Strategic Direction
Inclusive Education, Lifelong Learning, and Scientific Research that Lead to a Knowledge-based Society and Competitive National Talents
Strategic Direction
The education priority’s strategic direction — Inclusive Education, Lifelong Learning, and Scientific Research that Lead to a Knowledge-based Society and Competitive National Talents — reflects Vision 2040’s understanding that economic transformation cannot precede human capital transformation.
Performance Indicators
| Indicator | Baseline | 2030 Target | 2040 Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Innovation Index | 32.8 / Rank 69 (2018) | >41.19 / Top 40 | >51.98 / Top 20 |
| Education for All Development Index | 0.938 / Rank 51 (2015) | >0.984 / Top 20 | >0.989 / Top 10 |
| Skills, Global Competitiveness | 71.6 / Rank 36 (2018) | >76 / Top 20 | >83.2 / Top 10 |
| Global Talent Competitiveness | 43.93 / Rank 56 (2018) | >55.57 / Top 30 | >62.63 / Top 20 |
| Omani Universities in QS Top 500 | 1 (2018) | 3 | 4 |
| SQU QS World Ranking | ~450 (2018) | Top 300 | Top 300 |
2025 Progress
The education priority has shown genuine progress in measurable indicators, with some performance exceeding the trajectory implied by 2030 targets.
University rankings: Sultan Qaboos University achieved rank 334 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 — the best performance in the university’s history and ahead of the top-300 target. More significantly, five Omani universities are now listed in the QS World top 500, exceeding the three-university 2030 target six years early.
Global Innovation Index: Improved from rank 79 (2022) to rank 69 (2025), driven by improvements in innovation inputs including institutions, workforce, infrastructure and market sophistication. This represents a 10-place improvement over three years — meaningful progress toward the top-20 target by 2040.
Research output: 839 peer-reviewed scientific papers published by private higher education institutions in 2024. The Shuaa platform — a unified digital research repository — has attracted over 5,000 registered researchers.
Programmatic progress: The national school performance evaluation system has been implemented across all governorates. Vocational and technical education frameworks for grades 11-12 have been developed. The Tasmo initiative targets female leadership development.
Key Programmes
- Research Chairs Programme (2nd edition 2024-2025): Priority research areas include water, renewable energy, public health, and AI
- Oman Innovates Platform: National innovation governance system
- Shuaa Platform: Unified digital research repository
- ISESCO Research Chair for AI Ethics: Established at University of Technology and Applied Sciences
Structural Challenges
Despite headline indicator progress, structural challenges persist:
Skills-market mismatch: Private sector employers consistently report that Omani graduates — including university graduates — do not consistently possess the practical, market-ready skills required for private sector roles. This drives continued demand for expatriate skilled workers and limits Omanisation progress.
Research commercialisation: Scientific research output, while growing, remains weakly connected to private sector innovation and commercial application. The Research Chairs Programme attempts to bridge academic and industrial research, but the ecosystem remains nascent.
Vocational stigma: Despite government efforts, vocational and technical education pathways remain stigmatised relative to university degrees in Omani society. Changing this cultural attitude is a precondition for developing the technician workforce that advanced manufacturing and logistics require.
Key Institutions
Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research and Innovation, Oman Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority, The Research Council, Sultan Qaboos University, University of Technology and Applied Sciences.