Shura panel debates academic, job issues with UTAS chief

MUSCAT: The Education and Scientific Research Committee of Majlis Ash’shura on Monday hosted Dr Said bin Hamad al Rubaie, President of the University of Technology and Applied Science (UTAS), and several specialists of the university.

The committee members reviewed the challenges faced by the university to supervise the colleges, Omanisation plans, employment procedures, academic training programmes, the allocations sought by the university to keep up with the requirements of the labour market and ensure the quality of academic programmes.

The meeting discussed the mechanisms of replacement of expats by Omanis, the training programmes and recruitment procedures of Omanis as academics or technicians at the university.

It has been indicated during the meeting that the UTAS is working on a replacement plan at the colleges of technology through a scholarship programme for the master’s degree in addition to employment via internal announcements in coordination with the Ministry of Labour.

The meeting also discussed the university’s plans to replace the technical cadres and the replacement plans at the colleges of applied science through scholarship for postgraduate programmes. It discussed the solutions adopted by UTAS to address the issue of intermediary companies that recruit Omanis to work as academics at the university.

The committee members enquired about the university’s admission capacity at different colleges and the possibility of launching new disciplines and academic programmes. It was noted that the university is reviewing and developing all of its academic programmes as part of a project to merge the technical colleges and colleges of applied sciences.

The university is developing a number of new specialisations at the diploma, advanced diploma, bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Besides, the university has a project to set up a branch in Musandam Governorate which will be implemented in two phases according to the type of the programmes.

Among the proposed disciplines is: mechanical engineering, energy systems engineering, construction and maintenance engineering, logistics systems engineering, transportation systems management, and other specialisations related to modern technologies and marine sciences.