Study in Oman 

Omanis invited to apply for Fulbright scholarships The Fulbright Scholar Programme has introduced a programme for Omani scholars to conduct research, lecture or to pursue combined lecturing and research in the US, Oman Daily Observer has reported. The 2012 Fulbright Visiting Scholar programme is administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) and all expenses are funded by the US State Department. Applicants must be Omani citizens with a doctoral degree or equivalent professional qualification or experience at the time of application. Reported on November 24th 2011.

Oman's SQU to offer new PhD program Oman's Sultan Qaboos University has approved a PhD programme in Information Science to be offered by the College of Arts and Social Sciences and a minor course in Astronomy in the Department of Physics of the College of Science, Oman Daily Observer has reported. It also approved Master's programme in Physical Education offered by the College of Education. Reported on November 24th 2011.

Oman Offers 9,808 Internal Scholarships Oman's higher education ministry has allocated for 9,808 internal scholarships for students from low-income families and those receiving social security benefits, Muscat Daily has reported. This includes 500 scholarships for women. Internal scholarships will enable students to enrol at a private higher educational institute in the Sultanate. The ministry also said that all partial scholarships for students from low-income families will be converted into full scholarships. After the conversion, the ministry will pay the full tuition fee instead of the 75%. Reported on October 31st 2011.

'Interactive School' Built in Oman Oman's first 'interactive school' has been opened by Petroleum Development Oman at Al-Zahyah village in Al Dakhliya Region. The new Al-Zahyah School was built in partnership with the Ministry of Education as part of PDO's corporate Social Investment programme. In addition to funding the construction of a new school building, PDO has also paid for twelve 'interactive' classrooms at the school, which are equipped with the latest educational IT and multimedia technology. A computer lab, a multi-purpose room and three sports pitches have also been built at the school.

The Omani Ministry of Manpower and ICDL GCC Foundation, the governing body and certification authority of the International Computer Driving License (ICDL) program in the Gulf have signed an agreement to implement ICDL certification program and train more than 20,000 male and female students enrolled in the public vocational training centers and the technology colleges as well as the private training centers in Oman.

Dr Rawiyah bint Saud Al Busaidiyah, Oman's Minister of Higher Education, has praised the role that private sector higher education has played in enabling more Omanis to attend university, reported Gulf News. The minister said that 20.8% of school leavers went on to higher education in 2001-2, but, in 2005-6, the figure had risen to 31.2%. She said almost 17,000 students now attend private universities.

Omani Ministry of Education partners with Cisco Systems to study implementation of second phase of wireless networks in the Sultanate Omani Ministry of Education and Cisco Systems Middle East have announced today that they have begun studying the deployment of the second phase of the wireless implementation project in schools in the Sultanate. This was announced during a joint press conference held at the sidelines of ICT Oman 2005. Cisco System's, Intelligent Information Network (IIN), which is being implemented in Oman, is an integral part of the Ministry's e-transformation strategies aimed at building IT skills of Omanis and advancing e-learning initiatives in the country. The E-transformation strategies will also see the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure aimed at integrating and accelerating the process of digital revolution in the Sultanate.

Oman’s $2.5m gift to Islamic Studies Arrangements were finalised when the Omani Minister of Higher Education, visited the University to formally sign the agreement for The Sultan of Oman Chair in Arab and Islamic Studies. The Minister led a delegation of Omani education officials and diplomats who met with the Vice-Chancellor, and senior members of the University, The Minister said that in endowing the Chair at Melbourne, Oman was continuing a series of endowments to prestigious universities throughout the world. For instance, the Sultanate of Oman has also endowed chairs at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and at Georgetown University in the USA.