all forms of correspondence.
6. Participation of University of Tabuk members in the resulting scientific papers is allowed (as part of the authorship) without financial obligations within the contract. However, participation by researchers from other Saudi or Arab universities is not permitted.
7. All participating researchers must comply with the intellectual property rights related to the project, according to the approved model.
8. Adherence to research ethics is mandatory, and approval from the relevant Research Ethics Committees is required when applicable. The Deanship of Scientific Research reserves the right to take appropriate actions if any violations of research ethics or internationally recognized scientific misconduct are found.
9. Compliance with the citation standards established by the University of Tabuk in the Scientific Council Resolution No. (##), 12th meeting, dated 1440/5/17H.
10. Direct or indirect participation in any activity or work with any entity whose interests conflict with those of the university or the state is prohibited.

Conditions and Responsibilities of the Participating Researcher from University Staff

1. Preference for selecting the participating researcher will be given based on their research output, as indicated on Top Academia.
2. The researcher must be of Saudi nationality.
3. The participating researcher must not be on scientific leave, sabbatical, or any form of leave that prevents them from being present at their place of work during the contract period, in accordance with Article 12, Paragraph (#) of the unified research regulations in Saudi universities, to be eligible for the reward.
4. During the visiting researcher’s visit, they will conduct lectures and workshops (in person) for the university staff, with at least three workshops or lectures, and will participate in conferences, seminars, and events organized by the university. The participating researcher must also engage in the research work and give a lecture on the collaborative research conducted at the visiting researcher’s university during their visit.
5. The researcher must publish no fewer than two research papers.

The responsibilities of the participating researcher, in addition to the scientific collaboration in research with the visiting researcher, are as follows:

1. Communication with the visiting researcher and filling out the required application forms, submitting the research plan (performance charter), and coordinating the visiting researcher’s visit, accommodation, transportation, workshops, and scientific lectures.
2. Monitoring the progress of the work and submitting periodic reports, reviewing all justifications, ensuring completeness, compliance with the conditions, and alignment with the approved research plan from the Deanship of Scientific Research. Communicating with the visiting researcher and informing them of all updates and regulations set by the Deanship of Scientific Research.
3. Effective communication with the Deanship of Scientific Research regarding all matters related to the project and contract.

Application Process for the Program

1. The participating researcher from the university communicates with the visiting researcher and develops a clear research plan, outlining the course of work during the contract period.
2. Filling out the necessary forms and data and ensuring that the participating researcher is not on scientific leave, sabbatical, or any other leave that would prevent them from being present at work during the contract period.
3. The application is presented to the Department Council, then to the College Council for recommendations.
4. The application is forwarded to the Scientific Publishing Affairs Agency at the Deanship of Scientific Research for review by the Permanent Committee for Development and Quality in Scientific Publishing.
5. The application is presented to the Deanship of Scientific Research Council. Once the minutes of the Deanship Council are approved by the authorized person, and if the application is accepted, the Scientific Publishing Affairs Agency will contact the participating researcher and the visiting researcher to sign the contract.