Oman has launched the Gulf Forum for Empowering Vocational Training in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a three-day event in Muscat aimed at bolstering the region’s startup ecosystem. Organized by the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the forum seeks to create a robust framework for integrating entrepreneurial principles into professional training programs across the Gulf.
Fostering Regional Collaboration
The forum’s primary objective is to enhance GCC integration in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship, and vocational education. Under the patronage of His Excellency Khaled bin Salem Al Ghammari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, the event serves as a platform for sharing best practices and developing unified strategies to empower the next generation of innovators. Speakers emphasized that the forum is a call to action and a bridge for both Gulf-wide and international collaboration.
Bridging Academia And Industry
In a keynote presentation, His Highness Dr. Adham bin Turki Al Said, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Sultan Qaboos University, highlighted the pivotal role of innovation and entrepreneurship incubators in supporting a knowledge-based economy. He stressed the importance of creating ecosystems within educational and training institutions that can effectively transform research-based ideas into commercially viable projects, thereby contributing to sustainable economic growth.
Core Themes And Strategic Pillars
Discussions at the forum centered on a range of key themes crucial for developing a modern, innovation-driven workforce. These included technology transfer within vocational training institutions, strategic planning for the establishment and sustainability of incubators and accelerators, and the critical role of intellectual property and digital transformation in protecting and scaling new ventures. The agenda also focused on building effective partnerships with the private sector, exploring financing and marketing mechanisms, and evaluating the impact of incubators using key performance indicators.
Aligning Training With Economic Demands
Officials highlighted that Oman is actively working to align its vocational training programs with the demands of promising economic sectors, including renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, tourism, and logistics. This strategic alignment is part of a broader national effort to cultivate an entrepreneurial culture from an early age. The Ministry of Education recently integrated vocational and technical education into the national school curriculum for grades 11 and 12, positioning it as a competitive academic and career path.
About The Gulf Forum
The Gulf Forum for Empowering Vocational Training in Innovation and Entrepreneurship aims to equip participants with the tools to apply innovation and tech transfer concepts within a vocational training environment. Its objectives include learning from successful Gulf experiences in managing incubators and accelerators, designing sustainable operational models, mastering digital transformation and intellectual property tools to support innovation, and building strategic partnerships to implement these initiatives within vocational training institutions.
Source: Oman News Agency
