Oman Academic
Accreditation Authority
Report of an Audit of
Sohar University
January 2011
HEI Quality Audit Report Sohar University
© Oman Academic Accreditation Authority
Audit Report Number 017
©2011 Oman Academic Accreditation Authority
P.O. Box 1255
P.C. 133
Al-Khuwair
Sultanate of Oman
Ph +968 2461 4361/2
Fax +968 2461 4364
http://www.oac.gov.om
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CO�TE�TS
Overview of the Quality Audit Process..................................................................................................... 3
How to Read This Report........................................................................................................................... 4
Conclusions.................................................................................................................................................. 5
Executive Summary of Findings ............................................................................................................. 5
Summary of Commendations .................................................................................................................. 7
Summary of Affirmations........................................................................................................................ 7
Summary of Recommendations............................................................................................................... 9
1 Governance and Management............................................................................................................ 11
1.1 Mission, Vision and Values ........................................................................................................ 11
1.2 Governance................................................................................................................................. 12
1.3 Management ............................................................................................................................... 13
1.4 Institutional Affiliations for Programs and Quality Assurance................................................... 13
1.5 Strategic Plan.............................................................................................................................. 14
1.6 Operational Planning.................................................................................................................. 15
1.7 Financial Management ............................................................................................................... 15
1.8 Risk Management....................................................................................................................... 16
1.9 Policy Management.................................................................................................................... 16
1.10 Entity and Activity Review Systems .......................................................................................... 16
1.11 Student Grievance Process ......................................................................................................... 17
1.12 Health and Safety ....................................................................................................................... 18
1.13 Oversight of Associated Entities (e.g. owned companies) ......................................................... 18
2 Student Learning by Coursework Programs.................................................................................... 19
2.1 Graduate Attributes and Student Learning Objectives ............................................................... 19
2.2 Curriculum ................................................................................................................................. 20
2.3 Student Entry Standards ............................................................................................................. 20
2.4 Foundation Program................................................................................................................... 21
2.5 Teaching Quality ........................................................................................................................ 21
2.6 Plagiarism................................................................................................................................... 22
2.7 Student Placements..................................................................................................................... 22
2.8 Assessment Methods, Standards and Moderation ...................................................................... 23
2.9 Academic Security and Invigilation ........................................................................................... 23
2.10 Student Retention and Progression............................................................................................. 23
2.11 Graduate Destinations and Employability.................................................................................. 24
3 Student Learning by Research Programs ......................................................................................... 25
4 Staff Research and Consultancy ........................................................................................................ 26
4.1 Research Planning & Management ............................................................................................ 26
4.2 Research Performance................................................................................................................ 26
4.3 Research Funding Schemes........................................................................................................ 27
4.4 Consultancy Activities ............................................................................................................... 27
4.5 Intellectual Property, Ethics and Biosafety ................................................................................ 27
4.6 Professional Development for Research .................................................................................... 27
4.7 Research Commercialisation...................................................................................................... 28
4.8 Research – Teaching Nexus ....................................................................................................... 28
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5 Industry and Community Engagement ............................................................................................. 29
5.1 Industry and Community Engagement Planning & Management .............................................. 29
5.2 Relationships with Industry and Employers ............................................................................... 29
5.3 Relationships with Professions................................................................................................... 29
5.4 Relationships with Other Education Providers........................................................................... 30
5.5 Relationships with Alumni ......................................................................................................... 30
5.6 Relationships with the Community at Large .............................................................................. 30
6 Academic Support Services................................................................................................................. 31
7 Students and Student Support Services............................................................................................. 34
7.1 Students and Student Support Services Planning & Management ............................................. 34
7.2 Student Profile ............................................................................................................................ 34
7.3 Student Satisfaction and Climate................................................................................................ 35
7.4 Student Behaviour ...................................................................................................................... 35
7.5 Career and Employment Services............................................................................................... 36
7.6 Student Finances......................................................................................................................... 36
7.7 Accommodation, Catering and Transport................................................................................... 36
7.8 Medical and Counselling Facilities ............................................................................................ 37
7.9 International Student Services .................................................................................................... 37
7.10 Social and Recreational Services and Facilities ......................................................................... 37
8 Staff and Staff Support Services......................................................................................................... 38
8.1 Human Resources Planning & Management.............................................................................. 38
8.2 Staff Profile................................................................................................................................. 38
8.3 Recruitment and Selection.......................................................................................................... 39
8.4 Induction..................................................................................................................................... 39
8.5 Professional Development.......................................................................................................... 40
8.6 Performance Planning and Review............................................................................................. 40
8.7 Promotion and Other Incentives ................................................................................................. 41
8.8 Severance.................................................................................................................................... 41
8.9 Staff Organisational Climate and Retention ............................................................................... 41
8.10 Omanisation................................................................................................................................ 42
9 General Support Services and Facilities............................................................................................ 43
9.1 General Support Services and Facilities Planning & Management ............................................ 43
9.2 Public Relations and Marketing ................................................................................................. 43
9.3 Communication Services............................................................................................................ 44
9.4 Facilities Management................................................................................................................ 44
Appendix A. Audit Panel ...................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix B. Abbreviations, Acronyms and Terms............................................................................ 46
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OVERVIEW OF THE QUALITY AUDIT PROCESS
This Quality Audit Report (the ‘Report’) documents the findings of a Quality Audit by the Oman
Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA – formerly the Oman Accreditation Council). It comments on
Sohar University’s Mission and Vision, and the appropriateness and effectiveness of its systems for
achieving that Mission and Vision. Quality Audit is the first stage in Oman’s institutional accreditation
process. It is designed to provide a level of assurance to the public about the quality of SU’s activities,
and constructive feedback to SU to assist with its ongoing improvement efforts.
The Quality Audit commenced with SU undertaking a self study of its mission, vision and systems. The
results were summarised in their Quality Audit Portfolio (the ‘Portfolio’). This document was submitted
to the OAAA by the due date of 5 December 2009.
The OAAA appointed an external Audit Panel (the ‘Panel’), comprising suitably qualified and
experienced local and international reviewers, to conduct the quality audit. For membership of the Panel
see Appendix A. The Panel met (international members by telephone) on 8 March 2010 to consider SU’s
Portfolio. Following this, the representative of the Audit Panel Chairperson and Executive Officer
undertook a planning visit on behalf of the Panel to SU on 4 April 2010 to clarify certain matters, request
additional information and make arrangements for the Panel’s audit visit.
Prior to the audit visit, the Panel invited submissions from the public about the quality of SU’s activities.
No submissions were received.
The audit visit took place over 29 – 31 May 2010. During this time, the Panel spoke with approximately
100 people, including governing authorities, staff, students and external stakeholders. They also visited a
selection of venues and reviewed additional materials.
No information provided after 31 May 2010 (being the last day of the audit visit) was taken into
consideration for the purposes of this audit, other than pre-existing items specifically requested by the
Panel in advance.
The Report contains a summary of the Panel’s findings, together with formal Commendations where good
practices have been confirmed, Affirmations where SU’s ongoing quality improvement efforts merit
support, and Recommendations where there are significant opportunities or improvement not yet being
adequately addressed. The Report aims to provide a balanced set of observations, but does not comment
on every system in place at SU.
The Panel’s audit activities and preparation of this Report were governed by regulations set by the OAAA
Board. This Report was approved for release by the OAAA Board on 10 January 2011.
The OAAA was established by Royal Decree No. 54/2010 to replace the Oman Accreditation Council.
Its responsibilities include conducting quality audits of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the
Sultanate of Oman. For further information, visit the OAAA website (http://www.oac.gov.om). Full
details of the quality audit process are available in OAAA’s HEI Quality Audit Manual (available from
http://www.oac.gov.om/qa/HEI/).
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HOW TO READ THIS REPORT
Each OAAA Audit Report is written primarily for the institution being audited. The Report is specifically
designed to provide feedback to help that institution better understand its own strengths and opportunities
for improvement. The feedback is structured according to nine broad areas of activity and presented as
formal Commendations, Affirmations and Recommendations, or as informal suggestions, each
accompanied with explanatory paragraphs. It is expected that the institution will act upon this feedback
as part of its continuous efforts to improve along with providing the best possible education to students.
The Report is made public because it also may be of interest to students and potential students, their
families, employers, Government, other higher education institutions in Oman and abroad, and other
audiences. Students, in particular, may find this Report interesting because it provides independent
comment on the learning environment at this institution (particularly Chapters 2, 6 and 7). However,
prospective students should still undertake their own investigations when deciding which higher
education institution will best serve their particular learning needs.
Quality Audit is the first stage in Oman’s two-stage process for institutional accreditation. Its focus is
formative (developmental) rather than summative. In other words, although the audit addresses nine
areas of activity which are common to all institutions, it does not measure the institution against
externally set standards of performance in those nine areas. Instead, it considers how well the institution
is attending to those areas in accordance with its own Mission and Vision and in the context of relevant
legal regulations. Therefore, Quality Audit recognises that each institution has a unique purpose and
profile; it does not directly compare one institution with all the other institutions in Oman.
For these reasons, a Quality Audit does not result in a pass or fail; nor does it provide any sort of grade or
score. It should also be noted that the precise number of Commendations, Affirmations and
Recommendations that an institution receives in its Audit Report is not as important as the substance of
those conclusions. For example, some Recommendations may focus on critical issues such as assessment
of student learning, whereas others may focus on issues such as the maintenance of teaching equipment in
classrooms which, while important, is clearly less critical. Therefore, it is neither significant nor
appropriate to compare the Audit Reports of different HEIs solely on the numbers of Commendations,
Affirmations and Recommendations.
The second stage in the institutional accreditation process is Standards Assessment. This stage, which
will take place about four years after the Quality Audit, does provide a summative assessment against
external standards in the same nine areas of activity. It should be noted that Oman also operates a system
of accreditation/recognition for academic programs, separately from the institutional accreditation
process. For more information on Oman’s System of Quality Assurance in Higher Education please visit
www.oac.gov.om.
This Report contains a number of references to source evidence considered by the Audit Panel. These
references are for the HEI’s benefit in further addressing the issues raised. In most cases this evidence is
not in the public domain.
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CO�CLUSIO�S
This section summarises the main findings and lists the Commendations, Affirmations and
Recommendations. They are listed in the order in which they appear in the Report and are not prioritised.
It should be noted that other favourable comments and suggestions for improvement are mentioned
throughout the text of the Report.
Executive Summary of Findings
Sohar University (SU) was established as the first private university in Oman by Royal Decree in 2001
and was granted degree awarding powers by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE). The University is
based in Sohar, a rapidly expanding city with a growing industrial sector, approximately 200 km from the
capital Muscat and from Dubai, UAE. SU is owned by the Oman Education and Training Investment
Company. SU was formed from the private Sohar College for Applied Sciences, which opened in 1998.
At that time, the College’s main overseas partner was the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside,
UK. However, since achieving university status in 2001, SU has had an affiliation with the University of
Queensland (UQ), Australia, which audits the quality of SU’s activities in teaching, learning and research
(Portfolio, p. viii). SU also has affiliation agreements with Mu’tah University (MU), Jordan and the
former Sohar College of Education (Portfolio, p.5). The latter two are being phased out.
SU runs its programs through four Faculties: the Faculty of Business; the Faculty of Computing and
Information Technology; the Faculty of Engineering; and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
At the time of the audit, the Faculties offered degree programs in over 17 fields and a General Foundation
Program was also being run for students in preparation for their higher level studies. SU also has plans to
run a number of postgraduate degree programs, including an MBA. In the academic year 2009-2010,
4495 students were enrolled.
The self-study exercise, which resulted in the SU's Portfolio, began in 2008 and benefited from the input
of SU’s affiliate, UQ, external consultants, internal working groups and feedback from key stakeholders
(Portfolio, p.xiii). Overall, the Panel found the Portfolio to be a well-written, evaluative document based
on the ADRI method (see Appendix B) with a clear identification of areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. However, the Portfolio indicated that the monitoring and review systems were being
put in place but there were not yet fully-fledged systems and processes in place for bringing the data
through to improvement. SU would benefit from enhancing its institutional data collection and analysis
in order to support its target setting and decision making.
SU has developed a Mission and Vision appropriate for its current stage of growth and location. The
Panel found that there was a shared understanding of these amongst internal and external stakeholders,
although SU needs to ensure that its Mission and Vision are consistently communicated. The University
has experienced considerable growth in a relatively short period of time which, in the Panel’s view, has
been well managed. SU is in the process of building a new campus which will support its plans for
further expansion. SU has noted a drop in student enrolments, however, which has been recognised as a
potential risk. Statistics presented to the Panel showed that the majority of students studied until Diploma
or below which has an impact on the academic level at which most of the institutional energy is focused.
