University of Nizwa to Host Omani Universities Ranking Forum to Improve International Rankings

The University of Nizwa is set to host the "Omani Universities Ranking Forum," which will take place on May 9th. The event will be held under the patronage of Her Excellency the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, and is aimed at improving the ranking of Omani universities in international indicators.

The forum, organised by the University of Nizwa in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, will bring together chancellors of national government and private universities, representatives from international institutions, and participation from the QS World University Rankings.

Dr. Walid Al-Rajhi, Dean of the Planning and Quality Management Deanship and head of the organizing committee, highlighted that the forum aims to produce recommendations to propel universities and national institutions to be present in international rankings. The forum is divided into three axes, with the first axis highlighting best practices from four international universities, including the University of Malaya in Malaysia, King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, and the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan, along with the QS World University Rankings.

The second axis of the forum includes seven working papers presented by local academic institutions, addressing opportunities and challenges regarding academic rankings for Omani universities and national academic institutions. Finally, the third axis consists of a roundtable discussion involving Her Excellency the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, chancellors of government and private universities, legislators, beneficiaries, representatives of participating foreign universities, and a representative from QS World University Rankings.

The dialogue session will address enabling national universities to be present in global indicators, supporting research projects and innovations, international relations between universities, and partnerships between government and private higher education institutions.

The University of Nizwa's initiative to host this forum underscores the importance of the presence of Omani national universities in global ranking indicators, especially following the recent QS ranking where the university achieved 61st place among Arab universities, positioning it on the threshold of entry into the global ranking index.