Tuesday 16 / June / 2026
Muscat: The Research and Innovation Authority (RIA) announced today the opening of registration for the fourth cycle of the Scientific Publication Support Program 2026, targeting scholarly papers published during the 2025 calendar year, with the registration window remaining open until 15 July 2026.
The launch of this cycle builds upon the programme's continued success, as the 2025 cycle witnessed significant demand with 217 support applications received, of which 193 papers were approved for funding upon meeting the program's rigorous eligibility criteria.
The programme's primary objective is to provide financial support to researchers, enabling them to disseminate their scholarly output and intellectual contributions in leading peer-reviewed, internationally indexed journals—specifically those ranked in the Q1 and Q2 categories—as well as reputable Arabic-language periodicals.
The Authority has established two primary application tracks for interested applicants. The first is the Author Track, under which applicants must be employees or students affiliated with research institutions connected to the Authority, with applications to be submitted exclusively by the first author or the corresponding author, and prior written consent required from all co-authors of the published paper, in addition to the applicant having contributed, either partially or in full, to the publication costs. The second is the Research Institution Track, under which the applicant institution must have fully covered the publication costs, and a key distinction of this track is that prior consent from the paper's co-authors is not required for application submission.
With regard to submission procedures and general terms, the Authority emphasized that all support applications must be submitted exclusively through its electronic Research Information Management System, and that applications sent via email or in printed format will not be accepted. The Authority further clarified that support applications for scholarly papers that have previously received funding from any other RIA program will not be considered.
The program's progression to its fourth cycle reflects the Authority's sustained commitment to advancing research and knowledge development, and the outstanding outcomes achieved in the previous cycle serve as a catalyst for further streamlining processes, ensuring that national research outputs gain visibility on global publishing platforms.
The Research and Innovation Authority invites all researchers, academics, and research institutions interested in registering or reviewing the program's guidelines for the current cycle to visit its official website and submit applications through the dedicated electronic system. Inquiries or follow-ups may also be directed to the program's official email address prior to the specified deadline.