SU needs to consider strategies to increase the proportion of Bachelor graduates in line with its
aspirations as a University, including a revision of its student entry standards and further support for
students as they prepare to embark on their higher education studies.
In terms of governance and management, the Panel found that SU’s strategic direction is supported by a
committed and dedicated leadership. The relationship with UQ has clearly had a positive impact in the
development and implementation of SU’s academic quality assurance system. SU has developed an
inclusive, systematic approach to strategic planning and now needs to focus its energies on developing a
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consistent approach to planning at an operational level to ensure that this is in line with its overall
Strategic Plan. A number of policies and procedures have been adopted, many of which collated in the
Academic Quality Handbook; while the Panel encourages institutions to benchmark their policies, SU
needs to ensure that these are properly referenced and fully contextualised. SU has identified a number of
areas where its systems need to be improved, such as developing more effective financial systems;
adopting a comprehensive risk management system; formalising its internal periodic review system and
establishing clearer health and safety procedures. The Panel supports the University’s efforts in these
areas. In reflecting on its approach in these areas, SU also needs to implement a consistent policy
management system and develop mechanisms to ensure that findings of surveys and evaluations are
thoroughly analysed and acted upon. The University should also take the opportunity to review and
evaluate the effectiveness of its student grievance process.
Teaching and learning has been a core activity of the University and its intended graduate attributes are
embedded within its Mission. Generic outcomes have been developed to align with the different exit
awards and have been developed in consultation with local stakeholders. SU curricula have been based
on those provided by the affiliates, UQ and UM, and have been adapted for the students in Oman.
Although there are mechanisms in place to monitor programs, such as Faculty Annual Monitoring
Reports, the University needs to review its current curriculum review process in order to ensure that there
is a comprehensive and consistent approach in all fields. SU has outlined its intention to become a
“student-centred University” in its Strategic Plan but needs to ensure that there is a shared understanding
of what this means for the teaching and learning environment amongst the teaching staff, supported by a
professional development program related to this goal. The Panel acknowledges the University’s efforts
to improve its approach to academic assessment and security. SU’s efforts to increase the number of
opportunities for student work experience are recognised; the University now needs to monitor its
graduate destinations to support its commitment to employability in the long term.
As a University, SU recognises the importance of moving from a primary focus on its teaching-related
activities to incorporating a greater role for research. It has developed a comprehensive research plan and
recruited key staff to support its strategic objectives in this area. The Panel was informed that SU has
submitted proposals to the MoHE to run postgraduate programmes and these initiatives are to be
encouraged in line with the expectations of a institution with University status, as outlined in the
Requirements for Oman’s System of Quality Assurance (ROSQA). However, SU also needs to ensure
that its objectives to increase the quality and quantity of its research output are internationally
benchmarked and its success in this area is measured against clearly stipulated performance indicators.
The Panel was pleased to note SU’s success in research grant applications and commended the initiative
to pursue collaborative research paths with UQ. There are future opportunities for Sohar-based research
with the expanding industrial activity in the region which SU needs to explore. While SU has already
developed good relationships with local industry, it plans to strengthen these links and the Panel supports
this goal. One approach would be for the key SU bodies, the Industrial Liaison Committee and the Centre
for Continuing Education, to have clear operational plans to support this agenda. The University, through
the Deanship of Student Affairs, has facilitated a number of activities to build a positive relationship with
its local community. SU has also taken steps to increase its interaction with its alumni.
SU has developed plans to underpin academic and student support services, but acknowledges that these
need to be reviewed and resources allocated to support the activities in this areas. New software is being
introduced to improve student administration and the collection of student data and there are plans to
review the IT provision in order to meet the needs of the growing SU community. The Panel was
informed by a number of different sources that significant improvements have been made to the academic
advising service and a more proactive approach has been adopted to identify ‘at risk’ students. SU needs
to ensure, however, that there are sufficient mechanisms for the student voice to be heard and included in
the decision making processes at various organisational levels.
One of the challenges SU faces is the retention of staff. A Human Resources (HR) Strategic Plan has
been developed to partially address this and now needs to clearly align with the University’s overall
strategic objectives. SU has made efforts in this area to improve its staff induction process; to formalize
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the planning, delivery and evaluation of its professional development program and to establish a
transparent process for incentive and promotion. In line with its status as a University, SU is urged to
explore ways of increasing the number of staff with doctorate degrees. The University is now urged to
embed a comprehensive performance management and review mechanism for all academic and non-
academic staff and develop a systematic approach to monitor the staff organisational climate. The Panel
commends SU its active approach to the Omanisation of its staff body and for exceeding government
targets in this area.
The development of SU’s new campus will provide further opportunities to improve the student learning
experience and the Panel supports the University’s efforts in this project. Significant time and resources
have been dedicated to this. SU now needs to develop operational plans for all aspects of general support
services and facilities on both the current campus and the new one to enhance provision of these in the
future.
Summary of Commendations
A formal Commendation recognises an instance of particularly good practice.
1. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University for having
committed and dedicated leadership which supports the strategic direction of the University........ 13
2. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University for developing an
effective relationship with the University of Queensland that has had a positive impact on the
development and implementation of its academic quality assurance system................................... 14
3. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University for developing a
systematic approach to strategic planning that has resulted in a positive impact on the
development of the institution. ......................................................................................................... 15
4. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University for tightening
exam procedures in order to ensure that the process is secure. ........................................................ 23
5. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University’s efforts to
procure competitive research grants succeeding in regional and national grants being
awarded. ........................................................................................................................................... 27
6. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University’s efforts to build
on its relationship with UQ in order to support the professional development of staff for
research purposes. ............................................................................................................................ 28
7. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University for its
institutional commitment to Omanisation and exceeding government targets for the
recruitment of Omani academic and non-academic staff. ................................................................ 42
Summary of Affirmations
A formal Affirmation recognises an instance in which SU has accurately identified a significant
opportunity for improvement and has demonstrated appropriate commitment to addressing the matter.
1. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to develop
more effective systems for financial management and supports its efforts to do so. ....................... 15
2. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to develop
a risk management system and supports the establishment of a risk management committee
and a risk register. ............................................................................................................................ 16
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3. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to
formalise its internal periodic review systems and supports its efforts to do so, for example
through the development of University-wide review procedures..................................................... 17
4. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to develop
and implement a comprehensive set of clear health and safety procedures. .................................... 18
5. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to align its
General Foundation Program with Oman’s national standards and supports its efforts in this
area. .................................................................................................................................................. 21
6. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to enhance
its efforts to implement and monitor its plagiarism policy to create an environment of
academic integrity among staff and students and supports its initiatives in this area....................... 22
7. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to increase
the opportunities for student placement and supports its efforts to do so......................................... 23
8. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to review
and improve its current approach to assessment, and supports its efforts in this area,
including a move towards criterion-based assessment. .................................................................... 23
9. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to deliver
postgraduate programs in three broad fields of learning in line with its classification as a
University, and supports its efforts in this area. ............................................................................... 25
10. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to enhance
its research profile and supports its efforts to establish a research plan, appoint key personnel
to achieve its strategic objective and bring about capacity building for research. ........................... 26
11. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to
strengthen its association with its alumni and supports its efforts in this area, including the
establishment of an alumni office..................................................................................................... 30
12. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to review
its approach to operational planning for academic support services and supports its efforts in
this area............................................................................................................................................. 31
13. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to improve
the resources and systemisation of student administration, and supports its efforts in this
area. .................................................................................................................................................. 32
14. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to review
its IT support provision, including the need to increase bandwidth, and supports its efforts in
this area............................................................................................................................................. 33
15. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority supports Sohar University’s efforts to improve
academic advising including the early identification and support of students at risk. ..................... 33
16. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to review
the provision of resources to support its student support services strategic objectives and
supports its efforts to do so............................................................................................................... 34
17. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University, in line with its
Mission’s focus on employability, needs to improve its current careers services for students
and supports the initiatives it has taken in this area.......................................................................... 36
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18. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority supports Sohar University’s efforts to
introduce an effective staff induction and mentoring program and providing a support
network for new staff. ...................................................................................................................... 40
19. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to
formalise planning, delivery and evaluation of its staff professional development programs
and supports its efforts in this area. .................................................................................................. 40
20. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University needs to expand
its physical facilities and supports its efforts to develop its new campus. ....................................... 43
Summary of Recommendations
A Recommendation draws attention to a significant opportunity for improvement that SU has either not
yet accurately identified or to which it is not yet adequately attending.
1. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University, in line
with its Vision and Mission, enhance its efforts to be a fully fledged university by increasing
the proportion of Bachelor graduates. .............................................................................................. 12
2. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
current approach to operational planning to ensure that all Departments, whether academic or
non-academic, develop plans which clearly support the University’s strategic objectives.............. 15
3. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
policy management system in order to ensure that the development, implementation and
monitoring of policies is consistent in all departments, whether academic or non-academic.......... 16
4. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement mechanisms to improve its data collection and ensure that the findings of
quality surveys, evaluations and reports are consistently analysed and acted upon and that
actions and improvements are fed back to stakeholders................................................................... 17
5. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement mechanisms to monitor the effectiveness of its student grievance process,
including ensuring that academic complaints are separated from grievances concerning other
services. ............................................................................................................................................ 18
6. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
current curriculum monitoring system in order to support the implementation of a
comprehensive, consistent process across all faculties. ................................................................... 20
7. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
entry requirements and the implementation of the GFP standards in order to improve the
quality of students at entry point towards fulfillment of its Mission to produce high quality
graduates........................................................................................................................................... 21
8. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement a shared understanding of its strategic goal to promote a student-centred
learning environment amongst its stakeholders and ensure that its professional development
activities are aligned to its teaching and learning aspirations........................................................... 22
9. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement a clear strategy to monitor graduate destinations in order to support its long-
term graduate employability aspirations. ......................................................................................... 24
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10. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University establish
performance indicators and international benchmarks to measure its research performance
and develop mechanisms to evaluate its success against these indicators........................................ 26
11. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement a consistent approach to formalising and monitoring the research-teaching
nexus throughout the University....................................................................................................... 28
12. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement operational plans with KPIs and targets to build relationships with industry
and the community, and integrate the efforts of the Industrial Liaison Committee and the
Centre for Continuing Education...................................................................................................... 29
13. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
mechanism for collecting and analysing student data in order to support planning and
decision making. ............................................................................................................................... 35
14. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University improve
the effectiveness of the mechanisms for the student voice to be included in decision making
bodies of the University, and develop and implement more mechanisms for students to
provide feedback on its services. ...................................................................................................... 35
15. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University review its
Human Resources Strategic Plan in order to align it more closely with the University’s
overall strategic objectives, to include measurable targets and to develop an operational plan
to support its implementation. .......................................................................................................... 38
16. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement comprehensive performance planning and review policies for all staff at all
levels, with clear reporting mechanisms and which are reviewed on a regular basis....................... 41
17. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University take
necessary measures to improve staff retention rates and develop and implement a systematic
approach to collecting staff feedback to inform decision making and to monitor the staff
organisational climate....................................................................................................................... 41
18. The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar University develop
and implement a comprehensive operational plan to support its strategic objective to
effectively manage estates and facilities........................................................................................... 43
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1 GOVER�A�CE A�D MA�AGEME�T
Sohar University (SU) was established in 2001 and became the first private university in Oman. It
is located in Sohar, the third largest city in Oman, with a rapidly growing industrial sector. The
University’s Mission and Vision take this local and regional context into account. SU’s principal
affiliate is the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia and it also runs programs from Mu’tah
University (MU), Jordan. This Chapter of the Report considers, amongst other areas, SU’s
Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan; its governance and management structures; its policy
management and entity and activity review mechanisms.
1.1 Mission, Vision and Values
Two slightly different versions of SU’s Mission Statement were provided to the Panel:
To produce talented, knowledgeable and creative graduates who because of their
experiences at Sohar University will be known for their employability,
leadership, entrepreneurial and ethical attributes and who will improve the
economy and society of Oman and the Gulf region and be able to participate in
the global economy”. (Portfolio, p.ix)
To provide high quality education and training in order to produce talented,
knowledgeable and creative graduates who because of their experiences at Sohar
University will be known for their employability, leadership, entrepreneurial and
ethical attributes and who will improve the economy and society of Oman and
the Gulf Region and be able to participate in the global economy. (Academic
Quality Handbook, p.1)
Similarly, different versions of the Vision were found in the official documents:
To be internationally recognized as a University of excellence in the Gulf Region,
through partnering with industry, building Oman’s economy, serving Oman’s
society and enhancing Oman’s culture by focusing on learning and research.
