Forum seeks to raise awareness on global measurement standards

MUSCAT: In a pioneering step that reflects Oman’s strategic direction towards a knowledge-based economy and the enhancement of research quality, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, in collaboration with the Modern College of Business and Science, organised the first National Forum for Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journals from October 29 to 30.
The two-day forum serves as a national platform that brings together academics, researchers, and publishing experts to discuss the latest practices in managing and developing peer-reviewed journals. It also aims to highlight their role in promoting academic integrity, improving research quality and supporting universities in achieving higher global rankings.
The forum focuses on showcasing leading national peer-reviewed journals across various disciplines and highlighting their contribution to the advancement of scientific research in Oman. It also seeks to raise awareness about the global impact of measurement standards such as impact factors and citation indicators, while emphasising the importance of indexing national journals in internationally recognised databases such as Scopus and Web of Science.
Dr Issa bin Salem al Shabibi from the Directorate-General of Capacity Building at the Ministry, who is moderating one of the panel discussions, explained that his session will focus on the role of experts in promoting and establishing high-quality scientific journals.
'The session will explore the pivotal role that experts and researchers play in building a strong scientific publishing ecosystem capable of competing regionally and internationally,' he said. He added that focusing on quality and transparency in academic publishing is key to building the credibility of Omani journals and strengthening their reputation in the global academic community.
Dr Arabi Madbouli praised the initiative, describing it as a vital step in Oman’s research development journey.
“We have observed remarkable progress in Oman’s research sector in recent years,” he said. “However, there is still a growing need for more Omani peer-reviewed journals that will nurture the research fields the country needs to support its scientific and economic growth.” Dr Madbouli emphasised that developing strong Omani journals will directly contribute to the national economy and science, adding that such efforts align with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.