Dhofar University emerges Sultanate’s first university to bag OAAA

Kaushalendra Singh - SALALAH, Jan 10 - Dhofar University emerged as the first university in the Sultanate to obtain accreditation from the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA). Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed al Sarmi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OAAA, did a ceremonial handing over of the accreditation certificate to the University Vice-Chancellor Dr Hassan Kashoob on Thursday. The vice-chancellor received the OAAA certificate amid cheer from students, academic and non-academic staff of the university. Dr Al Sarmi reiterated the Ministry of Higher Education’s resolve to achieve quality in all the higher education institutions (HEIs) and called the role of the OAAA very important in this regard. He called upon all the HEIs to maintain high educational standards. Dr Hassan Kashoob said it was due to the hard work of all the parties involved that the university was able to see the achievement. He said Dhofar University was the first academic institution to apply for institutional accreditation, as well as the first university to submit a quality audit of the Foundation Programme, and today it emerged as the first university to obtain institutional accreditation in the Sultanate. He pointed out that the achievement would not have been possible without the concerted efforts of all parties in an atmosphere of constructive cooperation, determination and sincere effort throughout the process of academic accreditation until it achieves the desired strategic objective. He also thanked the Board of Directors of the OAAA, Board of Trustees of Dhofar University, and the Board of Directors for their continued support. He also thanked all employees of the University for giving their support to the project. He called the OAAA accreditation a platform to take the university to greater heights through raising the quality bar and tie-ups with major universities in the world. “We are moving forward to obtain international accreditation through international institutions specialised in this field. To work towards this goal we are communicating with the international bodies such as the accreditation institution of the British Universities and Colleges (ASIC) and the International Association for the Development of Business Colleges (AACSB),” he said.