MUSCAT: The Hadatha Centres for Cybersecurity Industry, launched under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MoTCIT), are not merely research centres but drivers of innovation and business development in cybersecurity.

“This centre is not merely a technical project — it is an intellectual and scientific space designed to nurture creativity and accelerate entrepreneurial ideas in the field of cybersecurity”, said Aziza bint Sultan al Rashdiyah, Assistant Director General for Cybersecurity Programmes at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

Speaking at the launch of the third Hadatha Centre, Al Rashdi described the initiative as one of the national programmes that embody Oman’s vision towards a secure and sustainable digital economy. The centres, she said, represent a critical bridge between research and market, where innovation translates into economic and security value.

The Hadatha Centre initiative operates under the National Cybersecurity Programme (Hadatha), itself one of the core pillars of Oman’s National Digital Economy Programme, which aims to boost the contribution of the digital economy to the local GDP.

There are currently three Hadatha Centres for Cybersecurity Industry operating in Oman. The first was launched at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS Muscat), followed by the Hadatha Centre at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and most recently at Middle East College in Muscat.

“As global reports indicate that cybercrime losses may exceed ten trillion dollars annually by 2030 and that the global cybersecurity market could surpass five hundred billion dollars, the need for innovation has become urgent”, said Al Rashdi.

“In a time when digital threats are accelerating and cyber challenges are intensifying, local innovation in cybersecurity has become a necessity, not a luxury”, she said, noting that over eighty per cent of global organisations now view in-house cybersecurity innovation as a priority, yet fewer than forty per cent have the capacity to turn ideas into real solutions.

“This gap between need and capability”, Al Rashdi explained, “highlights why Oman must invest in homegrown innovation. The Hadatha Centre represents a practical step towards accelerating local innovation and converting it into economic and security value. Its success will depend on effective partnerships, continuous investment and linking research with market needs”.

Al Rashdi added that the Ministry is also collaborating with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Oman to integrate artificial intelligence and advanced technologies into future cybersecurity solutions. “This will strengthen the cybersecurity industry and the digital economy”, she said, adding that such efforts will “enhance Oman’s position as a regional leader in cybersecurity innovation”.

According to Amal bint Saeed al Mashaikhiyah, Senior Cybersecurity Innovation Specialist at the National Cybersecurity Centre, the Hadatha model is built on “a specialised innovation framework designed to connect Oman’s academic, industrial and government sectors into a single ecosystem”.

“It aims to establish an integrated national ecosystem that strengthens innovation in the field”, she said. The National Cybersecurity Centre coordinates this framework, “providing guidance and support to academic institutions hosting Hadatha Centres”, while the government sector “develops policies, strategies and legislation to promote cybersecurity investment”. The private sector, she added, “provides funding, mentorship and real-world challenges for innovators to solve” and academia acts as “an incubator for research, creativity and entrepreneurship”, ensuring innovation “does not remain confined to labs but reaches the market locally, regionally and globally”.

Each Hadatha Centre follows what the specialist called a cyclical innovation journey, beginning with workshops that build awareness and skills, followed by mentorship, hackathons and accelerators that turn early ideas into startups. “This integrated pathway supports the journey of the innovator from the idea stage to reaching local, regional and global markets”, she said.

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