EDUCATION HOLDINGS
Training is an important part of any country, now more than ever, and both the public and private sector are pushing to get the best out of their students.
What is the role of OETI in Oman's education landscape?
ANEES ALMAMARI The founders of OETI were pioneers in the sense that they established the first publicly listed investment company specializing in education and training. OETI had the privilege of running Sohar University, the first private university in Oman. Despite being private, it had received an enormous amount of support and funding from the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said. OETI will soon feature a vocational training institute that caters to all engineering and manufacturing courses, along with an international industrial incubation center. At a national level, Sohar University was the only university to participate in the Tanfeedh program, which shows our commitment to innovation. This alignment will help us create jobs and develop an entrepreneurial spirit among young Omanis to reduce the overall reliance on government jobs.
Where does OES stand in the educational system, and what are your strategies moving forward?
HUSSAIN SULAIMAN AL SALMI In 2006, we established a private university in Oman that was more connected to practical education rather than theoretical, following more German standards in education, research, and innovation. After 2011, the government decided to focus more on higher education, forgetting the basics: vocational training. We cannot have 75-80% of high school graduates enrolling in higher education institutes, leaving most hands-on jobs to expats. For this reason, we are now focusing on a conventional way of vocational training. Oman has some vocational centers, but they are all driven by short-term needs. Oman needs vocational centers that focus on quality, which is why we carefully select trainers that see the future demands driven by technology. This way, we can convince Omanis that vocational training and higher education are two different paths.
How do you expect the balance between education and vocational training to evolve moving forward?
AA Industry specific training is where the economy will be moving in terms of education, so we want to get into that sector. The main difference between higher education and vocational training is the high assurance of jobs that vocational training provides. Those looking for a job should consider vocational training because it provides a direct link to market players, such as factories and engineering companies. Understanding where the gaps lie is paramount; however, maintaining this interaction with the market is also crucial for the future, since some jobs will definitely disappear, and the learning process will change. Curriculums should feature a healthy balance between more practical modules and transferrable skills. Currently, we notice an attitudinal shift among students toward IT and engineering based on the needs of the market.
Will research in Oman be centralized or decentralized?
HSAS Since the beginning, the research council acted as a big umbrella, although each institution has its own way of looking for research and activities. Not necessarily everything from research will be applied or the other way around. We do not want to stop our researchers from conducting their own research, though at the same time we encourage them to conduct research at the research council.
What role will technology play in the learning environment?
AA There will be more dependence on technology going forward, and that will require investment. Technology is taking over, though we will continue to balance it with our staff even 10 years from now. There will always be a need for human interaction. Investment wise, it would be more feasible to offer digital books; however, some students will always prefer physical books. It is an adjustment process that everybody has to go through.
Can you tell us about the Oman Hydrogen Center?
HSAS In 2018, we discussed with a German partner about the potential of hydrogen as the energy source of the future and Oman's role in it. We wanted to produce green hydrogen because Oman has water and the sun in abundance, both of which are needed to produce hydrogen. Japan and Germany are the two main countries driving green hydrogen, so we wanted to connect with them. Green hydrogen can generate almost the same income for Oman as oil and gas in the next 15-20 years. Based on that, we established a research center at the university looking at hydrogen as the fuel of the future.
EDUCATION HOLDINGS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Focus: Future foreign policy
Friends to all, enemy to none
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Despite Oman's fuel market slowing down, OOMCO increased its sales volume of lubricants by 36% in 2019 and is constructing a greenfield bunker terminal at the Port of Duqm. The company has transformed while growing its expertise in Marketing and Digital.
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Azzan Al Busaidi, CEO, Ithraa
Azzan Al Busaidi is an expert in competitiveness and economic growth. He was appointed CEO of Ithraa in 2019 after 17 years spent covering managerial roles in the organization. Al Busaidi was previously Ithraa's director general of planning and studies and is a strong advocate of the potential of digitization. He holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde and a BSc in Economics from Sultan Qaboos University.
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Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion & Former Chairman, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Private Omani companies will be able to benefit greatly from the Fourth Industrial Revolution by enhancing their local value-added strategies and upskilling the workforce.
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Tahir Bin Salim Bin Abdullah Al Amri, Executive President, Central Bank of Oman (CBO)
The Central Bank of Oman's job is to ensure there is adequate liquidity in the system and that banks remain robust and resilient to meet the credit requirements of all segments without undermining financial stability.
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Capital markets
CMA and MSM are supporting Vision 2040 by providing financing to government companies that intend to go public, financing expansion of existing and new IPOs, and widening the investors base in Oman by enhancing and developing the investment funds and insurance industries.
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Khalid Al Balushi, CEO, Khazaen Economic City
International investors and business owners can benefit from Khazaen Economic City's strategic location and its close proximity to the main gateways of the country to import, process, manufacture, distribute locally, and export their goods and services.
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Destined for greatness
Investments in world-class infrastructure have generated huge rewards for Oman. The goal now is to leverage technology as a disruptive enabler, build human capacity across the public and private logistics sectors, and drive operational efficiencies to build an integrated logistics business environment that is benchmarked against the world's best.
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All bases covered
An amalgamation of local companies and unique experiences in Oman has created an original flavor that is further differentiating Oman's tourism offering from other countries and in the process attracting scores of tourists from all across the world.
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Engineering design
Renardet Engineering Consultants and Design Unit Engineering are recognized experts in their fields. While the former is an international company strongly committed to excellent engineering consultancy services and environmental practices, the latter is an Oman-based team of architects and engineers that incorporates local culture and traditions.
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Construction materials
Oman's construction sector is facing a host of challenges, but Hempel Paints and Al Maha Ceramics are confident that a mix of forward-thinking business models, unique products, and strong government initiatives will help them through turbulent times and generate positive returns in the long run.
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Salim Razvi, CEO, Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA)
Focusing on higher education institutional accreditation, program accreditation, and the updating and maintaining of the Oman Qualifications Framework, OAAA is helping further advance higher education in the Sultanate.
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