The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announces the launching of the Islamic Finance Research Support Program to support researchers in Saudi Arabia and abroad, and to advance and benefit from scientific research.

SAMA has emphasized that the program will enhance Saudi Arabia's leading role in the Islamic finance sector globally and will confirm SAMA's continuous effort and determination to achieve integration in the research system as part of its social responsibility obligations and pivotal role in the field. Additionally, the program will contribute to fulfilling the objectives of Vision 2030, whichimprove Saudi Arabia's knowledge position. On the other hand, the program will give researchers the opportunity to develop and make scientific solutions and contributions to advance the qualitative development of Islamic finance.

The program covers a number of research areas, including: Islamic finance sectors; financial technologies (FinTech) in Islamic finance sector; regulations, standards and Sharia governance; endowment sector; capital markets and investment funds; and other areas related to Islamic finance sector.

The program offers two tracks to researchers in Saudi Arabia and abroad. Track 1 includes beginner researchers who are working on their graduation theses for Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degrees. The program will provide such researchers with the support needed to complete and improve the quality of their papers. Such researchers can only participate as individuals. Track 2 includes professional researchers who have research experience in Islamic finance and have previously published papers in international journals. Such researchers can participate in the program as individuals or as members of a joint research team that includes one researcher from SAMA.

Noting that each research paper selected in track 1 will win a cash reward of SAR 20,000, and each research paper selected in track 2 will win a cash reward of SAR 40,000.

 Moreover, a cash prize of SAR 100,000 will be awarded to the top two winning research papers. Each paper will win SAR 50,000.

For more information, please visit the program's (webpage).