The committee for “Recognition of Non-Omani Higher Education Institutions and Equivalence of Academic Qualifications Granted” at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation held its third meeting of the year. The committee issued a series of significant decisions. The committee decided to equate the integrated Master’s degree in the field of Osteopathy, issued by the University College of Osteopathy in the United Kingdom in 2020, to a Bachelor’s degree in the same field. Additionally, the committee recognized the Master of Science degree in Mathematics issued by Government Arts College (Autonomous) affiliated with Bharathidasan University in India in 1995, as equivalent to a Master’s degree in the same discipline.
Moreover, the committee approved the equivalence of the Master’s degree in Maritime Engineering and Shipping Operations, conferred by Kazakh-British Technical University in Kazakhstan in 2022, to a Master’s degree in the same field. The Master’s degree in Commerce from the University of Madras, in affiliation with The Quaide Milleth College for Men in India in 2000, was also recognized as equivalent to a Master’s degree in the same domain. The committee also decided to equate the Diploma Degree in Surgeon Doctor, issued by El Bosque University in Colombia in 2011, to a Bachelor’s degree in the same specialty.
Conversely, the committee declined to equate the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Commerce from Himalayan University in India in 2021. This decision was due to the fact that the study was carried out on a part-time basis, a system not accredited by the Indian Ministry and not in line with the institutions recommended by the Ministry. This contradicts Article 8(b) of the regulations for the recognition of non-Omani higher education institutions and the equivalence of academic qualifications.
The committee also refused to recognize the Master of Science degree in Operation and Supply Chain Management (Oil and Gas), issued by the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom in 2022, under the distance learning system. Similarly, the committee declined the equivalence of the Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering, issued by Cyprus International University in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2022. The program was not studied with the Ministry’s approval prior to enrollment and the institution was not among those recommended for distance learning according to the committee’s previous decisions.
Furthermore, the committee rejected the equivalence of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Social Services, issued by Ajman University in the United Arab Emirates in 2021. This decision was influenced by the enrollee joining the institution after a suspension order was issued by the committee. Equivalence was also denied for the Bachelor’s degree in Computer Application issued by Yuvaraja’s College in affiliation with the University of Mysore in India in 2022.
The committee similarly declined to equate the Bachelor of Education degree specialized in classroom teaching, issued by Yarmouk University in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 2023. This was due to the candidate not studying on a full-time basis at the institution’s campus, contradicting Article 8(h) of the regulations. Equivalence was also denied for the Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems issued by The University of Texas at Arlington in the United States in 2003.
