Deadline: 28-Jul-2025
The Dubai Research, Development, and Innovation Grant Initiative has partnered with the National Research Foundation of Korea to launch a joint funding program. This collaboration reflects both Dubai and Korea’s shared commitment to advancing global partnerships in high-impact research and innovation.
The program will support groundbreaking research projects in Biotechnology and Environmental Technology (Green Tech), with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integrated as a cross-cutting tool. This focus supports both countries’ strategic vision to become global leaders in science and technology.
Researchers from Dubai and Korea are encouraged to submit joint proposals. Projects must be collaborative and aim to contribute to innovation in biotech, green technologies, or ICT-enhanced solutions.
Biotechnology proposals may explore areas such as precision medicine, genetics, or bioengineering. Environmental Technology projects should focus on renewable energy, climate resilience, or sustainable infrastructure. ICT should be used to support and strengthen the core research areas.
Each selected project will receive up to AED 250,000 from the UAE side (AED 125,000 per year) and KRW 100 million from the Korean side (KRW 50 million per year), with a duration of two years from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2027. Only three projects will be selected under this initiative.
Eligible UAE participants must be affiliated with universities or research institutions in Dubai approved by the Ministry of Education (MoE) or the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT). In Korea, applicants must be based in institutions covered by the National Research and Development Innovation Act. Students may be involved in the research but cannot lead projects.
Applicants must hold a PhD in a relevant RDI field, be fully affiliated with a Dubai-based higher education or research institution, and demonstrate a strong research track record.
Institutions are required to support researchers by reducing teaching loads, fast-tracking RDI procurement, accelerating hiring processes, and enabling the recruitment of research staff where needed.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the excellence of the research idea and the qualifications of the principal investigator, the quality and efficiency of the project plan, the necessity and strength of international collaboration, and the expected impact of the joint research outcomes.
Applicants must independently find partners in the other country. UAE researchers must submit their proposals in English through the Dubai Future Foundation’s Grants System. Korean researchers must submit through the NRF’s IRIS System, with proposals in Korean and an English application. Submissions must be completed in both countries for the proposal to be considered eligible.
For more information, visit RDI.