(Portfolio, p.ix)
To be internationally recognised as a University of excellence in the Gulf Region,
through partnering with industry, building our economy, serving our society and
enhancing our culture. (Strategic Plan, p.8)
The Panel also noted that the Mission Statement and core values of the Faculty of Engineering
(FE) were not fully aligned with the institutional Mission. The FE Mission reads:
To be a respected teaching and research faculty, providing quality educational
services, which are relevant to the needs of the national, regional and
international community (FE Strategic Plan, 2007-2010, p.2).
While the differences among these statements are not substantial in nature, the Panel was of the
view that the University needs to develop and publish consistent written Mission and Vision
Statements that are disseminated throughout the campus and to all stakeholders.
The Panel concluded that the overall focus of SU’s Mission and Vision was appropriate for SU,
given its history and context, in particular the need to respond to the social and economic
development needs of Oman and the Sohar region. SU is engaged in various efforts to enhance its
interaction and cooperation with industries in the region (see Chapter 5). The staff members of
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SU are familiar with the Vision and Mission and share a sense of ownership of it. Although it is
not clear how the envisioned attributes “talented” and “ethical” are measured (Portfolio, p.ix), it
is appropriate to be committed to these ideals, in particular, for example, the need to instill a work
ethic in students that will be carried through into the world of work. The University would also
benefit from defining for itself what it means to be “internationally recognised” and the
mechanisms needed to achieve this.
SU implemented a growth strategy in recent years that resulted in an increase in total student
enrolments from less than two thousand in 2005 to more than five thousand in 2008, although that
was followed by a drop of 6% in the 2009-2010 academic year. Almost nine hundred of the total
enrolments (19.6%) were in the General Foundation Program (GFP). The breakdown of
enrolments across the other faculties is as follows: 19.7% in the FE, 6.4% in the Faculty of
Computing and Information Technology (FCIT), 9.2% in the Faculty of Business (FB), and
44.9% in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS). This drastic expansion in
student numbers before 2009/2010 was met by an increase of more than 400% in the total number
of staff employed by SU, and an increase of almost 600% in academic staff members (Portfolio,
pp.70-71). By the time of the Panel’s visit to SU in May 2010, the construction of a new campus
with new buildings to accommodate this expansion in staff and student numbers had commenced.
In terms of the Strategic Plan, further growth up to 10000 students is envisaged once the new
campus has been developed.
The Panel found that the growth strategy was, in general, responsibly managed. However, with
regard to the shape of the institution, both in terms of the level of studies pursued by the majority
of the student body (namely, at Diploma level and below) and the spread across the different
fields of studies, interventions will be required to ensure a more appropriate alignment with the
institution’s Vision and Mission. Most recent indications are that only about 15% of students
proceed to the Bachelor level (Portfolio, p.69). For a university, this is not a satisfactory balance
and it will inevitably have an impact on the academic level at which most of the institutional
energy is focused.
Recommendation 1
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University, in line with its Vision and Mission, enhance its efforts to be a
fully fledged university by increasing the proportion of Bachelor graduates.
The Panel noted the challenges faced by SU to attract the appropriate students to meet this aim,
and to pitch the entry requirements correctly. See, however, Section 2.3 of this Report on student entry requirements.
1.2 Governance
The governance of SU is the responsibility of two different bodies, namely a Board of Directors
(BoD), consisting of five members, and a Board of Governors (BoG). The BoG consists of 11
members, including two persons with expertise and experience in higher education, three leading
figures from industry and government institutions, one person appointed by the Ministry of
Higher Education (MoHE), and three ex officio members, namely the Vice-Chancellor (VC), the
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC).
The BoD represents the owners of the institution and carries the fiduciary responsibility of the
institution, in particular the determination of financial policy and the oversight and approval of
the financial statements. The BoG is constituted according to the standing requirements for such a
body set by the MoHE. It has a broader area of responsibility, covering the full scope of
governance oversight. According to SU, both these Boards were involved in the process to
determine its Vision, Mission and values. Mechanisms to ensure the calibration of the activities
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of the two Boards and the required flow of information between them are in place. SU advised
that the formal requirements for effective governance are in place (e.g. delegations, committees
and reporting procedures) (Portfolio, p.4 and supporting materials). The effectiveness of the
governance structures was confirmed in interviews with key stakeholders and in documentation
considered by the Panel. The Panel was impressed by the presence of a strong BoD and BoG that
are committed and dedicated to SU’s sustainability, growth and continuous well-being. Evidence
of this commitment and dedication was found in the fact that newly appointed members of the
BoD participated in the induction opportunities provided to them to ensure an understanding of
the context and financial constraints within which this institution operates.
Commendation 1
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University
for having committed and dedicated leadership which supports the strategic
direction of the University.
1.3 Management
The executive management of SU consists of the VC, DVC and PVC. Other levels of
management include the Deans of the four faculties, Head of the GFP, and the Heads of the
various support service Departments. The DVC is responsible for academic matters whereas the
PVC is responsible for operations. The principal body for the management of academic affairs is
the Academic Board. Key management committees include the Academic Planning and Resource
Committee (APRC) (chaired by the DVC) and the University Corporate Management Team
(UCMT) (chaired by the PVC). A range of other committees is involved in the management and
quality assurance processes and on the operational side committees for finance, human resources
and senior appointments, risk management exist and meet regularly. Faculties are expected to
submit business plans annually (Portfolio, p.4).
The Panel noted SU’s observation that it found the preparation of the Portfolio process useful in
order to identify areas in need of improvement (Portfolio, p.ix), given that much of the
institutional energy has been absorbed in recent years by the implementation of the growth
strategy and the steep learning curve of the institution. The Panel was informed that SU intended
to employ a Planning Officer to coordinate the development of processes and tools to generate
more comprehensive and in-depth institutional data and translate this into actionable information
to inform decision-making at different levels. Given the close link between evidence-based
decision-making and planning and quality management, these intended actions can also
contribute to the building of a quality culture beyond the academic areas.
1.4 Institutional Affiliations for Programs and Quality Assurance
SU has affiliation agreements with the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia;
Mu’tah University (MU), Jordan and the former Sohar College of Education (Portfolio, p.5). The
latter two are being phased out.
UQ is a leading Australian University and a member of the prestigious Group of Eight
Universities. The Panel found that the affiliation with UQ has served SU very well over the past
decade. This was evidenced in various ways, including the quality assurance of the academic
programs and the development of the curriculum. Progress has also been made with the
development of SU’s research portfolio, in particular through the creation of adjunct positions at
UQ for senior SU academic staff which gives them access to the academic information resources
of UQ (see Chapter 4 of this Report). The agreement between SU and UQ is up for renewal in
2011. In the event that the contract is not renewed, SU will have to make alternative
arrangements to ensure the continuation of the academic quality assurance currently conducted by
UQ.
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On UQ’s side, the DVC International Affairs is the officer responsible for the management of the
partnership and ensuring a single point of entry for interaction between the two institutions. UQ
considers this to be an important affiliation, giving effect to its desire to establish and maintain a
presence in the Gulf region. Representatives of UQ visit SU twice per year. They conduct a range
of quality assurance related activities during these visits. Written reports on all the areas of
cooperation stated in the contract with UQ have been submitted annually. UQ provides the
curriculum for the programs listed in the affiliation agreement; however, the responsibility for the
contextualisation of the programs to ensure a meaningful learning experience in the Omani
context lies with SU. UQ staff members are not involved in the assessment of SU students but
they check that appropriate assessments methods are used by SU. The Panel is of the view that
this partnership has enhanced the learning opportunities for the students at the University.
Commendation 2
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University
for developing an effective relationship with the University of Queensland
that has had a positive impact on the development and implementation of its
academic quality assurance system.
The Panel found that SU had put in a sustained effort to act upon UQ recommendations, although
not all the concerns raised repeatedly by UQ have been addressed satisfactorily. These issues
include the need to improve students’ English language skills; the concern about the preparedness
of the student intake for University level studies; and the need to provide faster internet access
and to enhance access to academic information resources. The Panel encourages the University to
address these matters.
In terms of the affiliation agreement with MU, the Masters course in Education of MU is offered
at SU, with identical coursework and examinations. MU is responsible for the quality assurance
of this program and awards the degree certificates to successful students. SU intends to phase out
the agreement with MU by the end of the academic year 2009-2010 academic year but
arrangements have been made to enable currently enrolled students to complete their program
under the same conditions as when they enrolled. Continuous and more detailed communication
with students on this program is required to give them the necessary assurances in this regard.
1.5 Strategic Plan
The BoD, the BoG, Deans of Faculties and Heads of support services were involved in the
development of SU’s Strategic Plan for 2008-2012 (Portfolio, p.6). The Panel found that
ownership for the Strategic Plan and direction was widely shared among the staff members of
SU. Eight strategic goals were set for the institution and a range of qualitative or process oriented
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were identified for each of the goals (Portfolio, p.6).
The Strategic Plan is quite comprehensive, and fairly ambitious Key Performance Indicators
(KPIs) have been set. In interviews with the Panel, SU staff emphasised that since they consider
the institution to be on a learning curve and in a developmental phase, they decided not to set
quantitative KPIs for all the strategic goals. Examples of reporting against the KPIs were
presented to the Panel. Reports to the BoD and the BoG are generated from inputs from faculties,
support units and discussions in forums such as the APRC and the UCMT. The Panel was
informed that staff members are consulted in the planning and reporting processes. The Panel
considered documentation to show that SU was continually monitoring the implementation of the
Plan against KPIs. It is clear to the Panel that a systematic approach to institutional planning at a
strategic level is in place.
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Commendation 3
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University
for developing a systematic approach to strategic planning that has resulted
in a positive impact on the development of the institution.
1.6 Operational Planning
Operational planning, according to SU, is driven by the Finance Committee (Portfolio, p.7). The
Panel reviewed a number of Strategic Plans of Departments and Units, including those developed
for the academic Faculties, IT Support, Learning Resource Centre and Administration and
Registration Department. The Panel found a lack of an overall University-wide approach to the
development and review of operational plans and instances where the Strategic Plans of
Departments and Units were not fully consistent with SU’s strategic objectives. SU needs to
build on its success at the level of strategic planning to support a consistent approach to
operational planning throughout the University.
Recommendation 2
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its current approach to operational planning to ensure
that all Departments, whether academic or non-academic, develop plans
which clearly support the University’s strategic objectives.
1.7 Financial Management
The University states that its financial management system monitors and reviews budgetary and
financial aspects of the strategic plan to ensure that appropriate financial and fiduciary systems
are in place (Portfolio, p.7). SU has a Finance Strategic Plan and a Finance Committee in place
and a Financial and Administrative Policies and Procedure Manual has been developed. During
the annual budgeting process, academic staff and support staff are requested to submit items on a
prescribed template to be considered for financial support. The financial manager integrates the
submissions from all the faculties and support units and prepares a budget that is aligned with the
available resources. The budget is submitted to the BoG to check that it is in accordance with the
institutional mission before it is submitted for approval to the BoD. Although staff have the
opportunity to submit requests for financial support, financial decision making and the
management of the budget are centralised.
SU recognises the need to develop more effective systems for financial management (Portfolio,
p.13). The Panel was informed that new software for the management of financial information
has been acquired and when fully implemented it is expected that there will be better integration
between the different information systems of SU. The Panel supports the University’s efforts in
this area.
Affirmation 1
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to develop more effective systems for financial management and
supports its efforts to do so.
It was evident to the Panel that the leadership of SU is closely involved in the financial
management of the institution and that SU has visionary leaders with financial expertise. At the
moment SU does not have any other sources of income other than student fees. The Panel is of
the view that the University needs to review opportunities to diversify its financial resources as
this will enhance the financial health of the institution.
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1.8 Risk Management
A Risk Management Committee was established recently and has met a number of times to
consider the development of a Risk Register for SU. The committee was established because SU
realised that it did not have a fully developed risk strategy (Portfolio, p.8). When asked by the
Panel to indicate the top risks of the institution, there was a range of different responses from SU
stakeholders. The risks mentioned included the fact that SU may not be able to maintain its
growth in student numbers because of increased competition with the establishment of new
universities and that the University may not be able to recruit and retain the academic staff
compliment required by its Mission (see Chapter 8). The continuity of government policy and
regulation relating to higher education institutions is considered by SU senior management an
important aspect of risk mitigation.
With regard to risk management, SU has placed an emphasis on physical and financial risks, but
needs to also consider ‘academic risks’, such as growth in staff/student ratio (Portfolio, p.8). The
Panel noted that SU has identified risk management as an opportunity for improvement and
supports the efforts that it is making in this area.
Affirmation 2
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to develop a risk management system and supports the establishment
of a risk management committee and a risk register.
