National Center for Social Studies

What National Center for Social Studies does

The National Center for Social Studies (المركز الوطني للدراسات والبحوث الاجتماعية) is a Saudi Arabian government entity established in 2012 by Cabinet Resolution No. 220, with independent legal personality directly linked to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and headquartered in Riyadh. It operates as the only Saudi government-affiliated center dedicated exclusively to social studies and research, addressing social phenomena, protecting social values, and producing evidence-based research to inform Saudi social policy. The center serves three principal user groups: academic and research communities across Saudi Arabia and the GCC, government ministries and policymakers, and a network of social research institutions coordinated through its Coordinating Council of Social Research Centers.

Its core products include the peer-reviewed bilingual (Arabic/English) Journal of Social Research and Studies (RSSJ, ISSN 1658-8916) published biannually via Open Journal Systems 3.2.1.3 with double-blind peer review; the Social Research Database hosting 100+ curated Arabic-language research papers; the Scientific Research Support Programs; the Social Research Award under the honorary presidency of the relevant minister; the Fellowship Program in Family Guidance; the Knowledge Enrichment Program; and the Partnerships and Cooperation Program. The center's technology stack is built on the open-source Public Knowledge Project (PKP) Open Journal Systems platform under GPL, deployed at rssj.ncss.gov.sa, with no proprietary technology layer.

Its business model is non-commercial: all journal content is freely accessible, authors incur no submission or publication fees (a 5,000 SAR fee applies only for withdrawal after peer review has commenced), and research support programs are funded through government appropriations. The center has no disclosed revenue, no external investors, and operates exclusively on government budget allocation. Distribution is entirely digital through its official website (ncss.gov.sa), the dedicated journal platform, and a Coordinating Council network, with 47 employees supporting operations.

Name

National Center for Social Studies

Legal name

المركز الوطني للدراسات والبحوث الاجتماعية (National Center for Social Studies and Research)

Website

https://ncss.gov.sa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The National Center for Social Studies is a Saudi government-affiliated research center in Riyadh that publishes the bilingual peer-reviewed Journal of Social Research and Studies, maintains a Social Research Database, and administers research support and family guidance programs serving Saudi and GCC academics, policymakers, and social research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Research and Policy Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC), Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)

Keywords

• Social research
• Peer-reviewed journal
• Social policy studies
• Family guidance programs
• Research database

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The National Center for Social Studies is a Saudi government-affiliated research institution that produces and disseminates social research through a bilingual (Arabic/English) peer-reviewed journal, an Arabic-language social research database, and research support programs targeting academic researchers and government policymakers. It coordinates Saudi Arabia's network of social research centers, administers research grants and a social research award, and runs a family guidance fellowship, operating as an open-access non-commercial entity under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Product overview

The National Center for Social Studies is a Saudi government research institution offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services focused on social research and scholarship. Its core offerings include the Scientific Research Support Programs, the Social Research Award, the peer-reviewed Journal of Social Research and Studies, and the Social Research Database. The Center also operates the Fellowship Program in Family Guidance, the Knowledge Enrichment Program, the Partnerships and Cooperation Program, and the Coordinating Council of Social Research Centers. These products collectively form an integrated ecosystem supporting social research from funding and publication to collaboration and capacity building across Saudi Arabia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journal of Social Research and Studies (RSSJ): A peer-reviewed electronic journal published twice yearly by the center, focusing on social studies and research in Arabic and English.

Products and services

• Scientific Research Support Programs (برامج دعم البحث العلمي) A program through which the center engages researchers in addressing social issues in the Kingdom, providing reliable research results to support decision-makers in improving social policies and services.
• Social Research Award (جائزة البحوث الاجتماعية) A prestigious award launched by the center to promote research and initiatives with positive social impact, under the honorary presidency of the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.
• Journal of Social Research and Studies (مجلة البحوث والدراسات الاجتماعية) A peer-reviewed electronic scientific journal published semi-annually, dedicated to publishing social research, academic reviews, and scientific reports targeting researchers in social issues within the Kingdom. ISSN 1658-8916.
• Social Research Database (قاعدة البحوث الاجتماعية) A specialized database in the social field that publishes and provides access to research and studies on social affairs, hosting a collection of academic research spanning multiple years and topics related to Saudi and Gulf Arab societies.
• Fellowship Program in Family Guidance (برنامج الزمالة في الإرشاد الأسري) A fellowship program launched by the center to build capacities in family guidance, announced in February 2026.
• Coordinating Council of Social Research Centers (المجلس التنسيقي) A coordination initiative bringing together social research centers to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange in social studies across Saudi Arabia.
• Knowledge Enrichment Program (برنامج الإثراء المعرفي) A program aimed at enriching knowledge in social fields, contributing to advancing social science research and scholarship.
• Partnerships and Cooperation Program (برنامج الشراكات والتعاون) A program designed to establish and manage partnerships and cooperation agreements with governmental and non-governmental organizations to advance social research objectives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 journal issues published (Vol. 1–6, 2021–2026) with over 100 research papers in the social research database

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences (الهيئة العامة للمعارض والمؤتمرات)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025The center signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences. This partnership aims to strengthen cooperation in areas related to social research events, exhibitions, and conferences. The MoU reflects the center's strategy to build strategic partnerships supporting its mission in social research and studies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG): Dubai-based policy research and executive education institution producing Arabic-language social and policy research across the GCC. Comparable as a government-affiliated Gulf think tank focused on social policy evidence, though broader in scope.
• KAPSARC (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center): Riyadh-based Saudi government-affiliated research center producing policy research and publishing working papers, though focused on energy economics. Comparable in its government-affiliated research-publication mandate and Arabic-English bilingual output.
• King Faisal Foundation: Saudi philanthropic foundation administering research awards, scholarships, and publications across social and cultural domains. Comparable as a Saudi institution channeling grantmaking and academic recognition in social science and humanities.

Regional players

• Sharjah Institute for Social Studies (if operating): Sharjah-based research entity producing Arabic-language studies on social issues in the UAE and Gulf. Conceptually comparable as a government-linked Gulf social science research producer, though specifics may vary.
• King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives: Saudi institution dedicated to research, documentation, and publishing related to the Kingdom's social, cultural, and historical heritage. Comparable in operating Arabic-language scholarly publications and archives from a Saudi government-affiliated platform.

Direct peers

• Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI), Qatar University: Qatar University research institute conducting social and economic survey-based research on Gulf societies and publishing Arabic-language academic output. Comparable in function as a Gulf-based social science research center producing survey-driven policy research.
• Gulf Research Center (GRC): Saudi-headquartered independent research institute producing policy-relevant studies on Gulf social, economic, and political affairs. Directly comparable in its mandate to produce Arabic-language social and policy research and serve as a reference body for Saudi and Gulf stakeholders.
• King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies: Riyadh-based Saudi research foundation publishing peer-reviewed studies, journals, and policy papers covering social and humanities topics in the Arab and Islamic world. Operates a comparable research-publication-policy advisory model with Arabic-language scholarship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncssksa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdnlga5jfPXYeTnxAJJBgLg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCSSKSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-center-for-social-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncssksa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Center for Social Studies