Her Excellency Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al-Shibani, Omani Minister of Education, received on Sunday His Excellency Dr. Saad bin Saud Al-Fuhaid, President of the Arabian Gulf University, and the accompanying academic delegation. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Prof. Omar Al-Rawas, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arabian Gulf University; His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al-Shibli, member of the Board of Trustees; and His Excellency Dr. Salim Al-Harthi, member of the University Council, to discuss ways to strengthen academic relations and expand areas of scientific cooperation between the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Gulf University.

During the meeting, several topics of mutual interest were reviewed. Her Excellency the Minister emphasized the importance of strengthening regional academic partnerships to contribute to the development of the higher education system and the improvement of its outcomes, praising the role played by the Arabian Gulf University in supporting scientific research and serving development issues in the GCC countries.

For his part, His Excellency the Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, Prof. Omar Al-Rawas, emphasized the importance of developing sustainable institutional partnerships with the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman, thereby enhancing Gulf academic integration, and supporting Gulf universities’ efforts to expand their research and knowledge-based roles, as well as exchanging expertise in areas of shared priority.

For his part, His Excellency the University President expressed his pride in the growing relations with the Sultanate of Oman, affirming the University’s commitment to expanding the horizons of cooperation with Omani educational institutions, particularly in the areas of graduate studies, research programs, and the exchange of academic expertise.

The University President also reviewed the university’s key activities, strategic projects, research initiatives, and academic programs that contribute to supporting sustainable development goals and enhancing the quality of higher education in the region, emphasizing the importance of strengthening opportunities for academic cooperation to implement joint research and academic projects.

The two sides discussed the progress of Omani students at the Arabian Gulf University and the successes they have achieved in various specializations, as well as ways to support and empower them academically and professionally. They also discussed arrangements for holding in-person exams for Omani medical students in Muscat and completing practical training programs for fifth-year students at healthcare institutions within the Sultanate of Oman, as well as reviewing the role of the Sultan Qaboos Chair for Desert Farming and Soilless Agriculture in supporting modern agricultural research.

The meeting, attended by His Excellency Prof. Ghazi Al-Otaibi, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Scientific Research, and His Excellency Prof. Dr. Walid Khalil Zibari, Dean of the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences, comes as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen academic integration among educational institutions in the GCC, thereby supporting innovation and contributing to the development of a sustainable knowledge-based economy grounded in research and development.