1.9 Policy Management
With the development of the Academic Quality Handbook (AQH) during 2009, SU reviewed
most of its existing academic policies and where necessary developed new policies (Portfolio,
p.9). The Panel was informed that the academic policies were developed with an external
consultant and have been reviewed over the last 15 months. However, SU does not yet have a
procedure on the making, implementing, and reviewing of non-academic policies and guidelines
in a more comprehensive manner. This is an area the University needs to address.
Recommendation 3
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its policy management system in order to ensure that the
development, implementation and monitoring of policies is consistent in all
departments, whether academic or non-academic.
1.10 Entity and Activity Review Systems
SU states that it has made measurable progress in embedding quality management systems to
assure and maintain standards and to enhance the quality of the student learning experience and
emphasises the role of the AQH in its entity and activity review systems (Portfolio, p.9). The
Panel reviewed the AQH and found the AQH to be comprehensive and thorough. The Panel also
found the AQH serves as a continuous reference and guide at the different levels of the academic
management processes of the university to ensure consistency across the institution and across the
different dimensions of the academic process. While it is helpful to benefit from documents of
other institutions, SU needs to ensure that sources are referenced and contextualised where
appropriate.
As mentioned in Section 1.4, UQ produces quality assurance reports on the basis of their visits. The Panel was informed that these reports are discussed in Academic Board meetings and action
plans are developed. SU also takes into account feedback from the visits by the MoHE. Faculties
produce Annual Monitoring Reports which bring together feedback from external reports and
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staff. The Panel found that the need to formalise internal periodic reviews for academic
departments and support service units has been identified by SU (Portfolio, pp.10-11) and the
Panel found during the visit that initiatives have been taken to move forward in this area such as
the development of University-wide review procedures in the AQH. The Panel supports SU’s
efforts in this area.
Affirmation 3
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to formalise its internal periodic review systems and supports its
efforts to do so, for example through the development of University-wide
review procedures.
The Panel was informed that SU intends to build and sustain a culture of reflective practice
through its internal processes and quality systems. The feedback cycle has not as yet been fully
implemented as the quality assurance systems are still in the early stages of development. At
present, there is little evidence that any self-reflective practices in teaching and learning are
feeding into the academic planning and development process of SU.
There is a need for SU to improve significantly its collection and analysis of data, and to ensure
that its quality assurance system is supported by a variety of formal feedback mechanisms. This
would provide reliable sources of information that could meaningfully inform internal reviews as
well as provide evidence to support University claims of quality provision. The Panel encourages
SU to strengthen this area.
Recommendation 4
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement mechanisms to improve its data collection
and ensure that the findings of quality surveys, evaluations and reports are
consistently analysed and acted upon and that actions and improvements
are fed back to stakeholders.
1.11 Student Grievance Process
Student complaints related to academic issues are considered within the Faculty context by the
academic advisors or course coordinators. Students keep the same academic advisor for more
than one year. Only when a satisfactorily solution is not found are grievances referred to the Dean
of the Faculty. All other grievances are submitted to the office of the Student Affairs (DSA) in a
Student Complaint Form that is available in Arabic on the internet. SU states that the majority of
grievances attended to relate to accommodation, catering and transportation (Portfolio, p.12). It is
the responsibility of the DSA to attend to these grievances.
SU states that: “A comprehensive complaints procedure has been established for use by all
aggrieved parties. A distinction is made between complaints that relate to academic matters and
to other aspects of the University” (Portfolio, p.12). However, the Student Complaints Form is for
all complaints, whether academic or in relation to other services of the University. The complaint
policy and procedure is included in the Student Handbook as well as in the AQH. The Panel
noted that in the Student Handbook, it is stated that informal complaints can be submitted to
members of staff (p.33) but in the section on Student Council says that the Council deals with
complaints (p.43). The approach in this area needs to be clear and consistently communicated to
students. The Panel encourages the University to develop and implement mechanisms to
formally review and evaluate the effectiveness of its student grievance process.
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Recommendation 5
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement mechanisms to monitor the effectiveness
of its student grievance process, including ensuring that academic
complaints are separated from grievances concerning other services.
1.12 Health and Safety
The Health and Safety Committee is chaired by the DSA (Portfolio, p.13). Although SU stated
that it has a relatively good record in safeguarding those on campus who are engaged in SU
activities, the institution recognises that its policies regarding workplace safety, staff and student
safety, fire safety procedures, food hygiene and kitchen cleanliness and evacuation plans for
unforeseen events such as natural disasters have to be written or improved (Portfolio, p.12). A
Plan for the development of a Health and Safety Manual was noted in the minutes of the Health
and Safety Committee in October 2008 but this was not followed up. SU recognises that it needs
to define its procedures and guidelines more clearly with regard to health and safety and dealing
with emergencies (Portfolio, p.68). SU has hired an external contractor to develop a health and
safety plan including a health and safety policy for SU. The Panel supports SU’s moves to
develop a comprehensive health and safety plan.
Affirmation 4
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to develop and implement a comprehensive set of clear health and
safety procedures.
1.13 Oversight of Associated Entities (e.g. owned companies)
This is not applicable to SU.
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2 STUDE�T LEAR�I�G BY COURSEWORK PROGRAMS
In carrying out its Mission, SU aims to create an environment in which students can mature in
terms of academic skills and personal development. The aim of SU is to provide high quality
education and to have well qualified graduates who are able to contribute to the community. In
order to achieve this, it seeks to create a supportive environment to enable staff and students
achieve international standards for similar awards (Portfolio, p.14).
Programs are delivered through four faculties. The Faculty of Business (FB) offers programs in
Accounting; Management; Marketing; and Management Information Systems. There are plans to
offer a Masters in Business Administration and new programs in the area of Management
Information Systems and Corporate Law. The Faculty of Computing and Information
Technology (FCIT) offers programs in Computing and Multimedia; Computing and Web
Engineering; and Networking; Database Administration and Business Information Technology
(run in conjunction with the FB). Programs in Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering;
Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil Engineering; and Chemical Engineering are offered
by the Faculty of Engineering (FE). The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS),
which is the largest Faculty with over 1800 students, offers programs in Journalism and
Communication; Arabic Language; Arabic Language/Education; Physical Education; English
Language/Education; Mathematics/Education and Biology/Education. The FHSS also offers a
number of postgraduate awards. A separate department, located on a nearby site, runs the
General Foundation Program (GFP), providing courses which prepare students for their academic
studies (Portfolio, p.x).
2.1 Graduate Attributes and Student Learning Objectives
In its Mission, SU states that it aims to:
produce talented, knowledgeable, and creative graduates who because of their
experience at SU will be known for their employability, leadership,
entrepreneurial and ethical attributes and who will improve the economy and
society of Oman and the Gulf region and be able to participate in the global
economy. (Portfolio, p.ix)
SU has embedded its graduate attributes in level descriptors for each level of study (Academic
Quality Handbook (AQH), Appendix D). The Panel found that SU has made efforts to define
the generic qualities and outcomes to be attained by students and to benchmark them against
national and international systems (namely, the Oman Qualifications Framework and the UK
Quality Assurance Agency). SU has received input from external stakeholders (such as through
its Industrial Liaison Committee) on the graduate attributes and learning objectives. The Panel
was informed that in this regard the contribution of University of Queensland (UQ), in particular,
had been helpful. The Panel found that although academic staff and some students were aware of
the graduate attributes, academic staff could take further steps to ensure that course work is
aligned with these attributes. SU has stated that each Faculty needs to meet on an annual basis
with employer representatives to “obtain advice on the attributes of our graduates” (Strategic
Plan, p.9). SU needs to activate this and, as its graduates enter the workplace, the University
needs to consider mechanisms to measure the appropriateness of its graduate attributes and the
extent to which students have achieved these. This could be included with its analysis of
graduate destinations (see Section 2.11).
The Panel reviewed a sample of course materials and found that there was a link between the
learning outcomes , the general level descriptors and attributes. The section on ‘Learning
Outcomes’ in the AQH (pp.70-74), however, was found to be heavily dependent on international
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sources. Whilst the Panel acknowledges that it is useful for a relatively young institution like SU
to consider the documents of other institutions, it needs to ensure that these are clearly referenced
and contextualised for its educational environment.
2.2 Curriculum
SU is responsible for the development of its academic programs and, like all HEIs, for their
approval by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE). The original curricula of SU programs
were provided by UQ. SU academic staff are responsible for the contextualisation or modification
of the courses to adapt them for the Omani context (Portfolio, p.15). The Panel was provided
with a number of examples of how the UQ curriculum has been adapted for the Omani context,
for example through the inclusion of more ‘hands-on’ experiments. The courses based on Mu’tah
University (MU) curricula were also found to have been revised in order to meet the needs of the
students in Oman.
In terms of curriculum review, SU has a number of mechanisms in place. Students complete an
evaluation form and teaching staff complete a course review form and each Faculty produces an
Annual Monitoring Report (AMR). The Panel considered a sample of these reports and found
that they varied both in length and the extent to which they met the criteria set out in the AQH
(p.59). Visit reports from UQ and MU also provide feedback on the curriculum and support the
benchmarking of programs to international standards. Representatives of UQ review the
programs and graduation rates annually as part of the quality assurance arrangements between the
two institutions. Where necessary, the UQ representatives recommend changes and modifications
in the programs. According to the FE AMR, a curriculum revision committee was established to
discuss changes to the curriculum and the Panel was informed that the Engineering curriculum
had been revised twice since 2001, and approved by the Academic Board. However, the AMRs
reviewed by the Panel would suggest that the formation of these committees is not consistent
across all four Faculties. The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Teaching and Learning
Committee (TLC) indicate that it is responsible for:
Promoting the development of the University’s curriculum, assessing the
curriculum and offering recommendations on needs for change, introduction of
new programmes and courses or discontinuation of programmes or courses
(AQH, p.7)
However, in reviewing a sample of the minutes of this committee, the Panel concluded that it has
not yet fully taken on this role. SU also states that there are periodic reviews of curricula
(Portfolio, p.15) which come under the ToR of the Quality Assurance Committee (AQH, p.8).
SU needs to ensure that the various mechanisms link to an overall curriculum review process
which is systematically incorporated across all faculties. This will ensure that the feedback from
students, teaching staff and external stakeholders (including affiliates and industry/employers) is
taken into consideration and provide the basis for a consistent curriculum review system.
Recommendation 6
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its current curriculum monitoring system in order to
support the implementation of a comprehensive, consistent process across
all faculties.
2.3 Student Entry Standards
SU has defined the requirements for entry into each program as well as the requirements for
progression to each subsequent level. Students progress to level 1 of their chosen program, after
having satisfied the learning outcomes of the General Foundation Program (GFP) for courses
taught in English (Portfolio, p.15).
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Having considered the entry standards and statistics of Diploma/Bachelor graduates, the Panel
concluded that in order for SU to achieve its objectives of producing well-qualified graduates
(Portfolio, p.ix) (and not mostly diploma-qualified graduates) it needs to review its student entry
requirements and ensure that students entering the higher education programs have met the GFP
learning outcomes. This issue was raised in the 2008 UQ Visit Report, which referred to
continued concerns about entry standards and student proficiency in English. Although SU has
outlined action plans to address some of these concerns, for example through revising the
placement test and recruiting more native speakers to teach on the English language courses, the
threshold for student entry standards still needs to be considered.
The Panel believes that if entry requirements are raised and GFP learning outcome standards met,
this may result in a student body from which a higher number of students will continue their
studies after two years towards the completion of the Bachelor level degree.
Recommendation 7
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its entry requirements and the implementation of the GFP
standards in order to improve the quality of students at entry point towards
fulfillment of its Mission to produce high quality graduates.
2.4 Foundation Program
All of the courses at SU are taught in English, except those in Islamic studies, Arabic language
and Education. To enable students to attain the required levels of proficiency in English, SU
offers a GFP program which focuses on English, IT and Mathematics (Portfolio, p.xi and p.16).
As a large number of SU students are enrolled in the GFP program, has the potential to play a
crucial role in the preparation of students. The Panel noted that SU has accurately identified the
need for the continuous improvement of this program, and supports the University’s efforts to
align it with Oman’s National Standards for Foundation Programs. The GFP Strategic Plan
reflects the University’s ongoing commitment to the improvement in this area and is expected to
have a key role in supporting the development of students’ skills to succeed in their higher
education studies.
Affirmation 5
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to align its General Foundation Program with Oman’s national
standards and supports its efforts in this area.
