On the occasion of the official opening of the 18^th SQU Day, Dr. Rahma Al Mahrooqi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research at SQU, announced His Majesty Trust Fund projects for the year 2018. Out of the 31 proposals received from various colleges and centres at the University, six projects have been selected for funding. The new projects are:

1. Oman cascade screening in familial hypercholesterolemia index Registry (Oryx) by Dr. Khalid Al-Rasadi from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences
2. Assessment of Al-Batinah artificial reef projects and their enhancement of local fisheries productivity by Dr. Alyssa Marshell from the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
3. Redesigning Teacher Education Programs in Oman Using National Performance Indicators, International Standards, and Exemplary Models by Dr. Suleiman Al-Bulushi from the College of Education
4. High Efficiency Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on New Semiconductor-Modified Nanocomposites: Preparation, Photophysical Characterization, and Photovoltaic-Cell Design by Dr. Osama Abou-Zied from the College of Science
5. Design of a National Achievement Indicator in Reading and Mathematics in Key Stage 1 Schools in Oman: Towards Improving Student Learning Outcomes by Dr. Mahmoud Emam from the College of Education
6. Developing Commercially Viable Graphene Based Technology for selected energy and environmental applications in Oman by Dr. Tariq M. Ghulam from the College of Science.