Ministry of Higher Education, Oman

The Ministry of Higher Education Vision Statement is to ensure quality Higher Education that meets the requirements for sustainable development. Mission Statement of the Ministry is to promote a Higher Education system that: a) keeps pace with developments and changes in today’s world; b) meets the requirements of sustainable development in the Knowledge Era, while preserving the cultural identity of Omani society; and, c) contributes to the progress and development of humankind. Strategic Objectives

• To develop an overall administrative framework and increase its efficiency in ensuring an effective response to ongoing changes and developments.
• To meet the ever-growing demand for seats in Higher Education from increasing numbers of qualified General Education Diploma graduates, as well as from the general public.
• To increase the efficiency of Oman’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in order to achieve high quality standards aligned with economic and social development requirements and national and global trends.
• To enhance the capacity of Oman’s in research and development.
• To promote Higher Education and keep the public informed of the Ministry’s mandate and responsibilities.

ince the early 1970’s when Oman’s Renaissance began, a major concern of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has been to provide Education for all. His Majesty’s commitment to Education is illustrated by this famous statement: "Let there be learning, even under the shade of trees". In January 1994, Royal Decree 2/1994 separated the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) from the Ministry of Education; and gave the MoHE an independent mandate and a new organizational structure. It was at this time that six Colleges of Education under the jurisdiction of the MoHE were converted into Colleges of Education offering Bachelor degrees in Education. In the academic year 2005-06, and consistent with the planning imperatives of the MoHE, the Teacher Training Colleges were converted into degree-granting Colleges of Applied Sciences. The number of private universities and colleges in the Sultanate has increased dramatically over the past decade, and now stands at twenty-six. There has also been a substantial increase in the number of scholarships awarded to students to study in-country, as well as abroad.

The Graduates Survey System is an instrument that allows the Ministry to collect data on graduates’ whereabouts and their competency to enter the job market. This research is carried out by the means of an e-questionnaire uploaded to the website of the Graduates Survey System. The launch of this system comes as a coronation of two years of work by a team that developed the theoretical framework of the survey; designed the questionnaire, and tested it. In addition, a database was built for the targeted graduates, as well as an electronic survey system and a website specifically designed for the project.

The survey has already covered graduates from private universities and colleges of the academic years 2002/2003, 2004/2005, and 2007/2008. The survey is now launched for the graduates of the academic years 2009/2010, and 2010/2011. The survey is expected to provide valuable data and indicators on the link between higher education and the job market, which in turn provides Higher Education Institutions with feedback on the skills, competencies and specialisations of graduates that are required by the job market. It also allows for these institutions, if required, to enrich and enhance their program offerings. In addition, the research results provide key decision makers and stakeholders in the Higher Education sector with data and indicators that can assist them in the development of research based policies. Furthermore, the results provide (future) graduates and professional advisory institutions, students, their parents and families, as well as the society at large, with valuable information.

The Higher Education Statistical System is managed by the Higher Education Admission Centre (HEAC); it is an electronic system designed to collect and disseminate detailed data about students, academics and administrators in all Higher Education Institutions in the Sultanate about Omani students who (will) study abroad, financial data on each Higher Education Institution, as well as data on graduated students. The HEAC also verifies, documents, and provides data to Higher Education Institutions, government entities, research and study centers as well other concerned entities.

We paid great attention to our completion of the infrastructure in the areas of education and training, and so we completed the stages of the task to ensure that we prepare our children to participate in the construction and development of the country. We live in an age of science and see the progress successive in all areas and to strengthen our certainty that science and hard work the two together are ways to face the limitations of this era and the awakening of a strong and prosperous on the basis of Islamic values ​​and civilization. His Majesty famously said that let there be education even if it is under the shades of trees. Based on this famous saying, Ministry of Higher Education is constantly striving towards the higher education of high quality that meets the requirements of sustainable development.