2.5 Teaching Quality
In its Strategic Plan, SU undertakes to recruit highly qualified academic staff to ensure they
deliver high quality education (p.13). SU states that it deploys a number of mechanisms to
monitor teaching quality, including student feedback, internal peer review system, and
observation by international partners (Portfolio, p.16). Staff maintain teaching portfolios in order
to monitor their performance. The Panel found that SU organises regular peer evaluation of
teaching opportunities to promote discussion on the quality of teaching. The course moderators
also undertake reviews of course profiles ensuring that course profiles are being followed and are
consistent. Heads of Departments and line managers conduct reviews and appraisals and the
Panel was informed that the feedback of these reviews helps in improving the quality of teaching.
The TLC is tasked with “Providing general guidelines for methods, ethics and procedures in
teaching and learning, and reviewing the learning and teaching practices in the University”
(AQH, p.7) but it was not clear to the Panel what progress had been made in this area.
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SU provides staff development opportunities, including seminars and workshops on learning and
teaching, for academic staff. The University would benefit from systemically collecting and
analysing feedback on these events in order to ascertain their effectiveness and the extent to
which they are aligned with staff needs.
In its approach to learning and teaching in general, SU has committed itself to the promotion of
an “excellent teaching and learning environment” (Portfolio, p.xi) and “a student-centered
learning environment” (Portfolio, p.40). One of the University’s strategic goals is to become a
“Student-Centered University” (Strategic Plan, p.12). However, the Panel found a lack of clear
or consistent understanding as to what a student-centered learning environment meant to
academic staff and how this was translated into teaching practice. SU needs to develop a shared
understanding of what is meant by a student-centered learning environment throughout its
academic community and what the implications are for teaching and learning activities.
Professional development opportunities for academic staff should be more clearly-aligned with
SU’s strategic goal in order to meet its teaching and learning aspirations. Mechanisms to
measure the effectiveness of this approach also need to be developed, such as inclusion of
teaching approaches in the student course evaluation feedback.
Recommendation 8
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement a shared understanding of its strategic
goal to promote a student-centred learning environment amongst its
stakeholders and ensure that its professional development activities are
aligned to its teaching and learning aspirations.
2.6 Plagiarism
SU has a policy on plagiarism which is outlined in the AQH (p.37), the Student Handbook and
posted on the SU's website. The Panel found in interviews that there was an overall awareness of
this policy amongst teaching staff and students. However, the University needs to develop a
system to consistently monitor instances of plagiarism and support an environment of academic
integrity amongst staff and students. SU is aware of this and is currently considering the
acquisition and implementation of a software instrument to assist staff in the detection of
plagiarism. Academic staff are also adopting different assessment approaches in order to limit
opportunities for plagiarism. The Panel supports the University’s efforts in this area.
Affirmation 6
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to enhance its efforts to implement and monitor its plagiarism policy
to create an environment of academic integrity among staff and students
and supports its initiatives in this area.
2.7 Student Placements
At the time of the audit, student placement was not compulsory across all programs and was not
formally assessed. A small number of students participated in On-the-Job training, supported
and advised by SU, including those students enrolled on Education programs. The University
recognises the benefits from students undertaking placements, which could lead to future
employment opportunities (Portfolio, p.17) and the Panel was informed that it is making a greater
effort to increase the number of students in work experience during the summer. The Panel
supports SU in this activity and its efforts in creating further contacts with local industry in order
to increase student placements. In extending this area of activity, SU needs to develop systems
and procedures to ensure consistent deployment across all four faculties.
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Affirmation 7
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to increase the opportunities for student placement and supports its
efforts to do so.
2.8 Assessment Methods, Standards and Moderation
According to the requirements stipulated in SU’s AQH, explicit assessment criteria must be
developed at program and course level (p.55). The AQH also provides various broad examples of
assessment criteria and general principles, e.g. that assessments should be aligned to the learning
objectives and should be challenging enough to assess the true levels of the students (p.56). SU
has defined methods and appropriate types of assessments for every program, for example, course
work, projects and formal examinations. According to reports from UQ, however, some of the
assessment tasks have not been challenging enough to enable academic staff to judge the actual
level of students' achievement.
Recently, SU has taken effective steps to tighten up on the assessment procedures (Portfolio,
p.14). These include new assessment regulations, better system for moderation, and the review of
assessments and oversight of examination scripts by the Deans. It also introduced assessment
training opportunities for academic staff and course moderators covering, for example, setting
examinations, managing examinations and student appeals. The Panel supports these endeavors
which are expected to improve the institutional assessment procedures and practices.
SU has signalled its intention to move towards criterion-based assessment. It realises that the
concept is not yet fully shared across the institution and is currently working on this with the
Deans of different faculties.
Affirmation 8
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to review and improve its current approach to assessment, and
supports its efforts in this area, including a move towards criterion-based
assessment.
2.9 Academic Security and Invigilation
SU has recently taken steps to tighten security arrangements related to the examinations and
invigilation systems and procedures (Portfolio, p.14). These improvements were also evidenced
in the documentation reviewed by the Panel and in interviews with staff and students. The Panel
concluded that this is evidence of effective management processes in the institution. The new
measures ensure that the examination process is more secure. Through its internal processes, the
institution has accurately identified the need to tighten up these systems, and it has successfully
done so.
Commendation 4
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University
for tightening exam procedures in order to ensure that the process is secure.
2.10 Student Retention and Progression
SU states that student retention is of great importance to the University (Portfolio, p.18). Data
provided by SU indicated that student retention and progression rates need to be improved. This
was specifically the case in faculties with large numbers of students rather than in all faculties.
The data provided to the Panel also indicated that at present, only about 15% of the students
continue their studies beyond the Diploma level. The Panel was informed by staff that there were
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various explanations for this situation (for example, that the entry requirements are set too low
and therefore students are unable to progress), but it is clear that much more reflection and
appropriate action is needed to address this challenge. As the University reviews its approach to
data collection and analysis ( Recommendation 13), the outcomes of this review should support
SU in analysing and addressing the issues in relation to student retention.
2.11 Graduate Destinations and Employability
SU states that its graduates generally find appropriate employment (Portfolio, p.18). In its
Strategic Plan, the University has included the objective “our students will be sought by
employers because of their knowledge, creativity, leadership and ethical behaviour” (p.9) with
KPIs to include these attributes in all courses; for each Faculty to record statistics of its graduates;
and an annual meeting to be held between the Faculty and employers. While the Panel supports
this aspiration, the data submitted suggests that the University needs to monitor graduate
destinations more systematically and develop quantifiable targets. For example, the 2007-2008
Annual Monitoring Report for the Faculty of Engineering (FE) claimed that the number of
graduates employed after graduation increased but no graduate employment data has been
included to support that conclusion. The FE page on the SU web-site states that “Employment
rate among graduates of this faculty is more than 90%” ( http://soharuni.edu.om/, accessed 30
May 2010) but the Panel found no statistical evidence or data to support this claim.
SU identifies the need to improve the tracking of destination statistics and more analysis of
statistical information as opportunities for improvement (Portfolio, p.19). However, the Panel
found no progress yet in this area. The University now needs to develop a clear strategy with an
identified responsible person or department, to collect and analyse the data in a more systematic
manner in order to support its graduate employability aspirations in the long term.
Recommendation 9
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement a clear strategy to monitor graduate
destinations in order to support its long-term graduate employability
aspirations.
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3 STUDE�T LEAR�I�G BY RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SU is committed to developing a research culture amongst its staff and postgraduate students as
one of its strategic objectives (Portfolio, p.20). To meet this objective, the University has
submitted proposals to the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) to offer research Masters and
PhD degrees. A range of policies and documents has been developed to support this initiative,
including a Research Degree Handbook and guidelines for Research Supervisors. The proposals
have yet to be approved. SU has therefore decided to develop a two-stage approach to
introducing research degrees, in conjunction with its affiliate University of Queensland (UQ).
The first stage involves enrolling SU staff as part-time external postgraduate students of UQ with
co-supervisors at SU and UQ. The second stage will be implemented once SU has received the
approval to run its postgraduate research degrees, in which case UQ will oversee the quality
assurance of these degrees and provide co-supervisors (SU Research Plan, p.3). This was
confirmed by the Panel with UQ staff. This initiative is outlined in the Research Strategic Plan
and is expected to benefit SU junior Omani academics wishing to undertake postgraduate
degrees.
In the Requirements for Oman’s System of Quality Assurance (ROSQA, B, Part One, Chapter 1,
section v(b)), a university is expected to:
Conduct[s] undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in faculties
representing at least three broad fields of learning.)
The Panel supports the SU’s efforts in developing proposals to offer undergraduate and
postgraduate programs in order to meet the expectations of a University in Oman.
Affirmation 9
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to deliver postgraduate programs in three broad fields of learning in
line with its classification as a University, and supports its efforts in this
area.
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4 STAFF RESEARCH A�D CO�SULTA�CY
Sohar University has recognised that in keeping with its status as a university, a key strategic goal
must be research (Portfolio, p.26). SU has made some important progress towards increasing
research outputs. As noted in the Portfolio, a Director of Research and Industry Collaboration
(DRIC) has been appointed, as well as the establishment of University-wide and Faculty-specific
research committees (ibid). SU has used its collaboration with the University of Queensland (UQ)
to develop research partnerships and some important successes have been achieved in winning
competitive research grants. SU has put in place a number of policies that could lead to reaching
its strategic goal of becoming a University recognised for its research.
4.1 Research Planning & Management
A key strategic objective in the area of research is “to build research capacity through the
establishment of Research Centres, Research Chairs and MPhil/PhD programs” (Strategic Plan,
p.11). SU has developed an appropriate research plan in line with its strategic objective and has
been able to put in place a number of measures and policies that could lead to successful research
outputs. The appointment of an experienced DRIC has been key to this. University and Faculty
research committees have been appointed and meet regularly. SU has also identified a number of
KPIs in the area of research which could be made more quantifiable as this area of activity
increases.
Affirmation 10
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to enhance its research profile and supports its efforts to establish a
research plan, appoint key personnel to achieve its strategic objective and
bring about capacity building for research.
4.2 Research Performance
SU has outlined its research performance in a Research Report 2003-2008, which recognises that
SU needs to develop its research output. SU plans to benchmark research outputs with other
comparable higher education institutions (HEIs) in Oman and the GCC region. Thereafter,
international benchmarking will be undertaken, pursuing the goal of “encouraging staff to publish
in high calibre journals” (Portfolio, p.27). Although it was clear from the Report and from
interviews with staff that a range of research is being carried out, SU needs to ensure that its
research performance meets the expectations of a University, as outlined in the Requirements for
Oman’s System of Quality Assurance (ROSQA). These expectations include establishing KPIs
and international benchmarks for research performance; providing regular reports in the
implementation of the University’s research strategy; and the development of inter-disciplinary
approaches to research (ROSQA, B Part One, Chapter 1, section v (a)). SU is urged to address
these areas in line with its classification as a university in Oman.
Recommendation 10
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University establish performance indicators and international benchmarks
to measure its research performance and develop mechanisms to evaluate its
success against these indicators.
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4.3 Research Funding Schemes
SU has worked to prepare its staff for grant application with an in-house workshop on effective
research grant writing. The Panel was informed that a high level of support is given to staff
applying for competitive research grants. Four applications for grants from The Research Council
of Oman have to date been successful. In addition, one staff member has won an external
competitive grant from the Qatar National Research Fund and one from the Emirates Foundation
for Philanthropy. A conference travel policy enables staff to present their results at international
conferences, following seminar presentation of the paper at SU. There are plans to develop a
strong link between research output and the promotion system.
Commendation 5
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University’s
efforts to procure competitive research grants succeeding in regional and
national grants being awarded.
4.4 Consultancy Activities
As noted in the Portfolio, the University’s location in an area experiencing a rapid expansion of
industries offers strong potential for staff to undertake research consultancies (p.ix). A small
number of research consultancies have been achieved to date. Staff are given the incentive to
undertake such consultancies in that they are rewarded with a payment of a percentage of the
grant and a workload adjustment. Consultancies are overseen by the Industrial Liaison Committee
and SU now needs to develop both a policy and an operational plan to support the growth of this
area in the future. SU has developed a consultancy policy but now needs to be prepared to meet
the expectations of consultancy activities in line with the ROSQA requirements for an institution
classified as a university.
4.5 Intellectual Property, Ethics and Biosafety
The University has developed an intellectual property policy that covers copyright, discovery and
inventions, ownership rights and dispute procedures. SU has also developed ethics and biosafety
policies and these are available to staff undertaking research. Seminars on all these policies are
planned for the future (Portfolio, p.30). SU intends to establish a University Ethics Committee in
2011/12 and the Panel supports this development.
4.6 Professional Development for Research
SU states that it has provided a number of professional development activities designed to
enhance research skills (Portfolio, p.30). Providing funds for conference attendance and for
partnering with UQ are important aspects of professional development and the Panel supports
these developments.
