National Center for Social Studies

The National Center for Social Studies and Research is a Saudi consulting center specializing in monitoring, studying, and analyzing social and family phenomena. It provides solutions and recommendations and supplies the relevant government authorities with the results to aid in policy-making, planning, and decision-making.

The Council of Ministers issued a decision to organize the center on May 28, 2012, and it began its actual operations on April 20, 2015. It is headquartered in Riyadh and is affiliated with the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.

The center's work involves creating a centralized database and information system for social studies and research, accessible to researchers and specialists in social fields. It provides scientific and technical consulting services to public and private social institutions to improve and develop their services. The center also develops scientific research methods to assist researchers in social fields, publishes scientific research, studies, books, and peer-reviewed manuscripts, monitors social issues, phenomena, and problems in Saudi society, studies them, and finds solutions. Additionally, it conducts both theoretical and field social research and studies.

The center offers several programs, including the Social Research Support Program (Supporter), which aims to conduct evaluative research using specific methods such as national research, priority research, policy development, and specialized reports, as well as supporting research by graduate students. Additionally, the Knowledge Enrichment Program in Social Fields (Ithra) focuses on publishing studies, research, and reports, translating scientific articles and research to serve specialists and researchers, and providing newsletters and books in a simplified manner to educate the public. The Partnerships and Cooperation Program (Tawasul) aims to build relationships based on partnership and the exchange of expertise, experiences, and information with government entities, non-profit organizations, and specialized research and study centers.

The center publishes the Social Research and Studies Journal, a peer-reviewed scientific electronic journal issued twice a year. It targets researchers and those interested in social issues, focusing on publishing academic research, modern scientific studies, and relevant book reviews. The journal emphasizes studies and research that address societal issues and also provides reports on global conferences in Arabic.

The National Center for Social Studies and Research established the Coordinating Council for Social Research Entities to collaborate with research centers specializing in social issues, develop social reports and indicators, and coordinate scientific courses in the field. The council also aims to propose policies for developing the social field in the Kingdom, suggest priorities for social research in the Kingdom and coordinate their implementation, build a database of distinguished researchers to utilize their expertise, and propose ethical standards for social studies and research.

The center launched the award to honor researchers in social phenomena and issues, identify the challenges facing social development, and find solutions to them. The award also aims to encourage researchers to innovate and excel in addressing social issues within Saudi society.