MUSCAT: The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), discussed strengthening existing cooperation and explored future partnerships.
A key focus was the Oman Declaration Conference on Higher Education, scheduled for October 2025 at Sohar University, in collaboration with Unesco, the American University of Beirut, and several other Arab and international universities. This landmark event will address strategies to align higher education with labour market demands.
Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, received Dr Salim Araji, Regional Director of ESCWA, at the Ministry’s General Diwan. During the meeting, Dr Rahma emphasised the need for innovative educational models offering diverse options to meet labour market needs.
Dr Salim Araji shared an initial vision for the conference, which will spotlight topics such as the role of artificial intelligence in education, the state of higher education in the Arab world, private sector skill requirements, and the need to revise regional higher education policies. He highlighted the importance of forging a strong partnership with Omani institutions to leverage ESCWA's expertise in aligning education with the evolving labour market.
Dr Araji also underscored the significance of analysing graduates’ current skill sets and developing actionable recommendations to support evidence-based decision-making by policymakers. — ONA
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