Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: Developing and empowering existing and future leaders of Oman in both the private and public sectors is the guiding principle of the Royal Academy of Management.
That’s according to Dr Ali bin Qassim Al Lawati, the academy’s president, who added that the principles of the institution were based on the ambitious visions of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
“The academy’s fundamental pillars are: Oman Vision 2040, the development of the state’s institutions, the economic requirements of the future and the adoption of modern learning tools and methods,” he said.
“The academy is a dynamic hub for executive learning and a centre for developing national leadership, managerial capabilities and future knowledge.
“Our work philosophy is built upon an innovative lean model based on portfolio management through independent teams,” added Al Lawati.
“These teams consist of graduates and professionals from the business community, working together with the academy in a flexible structure.”
According to Royal Decree number 2/2022, the academy is governed by a Board of Trustees headed by the Minister of Diwan of Royal Court. The rest of the Board of Trustees are appointed by the Council of Ministers. The academy has two other boards: The International Advisory Board and the Alumni Board.
The International Advisory Board consists of world-renowned international experts ensuring that the academy follows the latest practices and highest global standards. This board also helps to enhance the international reputation of the academy.
The Alumni Board is responsible for bringing together the academy’s alumni supporting them to deliver some of the academy’s training programmes.
Centres of excellence
The Royal Academy of Management operates through four independent centres of excellence ensuring a rapid response to changes in the academy’s work priorities: The Centre for Government, the Centre for Leadership in Business, the Centre for Local Governance and the Centre for Future Studies.
These centres follow the guiding principles of the Royal directives on State institutions, the importance of the private sector, local sustainable development and Oman’s national priorities.
The Centre for Government is primarily tasked with equipping the senior cadre of public sector officials in Oman who are directly responsible for the realisation of Oman’s 2040 vision.
The centre is also responsible for building future leaders in the public sector, reinforcing the leadership pipeline for both current and future challenges.
The Centre for Leadership in Business is mandated with providing cutting-edge innovations in private sector leadership at all levels, from middle management to CEOs. It will equip them with the skills and knowledge required to create dynamic organisations that compete at an international level.
The Centre for Local Governance will strengthen local administration in the governorates of Oman contributing to sustainable national development through decentralised economic and administrative decision-making. This will be achieved through a series of thought-leadership and capability-building programmes.
Finally, the Centre for Future Studies is the Academy’s endeavour to help identify emerging opportunities leading to a better understanding of future trends. The centre prides itself on its expertise and ability to bring together national and world experts to contribute to shaping innovative solutions for current and future challenges.
Leadership programmes
It is worth noting that the academy has already started delivering its leadership programmes, which his Excellency outlined in the conference.
These are the National Collaborative Leadership Programme in partnership with Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and Train the Trainer aimed at creating and preparing a certified cadre of Omani executive education trainers in collaboration with Eller Executive Education at the University of Arizona.
“We would also like to announce the next suite of programmes, initiatives and studies that will be rolled out this year starting in the fourth quarter of 2022,” said Al Lawati. “The programmes are designed for undersecretaries, directors general, CEOs and future leaders in both the public and private sectors.
“The Royal Academy is delivering the programmes in collaboration with its extensive network of top tier providers from world class institutions to harness the talents of Omani leaders,” he added.
The Academy will also launch a flagship programme, a Master’s in Applied Leadership and Management (Digital Economy) in cooperation with the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, the world’s premier leadership and management school.
The programme spans twelve months and will be delivered as blended learning offering middle managers in the public sector insight into the latest trends in leadership and management in public and global affairs in the 4IR era, public policy analysis and agile governance.
The programme will be launched in the fourth quarter of this year.
The academy will focus on local development through the National Initiative for Local Governance. This will include a wide range of programmes for governors, walis and directors general in local governorates, offering them best practices in local governance with an aim to stimulate economic growth and local sustainable development.
In addition, the academy will develop a national index for measuring and tracking the quality of services provided by the governorates to citizens and businesses.
Finally, the Royal Academy of Management unveiled its official brand identity with an emblem that symbolizes the convergence of a great legacy and a prosperous future. It was inspired by the ancient Sultanate Tughra, traditionally adopted by the Sultans of Oman as a seal for their official documents and correspondence.
The academy launched its official website, www.ram.gov.om and their official social media accounts.
