MUSCAT: The ICEF Middle East Scholarship Forum, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, concluded on Monday. The event, organised spearheaded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in collaboration with the ICEF Foundation, attracted over 100 international educational institutions and more than 150 representatives from Gulf government bodies.
It also it welcomed contributors from private universities and colleges, fostering collaboration and enriching academic exchange programmes.
On the second and final day of the forum, Omani and Gulf higher education institutions engaged in bilateral meetings with their counterparts from participating international countries, as well as entities specialising in scholarship services.
Dr Taqi al Abdwani, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gulf College, emphasised the forum's significance as an opportunity to align and assess the state of the higher education sector in the Sultanate of Oman with renowned international universities.
Notable participants included institutions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, as well as prominent Arab and Gulf universities.
Faisal al Zahrani from Taif University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia underscored the forum's role as a platform for exchanging experiences and insights.
He noted that it provided an avenue for reviewing challenges faced by institutions, exploring best international practices in scholarship administration, and staying abreast of new systems in registration and admission processes for higher education institutions, along with the development of student exchange programmes.
Dr Khaled al Dhanhani, Chairman of the Fujairah Cultural Council in the UAE, stated, "Individual discussions contributed to learning about the best successful practices in education and scholarships. We also engaged with several educational institutions expressing a desire to enhance cooperation and draw from our cultural experiences."
Moza bint Mohammed al Hindasiyah, Director of the Department of Public Relations and Media,Al Sharqiya University, said, 'Participation in the forum opened up prospects for cooperation and the establishment of a network of international relations, particularly in matters related to the field of higher education.'
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