HIGHER EDUCATION: MINISTER SEEKS MORE U.S. TIES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001204

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARP SSTEINGER, NEA/PD DBENZE, NEA/PI, ECA/A/S
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAO OEXC SCUL PREL KMPI MU
SUBJECT: HIGHER EDUCATION: MINISTER SEEKS MORE U.S. TIES

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SUMMARY
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1. The Ambassador called on the Minister of Higher Education to
discuss the Embassy's work in higher education, in promoting U.S.
education, and in helping facilitate ties between U.S. and Omani
institutions. In return, the Minister was forthright in asking
for more cooperation and additional programming, laying out some
of the challenges she faces in meeting Omani needs in higher
education and presenting ideas that will prove useful in
developing Public Affairs programming in the coming year. End
summary.

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EDUCATION LOOKING ABROAD FOR MODELS AND OPPORTUNITIES
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2. On August 7, the Ambassador paid an introductory call on
Minister of Higher Education Dr. Rawya bint Saud al-Busaidi.
Herself a product of British institutions, al-Busaidi is a
dynamic and forceful voice for American educational models. She
pointed out that while other destinations have made gains since
2001, the U.S. remains Omanis' most highly regarded choice for
higher education and that, as memories of the visa and entry
difficulties of 2001-2002 recede, U.S. education is again the
first choice for many. She added that, in order to benefit those
not traveling, one of her aims is to bring American-style
educational opportunities to the Sultanate. She said that the
sector is experiencing an "infitah," an opening, to international
models, responding to the Sultanate's need to promote
economically viable fields of study and stir up entrepreneurial
spirit among an increasingly youthful population that can no
longer rely on public-sector sinecures.

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RAPID GROWTH, NEW DIRECTIONS, AND A GAP IN EXPERTISE
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3. A major challenge facing the Ministry is the current
reorganization of the five public colleges it operates, which is
turning them from educational colleges devoted only to training
elementary and secondary teachers into diversified schools of
applied sciences, offering programs in information technology,
international business administration, tourism, communications,
and design. Whenever possible, existing faculty are being
retrained rather than replaced, and the Ministry has contracted
with a consortium of New Zealand colleges and universities to
support this process. In addition, the Ministry regulates and
accredits Oman's private-sector higher institutions, which has
grown rapidly in recent years and now includes three universities
and 18 colleges, most less than five years old. It also has
supervisory authority over the public Sultan Qaboos University
and administers funding that annually supports 13,000
scholarships for undergraduate- and graduate-level study at both
local and international institutions.


4. This combination of growth and change is requiring ever
greater expertise in management and strategic planning, both at
the institutions and within the Ministry. Al-Busaidi said that
she was eager for more cooperation with the Embassy in creating
local programming to provide capacity-building for ministry
officials and college/university administration. An alumna of a
2001 Voluntary Visitor program (one that helped shape Oman's
accreditation and nascent student-loan policies),she would like
to combine increased exchange-opportunities for her staff with
local workshop/seminar programming.


5. Al-Busaidi also expressed strong interest in furthering
partnerships between Omani and U.S. colleges and universities.
Two areas of specific interest would be in design and in
tourism/travel management in connection with the new schools of
applied science; both are both fields in which Oman is developing
local skills to further its economic goals. (Comment: These are
also areas in which the Ministry's New Zealand-based partner
consortium may be lacking substance and that especially lend
themselves to American influence. End comment.)

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AN "IN" FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
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6. The Minister's call for closer cooperation in higher education
represents an opportunity for the Embassy to use public-diplomacy
and MEPI programming in ways clearly of strong interest in Oman.
The areas in which she seeks support echo those expressed by
private college/university administration and faculty and
parallel those expressed by contacts in primary and secondary
education. Muscat's Public Affairs section will continue to
develop programming that responds to these needs; these may
include requesting a FY07 VolVis for ministry and college
administrators in academic strategic planning and a follow-up
speaker/specialist program to facilitate a workshop/conference on
issues in academic management. We will also explore possible
university partnerships with Omani institutions.

GRAPPO