10 January 2011
MUSCAT -- The Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) are soon to have an agreement to boost quality technical education in the Sultanate. The agreement is aimed at giving an impetus to technical education by offering engineering courses to people living in remote areas of the Sultanate.
Under the draft agreement, SQU has agreed to supervise the recently launched engineering course at Sohar College of Applied Science. After the initial stages of implementation, it was decided to expand the programme repertoire of the CAS to include new fields related to Oman's rapidly expanding economy, beginning with engineering.
While a New Zealand consortium of universities is currently supplying the curriculum for the four original degree programmes, an agreement for the provision of the new engineering programme by the Aachen University of Applied Sciences in Germany is in the pipeline.
There is also a move to introduce German language studies in keeping with the original concept for the CAS which included the study of foreign languages such as German and Mandarin.
Said Hamad Said al Rabiey, Director-General of Colleges of Applied Sciences, said a Joint Academic Committee from SQU and CAS is in talks to give the agreement a final shape.
"The committee is also discussing the possibilities of sharing knowledge and ensuring co-operation by offering laboratory facilities and organising joint workshops," he said.
The Ministry of Higher Education has introduced studies with international consulting groups to plan a new role for the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) as institutions focused on practical education in core technologies and applied sciences of the global era.
The CAS today is equipped with degree programmes in fields directly related to areas in the diversifying economy of Oman. The disciplines include: International Business Administration (Tourism and Hospitality Management); Information Technology; Communication Studies and Design.
The first intake of engineering students in Sohar CAS started in 2009 and the programme includes mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering. These three interrelated fields allow majors in process control as required by industry in Oman. Graduates will have a Bachelor of Engineering in one of the three disciplines, with a designated major in process control.
"The Colleges of Applied Sciences, currently six in number, are in their sixth year of operation and are located in Sur, Sohar, Nizwa, Ibri, Salalah and Rustaq. Each of the six CAS is a centre of specialisation for at least one of the four degree areas. Designed to have both a regional and international focus, the CAS have the potential to play a critical role in human resource development for Oman's continuing economic diversification," said Al Rabiey.
MUSCAT -- The Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) are soon to have an agreement to boost quality technical education in the Sultanate. The agreement is aimed at giving an impetus to technical education by offering engineering courses to people living in remote areas of the Sultanate.
Under the draft agreement, SQU has agreed to supervise the recently launched engineering course at Sohar College of Applied Science. After the initial stages of implementation, it was decided to expand the programme repertoire of the CAS to include new fields related to Oman's rapidly expanding economy, beginning with engineering.
While a New Zealand consortium of universities is currently supplying the curriculum for the four original degree programmes, an agreement for the provision of the new engineering programme by the Aachen University of Applied Sciences in Germany is in the pipeline.
There is also a move to introduce German language studies in keeping with the original concept for the CAS which included the study of foreign languages such as German and Mandarin.
Said Hamad Said al Rabiey, Director-General of Colleges of Applied Sciences, said a Joint Academic Committee from SQU and CAS is in talks to give the agreement a final shape.
"The committee is also discussing the possibilities of sharing knowledge and ensuring co-operation by offering laboratory facilities and organising joint workshops," he said.
The Ministry of Higher Education has introduced studies with international consulting groups to plan a new role for the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) as institutions focused on practical education in core technologies and applied sciences of the global era.
The CAS today is equipped with degree programmes in fields directly related to areas in the diversifying economy of Oman. The disciplines include: International Business Administration (Tourism and Hospitality Management); Information Technology; Communication Studies and Design.
The first intake of engineering students in Sohar CAS started in 2009 and the programme includes mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering. These three interrelated fields allow majors in process control as required by industry in Oman. Graduates will have a Bachelor of Engineering in one of the three disciplines, with a designated major in process control.
"The Colleges of Applied Sciences, currently six in number, are in their sixth year of operation and are located in Sur, Sohar, Nizwa, Ibri, Salalah and Rustaq. Each of the six CAS is a centre of specialisation for at least one of the four degree areas. Designed to have both a regional and international focus, the CAS have the potential to play a critical role in human resource development for Oman's continuing economic diversification," said Al Rabiey.
© Oman Daily Observer 2011