One key aspect of improving SU’s research standing will be the upgrading of staff to the level of
PhD. SU has worked with UQ to arrange for the appointment of senior SU staff as adjunct
appointments of UQ. This enables SU staff access to UQ library facilities and on-line databases
which are critical for research. Furthermore, SU has adopted a travel policy which enables staff to
travel to UQ to work with colleagues for periods of time which has supported the professional
development of staff in this area. It was clear to the Panel through talking to staff and
representatives from UQ that this was a positive initiative that will support the University’s
research aspirations.
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Commendation 6
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University’s
efforts to build on its relationship with UQ in order to support the
professional development of staff for research purposes.
4.7 Research Commercialisation
SU has developed a research commercialisation policy to support the long term objective of the
University in this area (to date there is no evidence of any research commercialisation). SU has
plans to establish a Research Park in the future and has entered into discussion with potential
tenants (Portfolio, p.31). The Panel supports SU’s strategic objectives in these areas.
4.8 Research – Teaching <exus
SU acknowledges the importance of the relationship between teaching and research; however,
the teaching-research nexus is left to individual members of staff at this stage. As SU’s research
profile grows, work will have to be put into defining expectations regarding the research-teaching
nexus at institutional, Faculty, and individual levels. As the link between research and teaching is
a major element in delineating universities from other providers, this will be a key area of interest
for the future at SU.
Recommendation 11
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement a consistent approach to formalising and
monitoring the research-teaching nexus throughout the University.
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5 I�DUSTRY A�D COMMU�ITY E�GAGEME�T
One of SU’s Strategic Goals is to “be responsive to the needs and well-being of the community”
(Strategic Plan, p.15). SU aims to develop strong relationships with the growing local industry in
Sohar. The formal mechanism for maintaining links with industry is through the Industry Liaison
Committee (ILC) which meets twice annually and is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. SU has an
active Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) which mounts a range of professional
development activities in conjunction with local industry and organises community events – the
largest of which is a summer school program.
5.1 Industry and Community Engagement Planning & Management
SU has established an ILC and a CCE, both of which are in the process of developing strong links
with local industry and, in the latter case, with the local community. The Panel reviewed the
document entitled “Vision and Mission of the CCE” but found that neither the ILC nor the CCE
have developed operational plans with KPIs or targets. While both bodies have made extensive
linkages with industry and the community, these seem to be somewhat opportunistic and
developed on an ad hoc basis. Furthermore, the Panel found evidence of little systematic co-
ordination between the ILC and CCE, for example the CCE Director not being a permanent
member of the ILC. The Panel concluded that SU would benefit from having a more concerted
approach to planning and coordination in this area.
Recommendation 12
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement operational plans with KPIs and targets
to build relationships with industry and the community, and integrate the
efforts of the Industrial Liaison Committee and the Centre for Continuing
Education.
5.2 Relationships with Industry and Employers
SU acknowledges the importance of developing strong relationships with industry in Sohar,
particularly the new industries in the port area (Portfolio, p.35). The Panel was informed that SU
has already received funding from Sohar Aluminum in the form of four scholarships, and is
working to develop further such arrangements. In addition, SU has been able to arrange a number
of work placements for students in local industry and the Panel saw evidence that many of these
placements resulted in permanent employment on graduation. SU identifies “further
strengthening of University links with local industries” (Portfolio, p.39) as an opportunity for
improvement and plans to establish a system of incentives to encourage staff and students to
participate in activities in the business and social communities (Strategic Plan, p.15). The Panel
supports SU’s endeavours in this area.
5.3 Relationships with Professions
A number of academic staff, particularly in the Faculty of Engineering (FE), hold membership of
a variety of professional bodies. A number of staff are also reviewers for academic journals
(Portfolio, p.36). The Faculty of Information Technology (FIT) has a variety of links with IT
companies (Cisco, Oracle, Adobe and Microsoft) and work with these organisations to offer
programs. The Faculty is working towards accreditation with the Australian Computer Society.
The Panel supports these linkages. SU could also consider encouraging other Faculties to develop
professional links, such as its FE and the Oman Society of Engineers. “Further institutional links
with professional bodies and associations” (Portfolio, p.39) has been identified as an opportunity
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for improvement and SU needs to consider how this objective will be achieved as it develops its
operational plans in this area (see Recommendation 12).
5.4 Relationships with Other Education Providers
In addition to the established relationships with University of Queensland (UQ) and Mu'tah
University (MU) (mentioned in Section 1.4 above), SU is active in promoting relationships with
other higher education institutions (HEIs). This includes cooperation with Sultan Qaboos
University, University of Nizwa and College of Applied Sciences Sohar (Portfolio, pp.36-37).
SU recognises that better co-ordination of these activities is required (Portfolio, p.37) and the
Panel supports the University’s intentions in this area.
5.5 Relationships with Alumni
SU recognises the importance of maintaining links with its alumni and states that while it has
“well-developed systems for maintaining positive relationships with alumni” (ibid), the
University acknowledges that these are not consistent across the faculties. The Panel was
informed that recently SU had appointed an Alumni Officer and established an Alumni Office.
SU may wish to consider using social network media to assist in maintaining contact with alumni.
Affirmation 11
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to strengthen its association with its alumni and supports its efforts in
this area, including the establishment of an alumni office.
5.6 Relationships with the Community at Large
SU has a pro-active approach to involvement with the local community. A wide range of
activities are reported, including national day activities, social function days, open days and
athletic and sporting activities (Portfolio, p.38). These activities are overseen by the Deanship of
Student Affairs (DSA) and are included in the DSA Strategic Plan. The DSA aims to “play a
major role in enhancing the student experience through the support of students’ extra-curricular
activities” (DSA Strategic Plan, p.2).
Panel interviews with external stakeholders indicated that SU is working hard to build on its
relationships with the community at large: SU rents a network of buses to offer students and the
community access to and from the campus from outlying districts; it supports people with
disabilities; runs an English Language Program for Omani women; runs poetry competitions, has
mounted a safe driving program with Petroleum Development of Oman; and, conferences for the
local communities. SU is involved with local schools and runs a vacation schools’ program. The
Panel found that SU has made an effort to be well integrated within its community and is keen to
develop and build on the activities it has established so far. The University recognises that these
events are organised on an ad hoc basis and should now take steps to include this area within its
operational planning activities (see Recommendation 12).
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6 ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
SU states that it recognises the importance of academic support services and has taken steps to
build a student centered learning environment by increasing the resources allocated to the
academic support services (Portfolio, p.40). Objective 1 of the Strategic Plan states that SU will
provide “A learning environment which enables all students to realise their academic potential”
(p.12).
The teaching facilities such as lecture halls and other learning spaces are becoming progressively
inadequate as a result of the rapid growth in the number of students and will have to be increased
to meet the current and future needs of the University. The new SU campus currently under
construction is expected to provide better facilities once it is completed (see Affirmation 20).
6.1 Academic Support Services Planning & Management
Academic support services include learning resources, student administration, student advising
and information technology (IT) (Portfolio, p.40). The SU Strategic Plan makes provision for the
further development of academic support services in order to provide adequate academic support
for the growing number of students (p.12). The University has set up various committees to
assist in the management of these areas and SU believes that there is a need to further improve
the function of these committees and ensure implementations of the actions plans (Portfolio,
p.45). While the Panel supports the development of Strategic Plans for key areas such as the
Learning Resource Centre (LRC), IT Services and Administration and Registration, SU needs to
ensure that academic support services planning links with the overall Strategic Plan and that there
is a mechanism put in place to monitor overall planning in this area at an operational level. SU
has recognised this as an opportunity for improvement and suggests that some changes may be
needed in the current management and organisational structure to ensure better coordination of
the academic and student services (Portfolio, p.40). The Panel was informed that SU also intends
to benchmark its services against other institutions which will help SU better plan to realise its
objectives. The Panel supports the University’s initiatives to improve in this area.
Affirmation 12
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to review its approach to operational planning for academic support
services and supports its efforts in this area.
6.2 Registry (Enrolment and Student Records)
The Student Administration Department is responsible for student admission and registration and
for keeping academic records of all the students (Portfolio, p.40). The Department has developed
a Strategic Plan 2009-2012, which states that its Vision is to “provide an efficient and
professional service that meets all of its users needs” (p.1).
Staff informed the Panel that the University recognises the challenges that student administration
is facing; more physical resources will be made available when the new campus is built. The
Panel noted that SU is replacing its current administrative software package PEAK with e-
Register (Portfolio, p.41). SU staff informed the Panel that it is hoped this will improve the
management of student records and institutional information in general.
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Affirmation 13
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to improve the resources and systemisation of student administration,
and supports its efforts in this area.
6.3 Library (Learning Resources Centre)
The LRC plays an important role in providing information and resources for students and
academic staff. The LRC has developed a Strategic Plan 2009-2012 which aims to: “improve and
enhance facilities; ensure resources meet the needs of the students and staff; establish resources
and facilities for research; and ensure sufficient staff to meet the needs of the University” (p.1).
KPIs have been devised and will need to be monitored for the LRC to measure progress against
its goals.
The Library has an experienced Head who represents the LRC on the Academic Board and puts
forward proposals and recommendations to maintain and develop the LRC collections and other
forms of access to academic information. The Head of the LRC also chairs the LRC Committee.
A regular newsletter is produced and circulated to LRC users. The Panel visited and reviewed the
Library and was informed that it holds hard copies of most of the essential textbooks. Students
can access additional resources through the e-library although not all the academic information
required by the curriculum is available online.
The Panel was informed that SU has conducted some user satisfaction surveys with staff and
students which help to provide useful information that will assist continuous improvement
through the LRC. SU may find it useful to inform users on changes that have been incorporated
in response to feedback received. Feedback from students to the Panel indicated that there was a
need to provide more space for group discussion. The numbers of computers in the library may
also need to be increased to cope with the increased users in the Library, and improved internet
services will be of great benefit to the students and staff. The Panel noted that SU expects the
new LRC building to be sufficiently resourced and equipped to enable the institution to achieve
its goals and meet the needs to the SU learning community. In developing the new LRC, SU
needs to ensure that its Library services are sufficient to underpin its strategic goals in the
specified research areas.
6.4 Information and Learning Technology Services
SU states that it aims to provide IT services and resources aligned to its academic needs and to
enable students to achieve excellent skills in the use of information and communication
technologies (Portfolio, p.42). The goals and objectives of IT Services are clearly described in
the IT Services Strategic Planning document. SU has an ambitious plan for IT support expansion
(Portfolio, p.45).
Although SU’s current IT services have improved significantly since the University was founded,
the Panel found that SU’s current IT services were facing the challenge of the needs of the
growing student population as well as the University’s academic and administrative needs. SU
would benefit from reviewing the number of computers available on campus together with the
infrastructure and provision of sufficient numbers of technical and support staff to maintain and
develop IT services. Internet access is generally slow and requires further enhancement in order
to ensure faster and easier access to academic information and material. SU is aware of the slow
internet speed and informed the Panel that it is taking steps to negotiate with the Service Provider
hoping to increase the bandwidth with a dedicated leased line. The IT Strategic Plan recognises
the need to increase the number of staff in this area and the need for more training and SU is
taking steps to fulfill this objective. The Panel supports SU’s initiatives in this area.
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Affirmation 14
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to review its IT support provision, including the need to increase
bandwidth, and supports its efforts in this area.
6.5 Academic Advising
SU states that academic advising is an important function in all academic programs and learning
activities and has established guidelines to ensure more consistent and comprehensive services
(Portfolio, p.43). Students are allocated to academic advisors and provided with their contact
details. Students are expected to meet either in groups or individually to discuss their academic
progress and to find solutions for problems that they may have (ibid). According to the Student
Handbook, “The primary focus of the University’s academic counselling and advising strategy is
the regular provision of guidance to students so that they may maintain maximum academic
progress and gain full benefit from the learning environment of the University” (p.45). The Panel
was informed that SU is making a real effort to encourage students to take responsibility for their
learning but with support from their advisors. The academic advising system has been improved
in order to identify students at risk earlier and provide remedial support in a timely manner.
Feedback from staff and students along with the academic advising documents considered by the
Panel suggests that a robust, consistent approach is now being developed which will support SU’s
efforts to improve student retention and progression rates. While the Panel acknowledges that SU
is taking positive steps forward in the area of academic advising, the University now needs to
develop mechanisms to monitor the impact and effectiveness of its approach in this area for all
programmes and in all Faculties.
Affirmation 15
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority supports Sohar University’s
efforts to improve academic advising including the early identification and
support of students at risk.
6.6 Student Learning Support
SU has established a system of learning support by providing additional seminars and workshops.
