This Award was established by the Board of Directors of the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research in its first meeting held on 09/09/2008. The objective of the Award is to promote scientific research in the field of disability on the local, regional, and international levels.
This initiative was based upon the belief that scientific research is the most effective means to prevent and/or reduce the impact of disabilities on the lives of individuals.
The Prince Salman Center for Disability Research shall grant this Award in the field of disability research to replace the one granted by the Disabled Children Association in the same field.
These bylaws set the organizational, administrative, financial, and scientific framework of the Award, as well as its missions and the work mechanisms of its committees.
· Article I: Definitions:
The following terms and phrases shall have their corresponding meanings herein mentioned unless the context otherwise indicated:
1- Center: the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
2- Board: the Board of Directors of Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
3- Executive Committee: the executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
4- Scientific Committee: the Scientific Committee of the Board of Directors of Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
5- Award Committee: the Committee formed to follow-up and implement the scientific procedures related to the Award.
6- Award: the Prince Salman Award for Disability Research. It is a scientific project concerned with promoting the level of scientific research in the field of disability on the local, regional, and international levels.
7- Examining Expert: the scientist commissioned to review and examine the scientific work submitted for the Award.
8- Reviewer: the scientist or expert commissioned to review the scientific work submitted for the Award.
9- Consultant: the scientist or expert commissioned by the Award secretariat to provide consultative services or studies in the field of the Award.
10- Nominee/Candidate: the person whose scientific work meets the eligibility requirements of the Award.
11- Scientific work: the aggregate scientific units submitted for the Award. It includes research, studies, and books published in recognized scientific media.
· Article II: Award Name:
Prince Salman Award for Disability Research.
· Article III: Award Headquarters:
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· Article IV: Award Objectives:
1- Stimulating endeavors at the local, regional, and international levels towards the enrichment of scientific knowledge thorough advanced quality research in the different fields of disability.
2- Enhancing the environment of creativity and scientific excellence in the field of disability towards securing adequate methods, means, solutions, and alternatives amenable to preventing or minimizing the effects of disability on persons with disabilities and their families.
3- Establishing the concept of scientific research in the disability field, and promoting its culture across society locally, regionally, and internationally.
4- Implementing the role of scientific research in the promotion of the programs and services offered to persons with disabilities.
5- Implementing the role of scientific research in adapting modern technology to the needs of persons with disabilities in order to enable them to achieve their goals, hopes, and aspirations.
6- Implementing the role of scientific research in creating social settings where persons with disabilities become producers and contributors to the development and prosperity of their communities, and not simply as consumers.
· Article V: Award Areas:
The Award shall be granted in the following three major areas of disability:
1- Health and medical sciences.
2- Pedagogical and educational sciences.
3- Rehabilitative and social sciences.
· Article VI: Conditions and Requirements for Granting the Award:
1- The scientific work nominated for the Award shall be in one of the areas set forth in Article V of the present bylaws.
2- The submitted work shall adhere to the scientific methodology recognized by the scientific communities.
3- The scientific work nominated for the Award shall be genuine and authentic. It shall present scientific contributions that have clearly impacted the specialization of the nominee/candidate, whether such contributions are pioneering, authentic, or innovative.
4- The scientific work nominated for the Award should not have been submitted for similar awards.
5- Previous Award winners are not eligible to apply for the Award before a period of at least five years have elapsed on receiving this Award. Work being submitted shall be different from the work submitted previously.
6- The Award secretariat will not return work submitted irrespective of the outcome.
· Article VII: Nominating Bodies:
1- Local, regional, and international disability research centers.
2- Academic departments concerned with disabilities in local, regional, and international colleges and universities.
3- Local, regional, and international organizations and foundations concerned with disabilities.
· Article VIII: Granting or Withholding the Award:
1- The Award shall be granted in its three areas every two years, with the exception of the first preparatory session which shall be three years.
2- The Award shall be granted to a sole winner in an area, and more than one winner may be granted the Award in the same area.
3- The Award shall be withheld if the scientific work submitted does not fulfill its conditions.
· Article IX: Announcing the Award:
1- The Award topics shall be announced within a period not exceeding two months from the beginning of each session.
2- The topics, conditions, and requirements of the Award shall be announced in the printed, audio-visual, and electronic media, as well as the scientific periodicals specialized in the various fields of disability.
3- The Award secretariat shall prepare an integrated media plan covering the required activities, programs, and mechanisms of implementation. The secretariat shall take into consideration the chronological order of the preparation for the Award announcement, announcing the names of the winners, and granting ceremony. It shall invest all these actions in highlighting the role of the Center in serving the cause of disability and persons with disabilities on the local, regional, and international levels.
· Article X: The Award Granting Procedures:
1- The names of the Award winners shall be announced one month prior to the Award-granting day.
2- The Award shall be granted in a ceremony under the auspices of a
dignitary personality of the Kingdom.
3- A selected group of globally-renowned personalities and experts interested and concerned in the fields of the Award areas shall be invited to attend the Award ceremony.
4- A scientific symposium will be held on the day following the granting ceremony, in which the winners will present their scientific work and experience.
· Article XI: Award Budget:
1- The Award shall have a budget.
2- This budget shall cover the value of the Award and all related expenses.
3- The budget amount shall be allocated from the Center resources; however, the Award may be sponsored by the Center founders, other dignitary personalities in the community, or scientific institutions.
