MoHE to sign MoU with Ireland on higher education, research

MUSCAT: Dr Rawya bint Saud al Busaidiya, Minister of Higher Education, on Monday met with Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Minister of State for Higher Education of Ireland. During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of higher education and means of developing relations between the two countries at the educational and research levels. Dr Al Busaidiya spoke about the private education sector and the technical colleges supervised by the Ministry of Manpower, Applied Science Colleges and the Admission Centre system and benefiting from the Irish experience in this field. The two sides discussed the latest developments of the draft memorandum of understanding between the two sides, which hope-fully will be signed soon. On her turn, the Irish minister gave an overview of higher education and the major programmes and disciplines offered by educational institutions there. The Irish minister praised the academic and educational level of Omani students in various Irish educational institutions and expressed the ministry’s desire to increase the number of seats for Omani students in various disciplines, currently 485 students. She also invited Dr Al Busaidiya to visit the Irish Innovation Centres. The meeting was attended by Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed al Sarmi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, officials of the Ministry of Higher Education and officials in the field of higher education and international cooperation from the Irish side. — ONA