These include topics such as IT training, language classes, discussion groups and field trips.
Students who have been identified by their academic advisors as being at risk are provided help
through remedial classes (Portfolio, pp.43-44). SU uses senior students as teaching assistants for
the junior students. In some courses the level 3 or 4 students provide tuition for level 1 or level 2
students in extra tutorial sessions and peer support among students is found to be helpful in
assisting students who need support. The sample of student learning support measures
considered by the Panel were found to be appropriate and helpful and appreciated by
representatives of the student body.
6.7 Teaching Resources
The Panel reviewed and visited a number of teaching facilities, including laboratories. The
increasing number of students is causing pressure on the teaching facilities and students informed
the Panel that in their view there are insufficient classrooms and lecture halls. Only about 50% of
the classrooms have data or overhead projectors (Portfolio, p.44). The Panel found that the
laboratories, in particular for Sciences and Engineering, will need to be expanded and equipment
upgraded to provide for the needs of the growing number of students and the further development
of academic offerings. The Panel noted that SU expects teaching facilities to improve and be
better equipped when the construction of the new campus is completed in 2012 (Portfolio, p.i). In
the meantime, the Panel encourages SU to monitor the effectiveness of its current teaching
resources in order to ensure that they support the current program learning objectives.
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7 STUDE�TS A�D STUDE�T SUPPORT SERVICES
In its Strategic Plan, Sohar University states its aim is “to become a Student-Centered University”
(p.12). The University manages its student support services through the Deanship of Student
Affairs (DSA). SU states that it values students and aims to create a supportive academic
environment which ensures that, while learning is their central focus, this is combined with
social, cultural, sporting and recreational opportunities to enable the full realisation of their
potential for academic and personal development (Strategic Plan, p.8). This Chapter of the
Report considers the key areas in relation to the area of students and student support services.
7.1 Students and Student Support Services Planning & Management
The DSA is the unit responsible for the provision of student support services in SU. The unit
provides the following services: Student Services, Student Activities, Counseling and supporting
Alumni. In the DSA Strategic Plan 2007-2010, these services also include the Clinic. The DSA
proposes to include another section responsible for disabled students. The staff in these sections
report to the DSA and from there to the DVC and to the Academic Board (Portfolio, p.47). The
role of the DSA is clearly articulated in the Student Handbook. This unit has developed its own
Mission and Strategic Plan with measurable deliverables identified. The Panel notes that the
DSA Strategic Plan predates the SU 2008-2012 Strategic Plan and may now need to be reviewed
to ensure that it is in line with the University’s overall strategic direction.
In its 2008-2009 Annual Report, the DSA noted that some of the proposed student services
programs were delayed or canceled due to lack of resources. SU acknowledges that there is a
need for greater staffing and indicates that it is going to recruit more staff in order to cater for
increased activities in different sections and to create a balance between them (Portfolio, p.47).
This was confirmed in interviews with SU staff. The Panel affirms the University’s decision to
increase the unit capacity which will enable it to better perform its responsibilities and supports
its efforts to achieve this goal.
Affirmation 16
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to review the provision of resources to support its student support
services strategic objectives and supports its efforts to do so.
7.2 Student Profile
According to statistics provided by SU, of the 4495 student enrolled in the academic year 2009-
2010, 68.4% of the population was female (Portfolio, p.69). Over 1730 students are enrolled on
programs in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) and over 800 are in the
Foundation Program. As noted earlier (Section 1.1), the majority of students exit with a Diploma,
leaving small cohorts who move on to Advanced Diploma or Bachelor Degrees. SU would
benefit from monitoring the students that exit at Diploma level. The data provided from this
monitoring process would help SU to have a better understanding of these cohorts and support
efforts to increase student retention. SU has noted the drop in student enrolments from 2008-2009
to 2009-2010 and the Panel was informed that this was due to increased competition from other
higher education institutions (HEIs). The majority of students are self-financing, with a minority
on either full or partial scholarships. Nearly all the students at SU are Omani, with many coming
from the Sohar region. There are a small number of international students (Portfolio, p.52).
The Panel noted a lack of consistency with the student data presented in the Portfolio and data
used in the Faculty Strategic Plans. The Panel urges SU to systematically carry out detailed
analysis of available statistical data on its student profile in order to inform decision making.
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Recommendation 13
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its mechanism for collecting and analysing student data in
order to support planning and decision making.
7.3 Student Satisfaction and Climate
SU states that level of student satisfaction is monitored through the DSA (Portfolio, p.48). A
number of surveys have been carried out in areas of catering and medical services but these do
not seem to be part of a systematic approach to monitoring student satisfaction. The results of
these surveys were reviewed by the Panel but there was no evidence of analysis of these results or
action planning in response to the issues raised.
The Student Handbook outlines the formal complaint procedure and student complaint forms are
available on the University website. Another plan is to introduce an electronic forum to survey
student opinions and to follow up on students’ complaints (Portfolio, p.48). The Panel endorses
this initiative.
The students interviewed by the Panel were highly satisfied with the course-related services and
general support services available to them. Staff play a significant role in the pastoral support of
students. Students informed the Panel of their satisfaction with the quality of the teaching and
learning support they receive and reported that they have good access to teaching staff outside of
class hours through pre-announced office hours. However, students felt that formal mechanisms
for feedback were lacking and, apart from the Student Council, would welcome more
opportunities for their voice to be heard. SU should consider providing more opportunities for
students to be consulted in the University decision making processes. The Panel also encourages
the University to develop and implement feedback surveys for the various student services to
measure student satisfaction with these services and to use the results of these surveys to improve
services (see Recommendation 4). SU should also adopt more systematic approach to collecting
student feedback in response to all areas of its activities and ensure that students are informed of
the actions taken as a result of their feedback.
Recommendation 14
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University improve the effectiveness of the mechanisms for the student voice
to be included in decision making bodies of the University, and develop and
implement more mechanisms for students to provide feedback on its
services.
7.4 Student Behaviour
The University states that it provides all the students who register for the first time with a Student
Handbook which contains instructions, guidance and clear rules and regulations (Portfolio, p.48).
The Panel was informed that students are provided with a thorough induction on behaviour and
conduct when they enter the Foundation Program and when they join the Undergraduate program.
Each Faculty provides its students with a Handbook which contains the expectations regarding
student behaviour, both on and off campus. Complaints about student behaviour or misconduct
are reported to the DSA by security staff, students, wardens, or social workers (Portfolio, p.49).
SU would benefit from monitoring reports on student behaviour and analysing the results in order
to ascertain the effectiveness of its approaches.
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7.5 Career and Employment Services
SU identifies career and employment services of graduates as being very important (Portfolio,
p.49). SU provides students with annual career counseling workshops that assist graduating
students with preparing their resumes/CVs and with job applications. Other activities for students
include participating in careers fairs and during student week (Portfolio, p.50). However, there is
no evidence of the University having a mechanism to capture or evaluate market needs. SU
recognises that it needs to improve its current careers service support that it offers to students
(Portfolio, p.53) and has instigated a number of initiatives, such as recruiting more staff to work
with alumni, to increase its results in this area. The DSA could also review its Strategic Plan in
order to accommodate initiatives in relation to its careers service for students. This area needs to
be reviewed as SU develops its mechanisms for monitoring graduate destinations (see
Recommendation 9).
Affirmation 17
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University,
in line with its Mission’s focus on employability, needs to improve its current
careers services for students and supports the initiatives it has taken in this
area.
7.6 Student Finances
SU states that it provides a number of financial support mechanisms to selected students such as
scholarships, discounts, grants and deferred payments and loans to support students who have
financial difficulties. The University offers a 25% discount to 20 chosen students each academic
year according to specified criteria. Other discounts are given for handicapped students (50%),
children of staff (50% up to two children), low income students (20%), and so on up to a
maximum of 20 candidates per year (Portfolio, p.50).
The Panel acknowledges the provision of scholarships to meritorious applicants and encourages it
to continue with this positive practice. However, the Panel could not find any policy pertaining to
the implementation of the allocation of the scholarships. There is no documentation that explains
how students may apply for scholarships and the process by which an application is evaluated.
The Panel encourages the University to develop and implement its policy on financial support for
students.
7.7 Accommodation, Catering and Transport
The University provides and manages on-campus student accommodation for female students and
provides rented facilities for male students, with transport being made available for all students.
The students who live in hostels were in general satisfied with the accommodation. The
University has identified in its Portfolio the need to improve student accommodation by building
more hostels and setting up a tent for female students where they can spend recreational time
(p.48). The Panel found that SU has made progress in this area, for example providing a tent for
students.
The University provides students with transportation on a daily, weekly or fortnightly basis for
off campus activities. Catering is provided by a private contractor (Portfolio, p. 51). Catering is
provided on campus but the Panel was informed that students were dissatisfied with the quality of
food. In line with Recommendation 14, the Panel urges SU to monitor students’ satisfaction with
its services.
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7.8 Medical and Counselling Facilities
SU provides basic medical and personal counselling service to all students. The University has a
full-time doctor assisted by a nurse, pharmacy, three full-time social workers and one part-time
psychological counsellor (Portfolio, p.51). The Panel was informed that the counselling services
mainly deal with students coping with stress and depression. Documentation reviewed by the
Panel, supported by feedback from students during interviews, suggests that the range and quality
of medical and counselling support available on campus is appreciated by the student body. SU
now needs to develop mechanisms for monitoring its services in this area, such as measuring the
impact of the counselling system on the well-being of students, through which it can evaluate and
improve its student support services (see Section 7.3).
7.9 International Student Services
A very small percentage of students at SU are from countries other than Oman. The University
has identified the need to increase the number of international students (Portfolio, p.52) and will
therefore need to develop policies in the future to address their specific needs.
7.10 Social and Recreational Services and Facilities
The Student Council plans social and recreational services for students under the supervision of
the DSA. The Student Council consists of various committees such as English Language and
Translation Club, and the Group of Literature and Poetry (Portfolio, p.52). The Panel met with
representatives from the Student Council who are primarily involved with promoting and
organising student activities and charitable events. While the University claims that for all extra-
curricular there is a budget (ibid), it was evident to the Panel that members of Student Council
were not aware that such budget allocation existed. Clarity regarding financial support for
activities is needed for all stakeholders in order to support future events.
SU recognises that continued improvement is needed in the area of sports facilities and
extracurricular activities (Portfolio, p.53). The new campus will provide new sports areas and the
Panel supports SU’s initiatives in this area.
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8 STAFF A�D STAFF SUPPORT SERVICES
One of SU’s objectives is to be one of the best higher education institutions in Oman and that it
aims to do this by recruiting and retaining high quality academics (HR Strategic Plan 2009-2012,
p.2). This Chapter of the Report considers all areas pertaining to staff and staff support services.
8.1 Human Resources Planning & Management
Human Resources (HR) planning and management is carried out by the HR Department, led by a
manager and a deputy manager. SU acknowledges that the roles of authority and responsibilities
of the officers supporting the functions of the HR Department are not yet fully defined (Portfolio,
p.54), reflected in the different HR Department organisational charts presented in the HR
Strategic Plan and the HR Department Policies and Procedures Manual (PPM). This will need to
be addressed in the revised version of the Manual that SU stated is in progress (ibid). The
Department is also looking to expand to 28 staff (HR Strategic Plan, p.3) although it does not
provide a timeline or plan for achieving this. SU acknowledges that it needs to work on
improving the qualifications and skills of its HR Team (Portfolio, p.61).
The HR Strategic Plan identifies four goals aimed at meeting and supporting staff and staffing
needs and providing support and advice on personnel matters. While the plan is a positive step in
providing a strategic direction for HR, it would provide clearer direction if specific quantifiable
targets were identified. It would also benefit from a closer alignment with the SWOT analysis
included, especially in relation to strategies targeting the recruitment and retention of high quality
academics stated in its Mission (see Section 8.3).
Academic staffing needs are initiated by the Dean of the concerned Faculty or by the Head of the
non-academic Department and then passed on to the HR Department for processing. The Panel
considers that developing, managing and monitoring such a plan is essential in informing
decisions and in achieving goals. The HR Department would benefit from developing a clear
operational plan to support its Strategic Plan, with measurable targets and linking to SU’s overall
strategic objectives.
Recommendation 15
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University review its Human Resources Strategic Plan in order to align it
more closely with the University’s overall strategic objectives, to include
measurable targets and to develop an operational plan to support its
implementation.
8.2 Staff Profile
At the time of the audit, SU stated that it employed 370 staff although the data in the Portfolio
Appendices showed some discrepancies in the statistics. Slightly more than half of the staff are
academic (Portfolio, p.54). Female staff account for about 44% of the total number, with the
ratio of female academic staff to total academic staff at 30%. SU is encouraged to increase this
percentage, especially as the majority of students are female (68%).