· Article XII: Award Value:
Each Award in all the areas set forth in Article V of the present bylaws consists of the following:
1- A certificate with the name of the winner, and a summary of the work which qualified him/her for the Award.
2- An honorary medal.
3- A sum of two-hundred and fifty-thousand Saudi Riyals (SR 250,000).
· Article XIII: Award Commission:
1- An Award commission shall be established in Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
2- Commission members:
a) A founding member of the Center shall be chairman, and he is to be selected by the Center's Board of Directors.
b) Eight members (four founding members of the Center and four noted personalities from the community) are to be selected by the chairman of the commission.
c) Secretary General of the Award as a rapporteur.
3- Duties of the commission:
a) General supervision of the Award.
b) Setting the general policy of the Award.
c) Approving any amendments to the bylaws of the Award.
d) Approving the developmental plans of the Award.
e) Approving the periodical financial plan of the Award.
f) Approving complete or partial withholding of the Award or inter-Award area exchange.
4- The Commission Meetings:
a) The commission shall hold two meetings in each session. The chairman may call the commission for an extraordinary meeting whenever there is a need.
b) The meeting of the commission is valid if attended by the majority of members provided that the chairman or his deputy is in attendance.
c) The decisions of the commission are to be taken by the majority of votes. In case of a tie, the side in which the chairman casts his vote shall prevail.
· Article XIV: Duties of the Commission Chairman:
1- Chairing the commission and conducting its meetings.
2- Approving the formation of the Award committee.
3- Approving the names of the Award winners.
4- Signing the Award winners' certificates.
5- Appointing the secretary general of the Award and the needed personnel.
6- Approving the salaries and remunerations of the secretary general, his staff, and the Award-related personnel.
7- The chairman of the commission may delegate all or some of these powers to the secretary general of the Award.
· Article XV: Scientific Supervision of the Award:
1- The scientific committee in Prince Salman Center for Disability Research shall be responsible for the scientific supervision of the Award.
2- In addition to the scientific supervision of the Award, the scientific committee shall be responsible for the following:
a) Propose the formation of the Award committee.
b) Nominate the secretary general of the Award.
c) Propose the required amendments in the Award bylaws.
d) Propose the developmental plans of the Award.
· Article XVI: Award Committee:
1- Forming the Award committee:
a) The Center's scientific committee shall propose the composition of the Award committee.
b) The committee is to be re-formed at the beginning of each session.
c) The committee shall consist of a chairman who shall be a noted academic personality, and six expert members, two representing each Award area.
d) The secretary general of the Award shall be the coordinator of the committee.
2- Duties of the Award committee:
a) Approving the topics of the Award.
b) Approving the Award nomination form and the periodical updating thereof when necessary.
c) Approving the screening and selection committees.
d) Approving the names of the examining experts.
e) Approving the publications, media documents, activities, and programs related to the Award.
f) Approving the design and layout of the Award winners' certificates.
g) Recommending complete or partial withholding of the Award or inter-Award area exchange.
h) The committee shall seek the assistance of local, regional, and international experts in their field of specialty in coordination with the Center's scientific committee.
3- Meetings of the Award committee:
a) The committee shall hold eighteen meetings in each session on the average of one meeting every two months. The committee coordinator may call the committee for a meeting whenever there is a need.
b) The meeting of the committee is valid if attended by the majority of its members.
c) The decisions of the committee are to be taken by the majority of votes. In case of a tie, the side in which the chairman casts his vote shall prevail.
· Article XVII: The Secretariat General of the Award:
1- A secretariat general for the Award shall be established in Prince Salman Center for Disability Research.
2- The secretariat general shall be composed of the secretary general and the staff required for the work related to the Award.
3- The secretariat general shall be fully responsible for preparing, following-up, and implementing all procedural aspects related to the Award.
4- The secretariat general shall report to the Award commission.
· Article XVIII: The Secretary General of the Award:
1- The secretary general shall be directly responsible for managing the secretariat general of the Award.
2- The duties of the secretary general:
a) Assuming all administrative and financial responsibility delegated to him by the chairman of the Award commission.
b) Following up and supervising all procedural aspects related to the selection process and its review procedures.
c) Proposing the names of the experts, consultants, and reviewers for the Award.
d) Attending seminars and conferences related to the Award field areas.
e) Nominating the chairman and members of the Award committees.
f) Communicating with official and non-official bodies within and outside the Kingdom regarding the Award.
g) Proposing the program of the Award ceremony.
h) Following up the work of the Award committees.
i) Preparing the periodical financial plan of the Award.
j) Preparing the agenda of the Award commission.
k) Directing invitations to hold the meetings of the Award committees.
· Article XIX: General Provisions:
1- The activities of the Award are restricted to the fields of its three areas, and they are to be implemented in a manner that achieves its objectives commensurate with the applicable laws and regulations in the Kingdom.
2- Notwithstanding the provisions of the present bylaws, the secretariat general of the Award shall set the detailed regulations, the internal rules organizing the Award, and the remunerations of its staff.
3- The present bylaws shall be in effect as of the date of approving them by the Board of Directors of Prince Salman Center for Disability Research, and they shall supersede any previous conflicting bylaws.
4- The scientific committee of Prince Salman Center for Disability Research shall have the right to interpret the articles of the present bylaws.