The over-arching Strategic Goal for the research mission is to:
"Create a culture of intellectual curiosity & scholarship and conduct research of the highest ethical standards to generate new knowledge through research & discovery to advance the well-being and welfare of humankind"
To pursue this strategic end, the following specific strategic research objectives have been created for the next 5-10 years to realize this outcome, they are:
Objective 1: Utilize the CRMC as the location for the development of additional multidisciplinary Centers of Research Excellence (CORE)s
Objective 2:Develop Centers of Clinical Excellence (COCE) linked to the CORE to enhance health education, research and care delivery for the Eastern Province
Objective 3: Prepare research faculty recruitment plan and recruit 2-3 multidisciplinary cohorts of experienced, funded investigators in selected research areas to provide leadership, direction, and enhanced credibility for the research enterprise
Objective 4: Establish Junior Research positions in the COREs for postgraduate applicants and other trainees
Objective 5: Expand opportunities for increased participation of Faculty and Students in research, including student and junior faculty mentoring program
Objective 6: Create a reward system that includes incentives for extramurally funded research and promotion criteria that recognizes and promote collaborative investigations, including intra & inter-departmental and inter-college collaboration
Objective 7: Create a research program in Public Health, housed in CRMC that builds its own research programs and supports the COREs
Objective 8: Expand technology transfer (commercialization) program that provides both reputational and financial returns on IAU’s investment in intellectual property generating research, and, contributes to priorities for economic development and diversification in KSA and the Region.
Objective 9: Formulate and implement robust policies and programs to consistently ensure high ethical standards in the conduct of research at IAU
Objective 10: Develop and market a scientific publishing initiative in the CRMC
Objective 11: Create a Center of Entrepreneurialism (CE) within the CRMC
Objective 12: Create a Biotechnology Innovation Center (BTIC)
Objective 13: Create a biotechnology Incubator to launch bio-medical technology related “start-up” businesses in the “IAU Medical Sciences City”
Objective 14: Generate knowledge related to the complex nature of our world by engaging in research in the humanities to address dynamic changes and rapid developments
Objective 15: Complete Development of the “IAU Medical Sciences City”
Objective 16: Develop plans for and initiate the creation of a Biotechnology Business Park
Objective 17: Enhance the Bridge between IAU’s research mission and stakeholders within the community and business leadership
Objective 18: Develop a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) in association with the IAU King Fahd Hospital of University and Clinics
Objective 19: Obtain International Accreditation for Research Standards for respective units of IAU where research is conducted, including the University hospital
Objective 20: Establish IAU wide criteria and approval process for awarding designation of “Research Center” and “Research Institute”
Objective 21: Develop internal and external benchmarks against which selected outcomes of monitoring key performance indicators can be compared to gauge success in conduct of the research mission
Objective 22: Create External International Advisory Council to the Vice President of Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research
Objective 23: Create and implement a standardised scoring system to rank quality and determine funding of internally supported research projects