“Oman and Zanzibar Strengthen Bilateral Ties: Focus on Economic, Cultural, and Health Cooperation”
Muscat – At a session hosted on Monday by Majlis A’Shura, H E Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, announced the formation of a committee tasked with studying and drafting regulations for the Higher Education Law promulgated via Royal Decree No 27/2023 last May.
The session focused on key aspects of the ministry’s policies and strategies, including international cooperation in higher education, vocational training, scientific research and innovation.
It also addressed the 10th Five-Year Plan, legislative reforms, enhancements in admission processes and scholarship policies, and initiatives for private higher education institutions. Discussions included aligning vocational education with labour market needs, academic accreditation and Omanisation efforts.
Regarding revoking the licence granted to Sur University College, she said, “The college’s problems began before 2018. The ministry held several meetings, paid visits and has tried in every way to find a solution. We consider educational institutions an extension of the ministry, and in order to ensure the same problem is not repeated, we have programmes and partnerships between institutions. We have increased frequency of ministry visits.”
She further informed that the ministry is currently developing a vision to establish an Omani virtual university dedicated to delivering higher education through online platforms. “This initiative aims to enhance educational accessibility and provide continuous learning opportunities for students, regardless of their location or circumstances.”
In addition to the virtual university initiative, the minister highlighted the advantages of the ‘Study in Oman’ campaign. It strategically promotes the sultanate’s higher education institutions to attract international students, showcasing the quality of their programmes and the appealing features that the country offers as a study destination.
Elaborating on the ministry’s approach to scholarship allocation, H E Rahma said, “We divide scholarships among educational institutions based on their performance; most institutions are stable and make profits.”
She informed about formation of a committee tasked with studying and drafting regulations for the Higher Education Law, which will soon be published in the Official Gazette.
H E Rahma also revealed that in 2023, the ministry uncovered ten forged certificates, compared to 44 detected in 2019.
She added that all government entities have been instructed not to employ any expatriate unless they have obtained degree equivalency from the ministry.
Regarding university tuition fees, she pointed out that fees of Omani universities are highly competitive within the region and internationally. “We have maintained stable tuition fees without any increases.”
She informed that there has been an increase in enrolments in higher education institutions through enhanced bilateral cooperation with several friendly countries. This includes allocating 206 annual scholarships in Saudi Arabia, 50 in Hungary and 22 in France.
Additionally, three private higher education institutions – Buraimi University, German University of Technology and Dhofar University – received scholarships funded by the Erasmus Plus student exchange programme for European Union countries for the first time.
A joint working group has been established between her ministry and the Ministry of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, and University of Technology and Applied Sciences to review curricula. This effort aims to enhance and develop diverse educational programmes.
Her ministry lays significant emphasis on supporting students with disabilities by offering a wide range of educational opportunities and addressing any challenges they may encounter. This commitment includes diversifying programmes tailored to their needs and fostering inclusive environments within private higher education institutions and vocational colleges to ensure accessibility.