Workshop explores building Oman’s tech foresight system

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, represented by the Oman Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, organised a workshop titled 'Technology Foresight' in cooperation with the World Economic Forum. The workshop brought together a number of national entities and institutions involved in the digital economy, foresight and future planning, and was held as part of the events accompanying the launch of the second phase of the National Digital Economy Programme.
The workshop aims to strengthen integration among national entities, exchange expertise and knowledge in foresight of technological transformations, and explore future opportunities in support of national efforts towards a sustainable digital economy.
It sought to develop and activate a technology foresight system in the Sultanate of Oman by introducing foresight concepts and methodologies, exploring emerging technological signals and trends, and identifying opportunities and challenges at an early stage. This is intended to support planning and decision-making in policy, investment and innovation, in line with the targets of Oman Vision 2040 and its drive to build a diversified, sustainable economy based on knowledge and innovation.
The workshop included practical activities on applying foresight tools and methodologies, and on preparing and testing a roadmap extending from the current situation to 2040. The exercise aimed to examine the forces shaping the future, analyse the potential effects of emerging shifts and signals, and identify the key milestones needed to reach the desired future.
It also featured practical applications on transformation maps for the executive programmes of the National Digital Economy Programme, enabling participants to monitor emerging signals and trends and link them to transformations relevant to national priorities.
Eng. Badr bin Ali al Salehi, Head of the Oman Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said the workshop seeks to establish a national methodology and system for foresight of advanced technologies, so that the risks and opportunities accompanying these technologies can be handled in a systematic and proactive manner in support of national economic goals.
He added that cooperation with the World Economic Forum helps advance decision-making in Oman through the use of methodologies and technologies, particularly an artificial intelligence tool to be launched tomorrow (Thursday) alongside the second phase of the National Digital Economy Programme and its executive programmes. He said the owners of these programmes will be able to use these tools to strengthen their programmes and anticipate developments on the global stage, as the platform is linked to global challenges and to experiences from around the world.
The workshop concluded with a review of Oman's national technology foresight model and its methodological framework, which is expected to help develop an integrated national practice in this field, enhance cooperation and knowledge sharing among relevant entities, and build the capacity to anticipate and prepare for technological transformations. It also aims to harness the opportunities these transformations offer to support Oman's digital transformation and achieve its development targets.