Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, has announced the launch of the third edition of the Outstanding Youth Researcher Award, focusing this year on the theme “The Impact of Role Models on Shaping the Behaviours of Qatari Youth: A Qualitative Analysis of Influencing Environments and Mechanisms of Response.”
The award, supervised by the Islamic Research and Studies Department and coordinated with relevant entities in both ministries, aims to strengthen strategic cooperation between the two institutions while supporting the empowerment of young researchers in Qatar and encouraging scientific research that addresses pressing societal issues.
The award is open to Qatari citizens and residents of Qatar aged between 20 and 39 years. Participants must address all announced research themes and adhere to approved academic standards.
Research papers must be prepared specifically for the competition, written in Arabic with an English abstract, and comply with scientific research and citation requirements. The plagiarism rate must not exceed 25 percent.
Submissions should range between 100 and 200 A4 pages, excluding indexes, and may be prepared individually or jointly by multiple researchers, provided all eligibility conditions are met.
The total prize value exceeds QR225,000, with QR100,000 awarded to the first-place winner, QR75,000 to the second-place winner, and QR50,000 to the third-place winner.
The ministries said the award reflects their commitment to fostering research excellence, innovation, and a culture of scientific inquiry among young people, recognizing research as a key driver of sustainable development and national capacity building.
The deadline for submissions has been set for July 5, 2027, while the results will be announced no later than December 31, 2027.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al Thani, Director of the Islamic Research and Studies Department, described the award as a pioneering initiative designed to encourage young researchers to examine key social challenges and propose practical solutions that contribute to community development.
He highlighted the continued cooperation between the two ministries, noting that the third edition represents a new step toward encouraging both Qatari and resident researchers in Qatar to explore the influence of role models on values and behaviour, identify various environments of influence in young people’s lives, and analyse how role models are created in contemporary society, particularly across digital and emerging media platforms.
For its part, the Ministry of Sports and Youth praised Awqaf’s efforts to support young researchers and provide a credible academic platform for studying youth-related issues.
The ministry emphasized that entrusting youth themselves with researching and analyzing challenges affecting their generation enhances the credibility of findings and produces recommendations that are more relevant to reality and community needs.
Jawaher Al Sulaiti, Director of the Planning, Quality and Innovation Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, described the award as one of the most significant outcomes of Qatar’s National Youth Policy. She said the initiative reflects national efforts to promote scientific research, innovation, and youth participation in studying priority national issues while contributing to knowledge production and evidence-based policymaking.
