1- Increase research both within SQU and across Oman.

2- Raise awareness about the activities and functions of SQU's research groups.

3- Promote research group membership and activity.

4- Encourage increased research output, in terms of publications, presentations, patents and so on, at SQU.

5- Encourage multi-disciplinary research studies and teams.

Vision :

To enhance SQU’s standing as a regional leader in research and innovation.

Mission:

To increase research activity at SQU by promoting participation in, and the levels of activity of, the university’s research groups.

1- SQU encourages the formation of research groups within and among disciplines that aim to activate scientific research in various fields of research which contribute to social, economic and scientific development, and provide appropriate support for their continuity.

2- Research groups shall serve as a nucleus for future research centers that shall receive recommendations in accordance with the rules and regulations.  Research groups shall be under the supervision of the Deanship of Research.

3- They can be hosted by the academic colleges or research centers who shall provide them with the required support and facilities in order to carry out their duties.  Research groups work under the direction of a coordinator who shall be from SQU.

4- The coordinator is a reputed full or associate professor with a well-established track record of quality and leadership in the group's research field.

5- The coordinator will be the grant contact with the Deanship of Research and has overall responsibility for coordinating all research and administrative activities of the research group. 

6- A research group shall consist of a minimum of three faculty members/researchers.  The group members shall be holders of doctorates. They can be from any organization with minimum of two members from SQU.   

7- A faculty member/researcher can be a member of different research groups. 

8- The research group members shall commit to:

A. Seek excellence and carry out fundamental, applied and/or interdisciplinary research of a high quality in key cluster areas of relevance to SQU and of importance to Oman and emerging fields of knowledge, and engage in research with a potentially high international impact. 

B. Build research capacity and provide high quality training and a conducive research environment for promising young faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. 

C. Provide a high quality research environment for the development and enhancement of graduate programs as well as the enhancement of undergraduate teaching at SQU. 

D. Develop links and collaboration with renowned national and international research groups and attract leading researchers.

Applications for establishing research groups are open all year and shall be submitted according to the following steps:

1- The coordinator of the research group shall initiate a request for the establishment of the group by completing the Research Group Registration form (F34), having it signed by all group members, and submitting it with supporting documents (after getting the necessary approvals shown in the form) to the Deanship of Research for the approval of the initial 5-year term.. 

2- The approval shall be obtained from the unit to which the research group coordinator belongs even if the members of the group are from different units. 

3- On the 31st of December every year, the group coordinator shall submit a research group report (F35) to the Deanship of Research through the relevant Head of Department, Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Research and the Dean of the College or through the relevant Director of the unit summarizing the activities and achievements of the group. 

4- The coordinator of the group shall apply at least six months prior to the term expiry to renew the registration of the group for another 5 year-term by completing Research Group Registration form (F34) and following the same procedures outlined above