MUSCAT: Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, on Monday visited the University of Al Buraimi, Al Buraimi University College (BUC) and Al Buraimi Vocational College.
During the visits, the minister reviewed the most prominent academic and administrative developments and discussed the universities’ futuristic educational and research plans.
The minister was accompanied during the visits by Sayyid Dr Hamad bin Ahmed al Busaidy, Governor of Al Buraimi, Hilal bin Hamad al Hasani CEO, Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), Zahir bin Mohammed al Kaabi, Chairman of Al Buraimi branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), Engineer Hamad bin Saif al Hadhrami, Learning and Development Manager at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and a number of officials at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and concerned bodies.
The minister stressed the importance of cooperation and integration between educational institutions and the industrial sector in Al Buraimi Governorate to support the knowledge-based economy in the Sultanate of Oman. She underscored the need to pay attention to capacity-building and linking higher education to the labour market and industrial production through cooperation with the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), and Al Buraimi branch of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
At the beginning of the programme of visits the minister and the accompanying delegation visited the University of Al Buraimi, where she met with the president of the university and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The minister also met with the deans of faculties, heads of academic departments and representatives of the student advisory council. She was briefed on the academic challenges facing the students exhorting them to continue with their efforts to raise their scientific standard and acquire the most prominent skills of the future. The minister called on students to pay attention to scientific research pointing to the importance of youth in achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
At Al Buraimi University College (BUC), the minister of higher education, research and innovation met with Shaikh Ahmed bin Nasser al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Yasser Fouad, Dean of BUC, and his assistants, heads of departments and representatives of the student advisory council.
During the two visits, the minister stressed the importance of activating joint cooperation in the research field and forming joint research teams in cooperation with the industrial sector, pointing to the importance of upgrading the educational system in line with Oman Vision 2040 through focusing on the disciplines of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and artificial intelligence.
The minister and the accompanying delegation visited Al Buraimi Vocational College, where she met with the administrative staff, and listened to an overview of the college.
The minister met with the heads of the academic departments, representatives of the student advisory council, and concluded her visit with an inspection tour of the facilities and workshops of the college and its various departments.
