‘Qualified Omanis being inducted into private higher institution’

Muscat: The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, represented by the Directorate General of Private Universities and Colleges, is making continuous efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning processes through several policies and procedures.

Dr. Maryam bint Belarab al-Nabhaniya, Director General of the Directorate General of Private Universities and Colleges, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the ministry supervises 27 educational institutions, follows up on their work, monitors their performance for improving their services and academic programmes in accordance with the regulations and legislation established in this regard.

She  said that the private higher education sector has witnessed, during the past year, the appointment of many qualified Omani cadres in leadership and academic support positions in private higher education institutions, where approximately 610 members were appointed.
She added that the Ministry adopts many policies and procedures aimed at ensuring the service quality of private higher education institutions and their facilities in line with local and international standards, and meets the aspirations of society through the mechanisms adopted by the Ministry through regulations and legislation, including licensing institutions and academic programmes.

The Directorate General of Private Universities and Colleges carries out field visits to private higher education institutions to find out the reality of implementing programmes.

She stated that regular review and audit of academic liaison agreements are made with memorandums of cooperation of local institutions with foreign universities for the pursuit of institutional integration.

Cooperation for academic training and administrative practices and holding of workshops, seminars, conferences are also made to improve quality of education, she said, adding review of students’ graduation documents are made before they are officially issued, and the appointment of workers in leadership and academic support positions are made according to specific controls and
requirements.

The entry of 4 universities among the top 500 universities in the world in the (QS) classification is one of the goals of Oman 2040 vision, and in this aspect the ministry sought to enable private higher education institutions to compete in international rankings by implementing a number of workshops in cooperation with private higher education institutions.

Focusing on this classification and its importance and to get advanced ranks, a working group headed by the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation has been formed to know the universities’ plans to enter the (QS) classification.

She explained that the private higher education sector has achieved a tangible performance in terms of international indicators for this year by entering five private universities in the Sultanate of Oman in the (QS) classification of Arab universities, according to what was published by the British (Quacquarelli Symonds) institution specialised in the field of education on its website for the classification of universities for the year 2023, as the University of Nizwa ranked (81-90), the National University of Science and Technology ranked (101-110), Dhofar University and the German University of Technology ranked (111-120), and Sohar University ranked (121-130). ).

She indicated that 17 private universities and colleges were able to obtain institutional accreditation from the Omani Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance in exchange for achieving institutional accreditation standards. Middle East, Modern College of Commerce and Science, Scientific College of Design, Mazoon College, Oman Dental College, Sohar University, Nizwa University, Dhofar University, Muscat College, Sur University College, Arab Open University, and Zahra College for Girls.

She stated that the Ministry is working to follow up the institutions’ application of the quality standards set by the Omani Authority for Academic Accreditation and to ensure the quality of education through the implementation of field visits.

In this regard, she pointed out that the Ministry is implementing workshops and panel discussions aimed at strengthening ties, raising the level of expertise and exchanging experiences and knowledge between private higher education institutions in areas related to quality assurance and the institutional accreditation process, in addition to broad knowledge and realistic and accurate understanding of the Authority’s requirements, procedures and policies.

She stressed that there is no conflict between the role of the Ministry and the Authority in terms of evaluation and follow-up of private higher education institutions, as the Ministry works side by side with the Authority in monitoring the quality of private higher education institutions. annually to ensure compliance with regulations and quality standards in various fields.

She explained that the authority’s role is to evaluate institutions every five years based on several criteria and then grant them an institutional accreditation certificate if they meet the specified criteria, apply the national qualifications framework.

Regarding the Ministry’s role in monitoring the quality of academic programmes offered by private higher education institutions, Dr. Maryam Al Nabhani said that the General Directorate of Private Universities and Colleges receives and studies requests to offer new academic programmes in private higher education institutions according to a specific mechanism.

And she indicated that if the committee approves academic programmes, then it is ensured that all the requirements for offering them are met, and the institution is notified of the approval. Among the tools used are to take the opinion of academics, students and employers, and external evaluation of programmes, and the participation of different sectors in its continuous development.

And she emphasised that one of the aspects of enhancing quality in private higher education institutions is the academic cadres working in those institutions with academic and administrative qualifications and experience, and the Ministry is very keen to follow up on this aspect and give it great attention.

She indicated that the applications of the candidates are subject to scrutiny according to requirements and criteria that ensure the suitability of the experiences and qualifications of the candidates for the positions proposed to them, and they include all of the university presidents and their assistants, deans of colleges and their assistants, the academic and academic support staff, teaching assistants, heads of admission and registration departments.