MUSCAT: The 21st meeting of the Directors General of Public Administration Institutes in Gulf, titled 'Gulf Leaders with Innovative Thinking,' defined the outlines of what is expected from Gulf management institutes as the nations move towards the future that is rapidly changing globally.
The meeting, held at Al Bustan Palace Hotel, was convened under the chairmanship of Dr Ali bin Qasim al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management.
The primary objective of the two day meeting is to bolster government transformation, foster cooperation, facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote innovation within the administrative development frameworks across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
In his remarks, Dr Ali said, “Undoubtedly, we live in a rapidly changing world, and the focus of the meeting was on the role of institutes in this dynamic environment and how administrative institutes can contribute to realising national visions. It is undeniable that each Gulf country has its national vision.” He noted that the primary role of public administration institutes is to support the government in achieving these visions, extending beyond mere training.
He explained that the training serves as a means towards achieving these visions, whether they are at the national, institutional, or leadership levels because administrative institutes play a role in developing these institutions, ensuring government entities are more responsive to global changes, and leaders possess the skills, mindset, capabilities, and tools to thrive in this evolving world.
During the meeting, the Sultanate of Oman proposed launching an initiative called the 'Future Government Work Programme', incorporating modern learning tools, including a digital learning component and a cognitive aspect executed in each Gulf state. The integration of these two aspects aims to prepare mid-level leaders, specifically in the government sector, to handle high-level changes and assist in bringing about more prepared governments. The initiative has been agreed upon, and Oman's Sultan Qaboos Academy for Administration will collaborate with other institutes in the council to develop and finalise the programme, and its launch scheduled for 2024.
During the meeting, participants explored a range of collaborative topics in various fields of administrative development, with a particular emphasis on innovative training solutions aligned with emerging trends in the new economy.
In his opening speech, Dr Ali called for enhancing the effectiveness of these institutes in achieving national visions and sustainable development goals, stressing the importance of adopting new ideas that support leadership to align with global changes.
He said the focus should be on the role of scientific institutions during government transitions to provide sustainable and developmental solutions.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs, Khalid bin Ali bin Salim al Sunaidi, in his speech emphasised achieving the desired goals that led to the Gulf countries achieving advanced positions globally, topping the Arab list, according to the 2023 Global Competitiveness Report issued by the International Institute for Administrative Development in Switzerland.
The rating is based on government efficiency and infrastructure criteria, reflecting the competitiveness in policies, and providing technology, science, and human resources to meet the needs of the public sector.
Various related topics in administrative development were also presented, representing the results of efforts by teams implementing action plan initiatives for public administrative institutes.
Policies were also discussed, and mechanisms were proposed for exchanging experiences. The discussions were aimed to disseminate awareness and knowledge regarding executive and digital learning and training, fostering the adoption of best practices among member states and the broader international community.
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