Vision:
Towards a distinguished educational environment that will be a source of Omani pride.

Mission:

To contribute to the realization of the University`s educational and research environment in order to achieve excellence and respond effectively to the socio-economic development requirements, adapt to the regional and international changes, disseminate knowledge and strengthen engagement with community.

Objectives:

• To develop the University`s educational environment in order to ensure that academic programs are committed to excellence.
• To attract and retain distinguished academic staff.
• To improve students` language skills.
•  To develop field training and internship programs for students.
• To adhere to quality standards in the educational process. 
• To enhance academic program responsiveness to the demands of national, regional and international development. 
• To adopt a systematic approach to disseminating knowledge and organizing continuing education, training programs and other community services.
• To highlight through the media the University`s role in community service and development.
• To enhance communication channels with alumni.

Project: Education Based on Active Learning and Learning Outcomes

 Project Goal:

 Enhance the application of active learning methods.

Project Initiatives:

• Develop a comprehensive framework for implementing, measuring, and improving active learning to ensure its sustainability and suitability for various disciplines.
• Promote the culture of active learning and demonstrate its benefits among students and faculty.
• Intensify professional development programs for faculty members to enhance their skills in using and assessing active learning methods.
• Secure stable funding sources to cover the necessities of active learning and its implementation requirements.
• Activate partnerships with the public and private sectors and international institutions to implement active learning.

Project: Revising Academic Programs to Meet Future Technology Requirements

Project Goal:

 Enhance cognitive and practical skills related to future technology requirements. 

 Project Initiatives:

• Strengthen collaboration and coordination between departments and colleges related to future technologies.
•  Integrate appropriate technology into existing and new academic programs.
•  Coordinate teaching schedules for environmental programs and future sub-specialties.
• Develop a system for the exchange and updating of courses among faculty members.
• Enhance research projects for graduate and undergraduate students related to future technology and its applications.
• Improve the competencies of faculty and technical staff in the field of technology and its use.
• Provide special care for outstanding students in academic programs that meet future technology requirements.

Project: Enhancing University Students' Skills to Match the Job Market

Project Goal:

 Align academic programs with job market requirements.

Project Initiatives:

• Unite efforts and programs that enhance students' skills across the university's colleges and units for integration and coordination.
•  Develop a methodology or plan to increase internship opportunities for students in market institutions and improve the quality of training.
• Develop a methodology or plan to include, apply, and evaluate the skills required by the job market in specialized programs and mandatory university or college courses based on future skills outlined in the Omani National Framework for Future Skills and Entrepreneurial Thinking.
• Improve the competencies of faculty members to enhance students' job market skills.
•  Develop various methods and incentives to encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities that enhance their acquisition of job market skills.

 Project: Applied and Interdisciplinary Research

 Project Goal:

Stimulate research potential and establish a culture of scientific research. –

Project Initiatives:

• Include a base of regulations that organize and enable applied scientific research.
•   Prioritize scientific research in strategic agendas.
• Secure sustainable funding sources for applied research.
• Enhance and motivate staff involved in applied research.
• Support and develop research centers and link them with applied research.

Project: Developing the Academic Innovation System

Project Goal:

 Develop an effective innovation system that transforms knowledge into value for economic and social development.

Project Initiatives:

• Promote the culture of innovation, market it, and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
•   Review laws and regulations governing innovation.
• Develop the university's technical infrastructure to meet the basic requirements of the innovation system.
•  Direct academic programs, curricula, and research towards innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Increase moral and financial incentives for innovators. 6. Enhance the human resources managing the innovation system.

Project: Student Activities in Community Service to Enhance Identity, Citizenship, and Solidarity

Project Goal:

Promote the culture of civic duty among employees and students

Project Initiatives:

• Develop systems and frameworks that organize student activities directed towards community service and their assessment methods.
• Activate and improve the current electronic system for managing and evaluating student activities.
• Develop an incentive system to enhance student and employee participation in community service and volunteer activities.
• Diversify funding sources for student activities.
• Develop a methodology to market student activities for community service and enhance community partnerships.
• Train and qualify those involved in student activities for community service to enrich their experiences and expertise.

Project: Revising Community Programs in Terms of Their Diversity, Content Quality, and Design and Marketing Methods

Project Goal:

Expand community service and continuing education programs.

Project Initiatives:

• Develop comprehensive legislative frameworks for community service procedures.
• Enhance the infrastructure and modern technologies that provide logistical support for community service programs.
• Create incentive programs for employees and students participating in community service programs.
• Assess community needs for programs, training courses, activities, and community services and disseminate this information to the university community.
• Enhance financial support for community activities and services.
• Strengthen human resources in the Community Service and Continuing Education Center and the offices of the Assistant Deans for Training and Community Service to supervise community programs.
• Develop a comprehensive database to store and exchange information related to community service.
• Establish key performance indicators to assess community engagement.
• Expand the participation of stakeholders in community service from within and outside the university

Collaboration Between the University and Shell

Sultan Qaboos University and Shell Development Oman have signed two collaboration agreements on 29 May 2024.  The agreements were signed by Prof. Dr. Salim bin Hamoud Al Harthi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Community Service at the University, and Ms. Malak bint Ahmed Al Shibani, General Manager for External Relations and In-Country Value Manager at Shell.The first agreement entails Shell Development Oman providing a case study on Shell's market activation strategies.  This initiative aims to enhance students' skills in strategic thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, a learner's mindset, and task analysis.  An instructor from Shell Global and several trainers from Shell Development Oman will conduct this training session.  The University will select 30 students to participate in the training and will also provide the training venue. The second agreement involves the implementation of the Shell Explorers Program for professionals, a global program designed to empower students to become agents of positive change.  This program uses the principles of systems thinking, scenario planning, and the theory of change, and is designed to address future challenges.  It focuses on skills related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).   The program will target over 100 students from Sultan Qaboos University across various disciplines and will be supervised by the Center for Community Service and Continuing Education in collaboration with the Student Skills Enhancement Project and specialists from the College of Education in relevant disciplines.

Orientation Meeting on Academic Affairs and Community Service Procedures

The office organized an orientation meeting on February 25, 2024, which included a presentation of the University colleges' experience with academic affairs procedures and how they have been simplified to be more effective and suitable for the academic process.

Virtual Reality Laboratory

Under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Fahd bin Al-Julanda Al-Said, Vice-Chancellor of the University, the Virtual Reality Laboratory was inaugurated on 5 March 2024.  The project embodies the University’s vision of promoting the use of technology in teaching, in line with the global surge in the use of modern technologies, particularly virtual reality in various fields.  Virtual reality enhances the delivery of intangible information and allows the user or student to experience the intangible reality in all its details.

Forum on the Integration of Emerging Technologies and their Applications in Academic Programs at Sultan Qaboos University

The office organized the forum on April 28, 2024, under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Fahd bin Al-Julanda Al-Said, Vice-Chancellor of the University.The forum aims to:a) Understand the current state of integrating emerging technologies and their applications in academic programs at Sultan Qaboos University; b) Introduce the initiatives and outcomes of the project to revisit academic programs to meet the requirements of emerging technologies; and c) Present guidelines for the ethical and responsible use of emerging technologies and their applications in academic programs.