Funding acknowledgments are important objects of study in the context of science funding. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to analyze the funding acknowledgments found in 2.3 million scientific publications published between 2008 and 2021 by authors affiliated with research institutions located in the Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA). The aim is to identify the major funders, assess their contribution to national scientific publications, and gain insights into the funding mechanism in relation to collaboration and publication. Publication data from the Web of Science is examined to provide key insights about funding activities. Saudi Arabia and Qatar lead the region, as about half of their publications include acknowledgments to funding sources. Most MENA countries exhibit strong linkages with foreign agencies, mainly due to a high level of international collaborations. The distinction between domestic and international publications reveals some differences in terms of funding structures. For instance, Turkey and Iran are dominated by one or two major funders whereas a few other countries like Saudi Arabia showcase multiple funders. Iran and Kuwait are examples of countries where research is mainly funded by domestic funders. The government and academic sectors mainly fund scientific research in MENA whereas the industry sector plays little or no role in terms of research funding. Lastly, the qualitative analyses provide more context into the complex funding mechanism. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the funding structure in MENA countries and provide insights to funders and research managers to evaluate the funding landscape.

翻译：基金致谢是科学资助研究中的重要分析对象。本研究采用混合方法，对2008年至2021年间由中东与北非（MENA）地区研究机构附属作者发表的230万篇科学出版物中的基金致谢词进行分析，旨在识别主要资助方，评估其对各国科学出版物的贡献程度，并深入探究资助机制与合作及出版行为之间的关系。通过对Web of Science的出版数据进行分析，本研究提供了关于资助活动的关键见解。沙特阿拉伯和卡塔尔在该地区处于领先地位，其近半数出版物包含对资助来源的致谢。多数MENA国家与外国机构之间存在紧密联系，这主要源于高水平的国际合作。国内外出版物的分类比较揭示出资助结构方面的差异。例如，土耳其和伊朗的资助主要集中于一至两个主要资助方，而沙特阿拉伯等少数国家则呈现多元化资助格局。伊朗和科威特是研究资金主要来源于国内资助方的典型案例。政府与学术机构是MENA地区科研资助的主要来源，而产业部门在科研资助中的作用微乎其微。最后，定性分析为理解复杂的资助机制提供了更多背景信息。本研究结论有助于深化对MENA国家资助结构的认知，并为资助方与研究管理者评估资助格局提供参考依据。