Monday 21 / July / 2025
Muscat : The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, in cooperation with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), today launched the sixth phase of the National Program for Training University Students, titled "Eidaad" (Eidaad), under the patronage of Her Excellency Dr. Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, at the Arab Open University in Seeb.
The "Eidaad" program is a national training program that extends over a full academic year and targets students in their penultimate year at public and private higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman. It aims to provide students with basic skills by exposing them to the work environment and its requirements for a sufficient period of time.
This program is part of efforts to enhance cooperation between the industrial and academic sectors by providing participants with the technical expertise, knowledge, and skills necessary to meet the requirements of the labor market.
This edition of the program is being attended by 28 higher education institutions (both public and private), along with 41 sponsoring companies and institutions from the industrial and private sectors. The number of graduates from the program since its first edition in 2020 has exceeded 1,000 students.
The ceremony included the announcement of the creation of an advanced career path mapping unit, which aims to provide students and academic advisors with a more comprehensive view of academic specialisations and related jobs, helping them make informed career decisions. A detailed visual presentation was also given on the program's components.
12 cooperation agreements/protocols were also signed between the industrial, private, and academic sectors. These agreements were signed on behalf of the Ministry by Her Excellency Dr. Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, and on behalf of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), by Farid bin Khalfan Al Harthy, Executive Director of Corporate Support at the company, and on behalf of the industrial and private sector institutions by several representatives.
It's worth noting that the primary objectives of the "Eidaad" program are to strengthen the link between the three sectors: academics, represented by public and private higher education institutions, and industry in the Sultanate of Oman, and to provide systematic training opportunities for higher education students, with the goal of creating meaningful employment opportunities in the labor market after graduation.