SU aspires to attract more academic staff with doctorate qualifications. SU presented data to
show that that slightly more than two-thirds of academic staff (not including staff teaching on the
General Foundation Program (GFP) or teaching assistants) have a doctorate (Portfolio, p.54 and
Appendix D). As indicated in the Requirements for Oman’s System of Quality Assurance
(ROSQA), a University is expected to implement “a staffing structure in which at least 75% of all
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academic staff and all staff teaching at the degree level have Doctorates” (ROSQA B, Part One,
section v(a)). The Panel acknowledges that SU is making efforts in this area and that it needs to
continue to take explicit steps to attract and retain more qualified academic staff with doctorate
degrees in line with its status as a University and order to support its strategic objectives.
8.3 Recruitment and Selection
SU has a strategic objective to “recruit and retain staff of high quality” (Strategic Plan, p.13). SU
states that workforce planning is based on staffing requirements drawn up by the Deans of
Faculties and Heads of Department (HoDs) (Portfolio, p.55). Job descriptions for academic staff
are developed by Deans as necessary; SU acknowledges, however, that formal job descriptions
for administrative staff are not complete for all Departments. Recruitment requisitions for
academic staff are made after week 6 of each semester in order to ensure that the required staff
are in place for the commencement of the next semester.
The selection of academic staff is carried out by an interview panel comprising the Dean
concerned and other academic staff. For administrative positions, this process is managed by the
HR Department. Recruitment of new staff is approved by the VC. Recruitment and selection
procedures seem comprehensive and well documented in the HR PPM. However, SU would
benefit from developing a formal review procedure to oversee the consistent implementation of
these procedures and to monitor their effectiveness. SU recognises that some areas need to be
tightened up, such as ensuring that records of selection interviews are kept (Portfolio, p.55). SU
also stated that problems sometimes arise when an offer has been made to an overseas candidate
but Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) approval or visa processing is delayed.
Interview sessions with staff confirmed that the attraction and retention of such staff is one of the
three top risks identified by the university. The Panel was informed of the risk that SU may not be
able to recruit and retain the academic staff compliment required by its Mission due to current
remuneration levels, increased competition from other HEIs and limited promotion opportunities.
SU noted that work permits for expatriates are issued only for a period of two years (although
these are renewable) and feels that this has a negative impact on staff retention. SU would
benefit from reviewing its current HR Strategic Plan (see Section 8.1) in order to address the current challenges in relation to recruitment and retention.
8.4 Induction
SU states that the induction of new staff is conducted at both University and Faculty/Department
level. The induction system comprises presentations, staff manual and induction briefings
(Portfolio, p.56). The Vice Chancellor (VC), Deans and HoDs take part in this induction system.
SU states that all new academic are assigned staff mentors and the Panel was informed by a
number of staff that this system was appreciated.
The Staff Induction Manual, made available for the first time in the academic year 2009-2010,
was found by the Panel to be comprehensive and helpful. The area on academic induction
focuses on teaching load and responsibilities and to the needs and characteristics of Omani
students. SU may wish to broaden the scope of its staff induction for academic staff to include
teaching and learning quality issues. SU is also encouraged to monitor the level of staff
satisfaction with the induction process as part of a quality improvement process.
The University acknowledges that its induction system needs improvement, in terms of
standardisation, monitoring the quantity and quality of information provided and ensuring that all
staff, including latecomers, go through the induction process (ibid). Newly recruited staff
informed the Panel that they had been asked to evaluate the effectiveness of their induction which
would indicate that SU is working towards improving its current induction system. The Panel
supports SU’s efforts in this area.
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Affirmation 18
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority supports Sohar University’s
efforts to introduce an effective staff induction and mentoring program and
providing a support network for new staff.
8.5 Professional Development
The University states that staff professional development is based on needs analyses and arranged
through workshops and other training programs (Portfolio, p.57). Although the University has not
adopted a formal approach to professional development, it provides a number of
seminars/presentations. SU recognises that “more analysis is needed at university level to
determine what is required by staff” (ibid). This is reflected in the University’s need to align its
strategic goal of promoting a student-centered learning environment with its professional
development activities (see Recommendation 8). The Panel was informed that conference leave is
available to staff wishing to attend conferences who can apply for financial support if presenting
papers; all conference attendees who receive financial support are required to present seminars to
colleagues.
The Panel considered two forms, ‘Academic Personal and Professional Development Plan Form’
and ‘Personal and Professional Development Plan for non-academic Staff Form’, which have
been developed to identify needs and support the link between performance review and
professional development. SU is encouraged to use these as a basis for an overall HR
Department plan for the implementation of University-wide professional development programs.
The effectiveness of such programs could also be evaluated on a regular basis. SU recognises
this as an area for improvement, and the Panel supports its steps to improve in the area of
professional development of staff.
Affirmation 19
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to formalise planning, delivery and evaluation of its staff professional
development programs and supports its efforts in this area.
8.6 Performance Planning and Review
SU states that it aims to improve performance by providing performance feedback and through
development plans (Portfolio, p.58). One of the goals of the HR Strategic Plan is to “Implement a
performance management framework for University staff” (p.7) but this is not an area covered in
the HR PPM. The introduction of Academic Portfolios of Achievement for teaching staff is a
positive step forward, and SU is encouraged to ensure these are embedded within its overall
performance planning and review system. However, the Panel found limited evidence of a clear
and robust system which deals with staff performance review for all academic and non-academic
staff. SU admits that staff awareness about policies and procedures needs improvement and that
clarification of “departmental roles and responsibilities must be put in place” (Portfolio, p.58).
Although SU recognises that a more consistent application of the appraisal system for staff is
needed (Portfolio, p.61), this intention now needs to be realised. The Panel believes that SU
needs to develop a University-wide comprehensive performance review process which, for
academic staff, takes into account various relevant performance data certainly including student
feedback and possibly peer teaching review (subject to a proper system being implemented
including the training of reviewers). A robust approach in this area may support the University’s
efforts to improve staff retention.
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Recommendation 16
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement comprehensive performance planning
and review policies for all staff at all levels, with clear reporting mechanisms
and which are reviewed on a regular basis.
8.7 Promotion and Other Incentives
SU recognises the fact that promotions and salary increments to staff are not well defined. The
major financial incentive to expatriate staff is a gratuity at the end of service (Portfolio, p.58).
The University is currently working on a new workload model for academic staff and the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (DVC) has submitted a proposal on a review of salary grades. In addition, SU
states that annual increments are provided, based on the value of service to the University (HR
PPM, p.41). In the Strategic Plan, SU aims to “develop policies which recognise and award
achievement” with the introduction of performance-based bonuses for all staff and the
establishment of a promotion system based on ‘high performance’” (p.13). The Panel supports
SU in these initiatives and urges it to move forward in this area.
8.8 Severance
SU provides information about termination of staff contract in the contract agreement and in
other relevant SU documents. The services of staff can be terminated on disciplinary grounds, for
non-performance, redundancy or on completion of the contract. However, a staff contract may be
terminated immediately and without any compensation for the notice period because of
dishonesty, disciplinary or criminal offences, or absenteeism (Portfolio, p.59). The process for
termination is provided in the University’s HR PPM. SU now needs to develop and implement a
formal systematic approach to documenting, monitoring and reviewing severance and dismissals
including appeals, and exit records.
8.9 Staff Organisational Climate and Retention
SU recognises that staff retention is an ongoing issue. In its efforts to improve retention, SU has
identified a number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in its 2008-2012 Strategic Plan,
including the establishment of a criteria for evaluating teaching excellence; establish teaching
excellence awards; promotion based on high performance; performance development reviews and
feedback; improvement of the working environment and performance-based bonuses for staff
(Strategic Plan, p.13). The Panel supports the University in its aspiration and plans to improve
staff retention but SU now needs to develop an operational plan to improve staff retention. The
University needs to take measures to address the issue of staff retention as a matter of priority, in
particular on with regard to academic staff.
SU recognises that it needs to monitor staff satisfaction and introduce a staff survey (Portfolio,
p.60) but this has not yet been implemented. The Panel urges SU to develop and implement a
formal system to collect feedback from staff to inform its decisions on staff satisfaction and
retention.
Recommendation 17
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University take necessary measures to improve staff retention rates and
develop and implement a systematic approach to collecting staff feedback to
inform decision making and to monitor the staff organisational climate.
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8.10 Omanisation
SU states that:
Omanisation targets issued by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2009 stipulate
16% of academic staff and 74% of non-academic staff should be Omani. At
present, more than 20% of SU academic staff are Omani nationals, while more
than half of the staff as a whole is Omani...Sohar University is meeting or
exceeding national government targets (Portfolio, p.60).
This was confirmed by the Panel during the audit visit. In its Strategic Plan, SU aims to support
Omani academics in obtaining higher research degrees (p.13). The University offers discounts
and scholarships (up to 50%) to its Omani staff where they have been employed for at least one
year. In interviews with staff, the Panel found that there was an appreciation of the support
available to promote Omanisation and that it provided a strong incentive to staff. The Panel
recognises the efforts that SU has made in supporting the Omanisation of its staff, particularly in
academic areas.
Commendation 7
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority commends Sohar University
for its institutional commitment to Omanisation and exceeding government
targets for the recruitment of Omani academic and non-academic staff.
The University is encouraged to develop succession plans to identify Omani employees who
could benefit from professional development leading to promotion to senior academic positions.
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9 GE�ERAL SUPPORT SERVICES A�D FACILITIES
SU manages its general support services and facilities through the Department of Estates,
overseen by the University Corporate Management Team (Portfolio, p.62). The University has
grown rapidly since 2005-2006, more than doubling its student numbers. As would be expected
with such rapid growth, pressure has been placed on physical facilities to cope with such
numbers. SU has been the beneficiary of an Omani government grant which is enabling it to build
a new campus adjacent to the existing one. Construction is well underway and when completed,
the new campus is expected to alleviate the current space concerns.
Affirmation 20
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority agrees that Sohar University
needs to expand its physical facilities and supports its efforts to develop its
new campus.
9.1 General Support Services and Facilities Planning & Management
One of SU’s strategic objectives is to “improve efficiency in asset utilisation” through effectively
managing estates and facilities (Strategic Plan, p.14). SU claims the planning of the general
support services is aligned with SU’s Mission and Strategic Plan, and that it emphasises long
term planning in order to ensure that the physical facilities are available to support staff and
students of the University (Portfolio, p.62). Although there is a plan to support the development
of the new campus, there is no overall operational plan in place to underpin the effective
management of estates and facilities. This is an area SU needs to address.
Recommendation 18
The Oman Academic Accreditation Authority recommends that Sohar
University develop and implement a comprehensive operational plan to
support its strategic objective to effectively manage estates and facilities.
9.2 Public Relations and Marketing
SU states that “Effective public relations and marketing are central to SU’s strategy for
institutional promotion” (Portfolio, p.62). SU notes that enrolments in the 2009/2010 year have
dropped reducing SU’s total enrolment by some 6 percent (Portfolio, p.63). The Panel was
informed that there were a number of possible reasons for this, such as an increase in the number
of private higher education institutions in the region and the impact of economic factors
impacting on students’ families being able to afford the fees.
SU has responded by preparing a Strategic Plan for Marketing which is awaiting approval by the
Board of Directors. A further response by SU has been to expand the number of courses offered,
with plans to offer a new degree in Law and a degree in Health Management.
SU recognises the importance of demographic information in determining a response to
marketing to ensure enrolment targets are met. A more sophisticated approach based on
interviews and segmented market analysis would be useful. A course profile study with respect
to demographics and demand could be undertaken. This could be useful in order to ensure SU’s
Mission and Vision are met. The Panel supports SU’s endeavours in this area.
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9.3 Communication Services
SU states that it “has developed an organisational structure which aims to encourage good
communication” (Portfolio, p.5). SU uses Microsoft Outlook to communicate messages to all
staff, and holds regular Faculty and University wide staff meetings. SU does not currently host an
intranet but is investigating that possibility. Internet speed is a serious impediment to the
efficiency of the University although the extent to which this is a University or regional issue is
unclear. Nonetheless, efforts to improve internet speed are supported by the Panel (see Section
6.4). One area SU could consider is the introduction of email accounts for students to facilitate
communication with its student population.
Communication with staff is supported electronically and through staff meetings (Portfolio, p.65).
SU states that the “systems for inter-staff communication are generally appropriate and effective”
but that further improvement is needed (Portfolio, p.66). This is an area that could be included in
the staff satisfaction survey (Section 8.9). SU would benefit from developing mechanisms to
monitor the effectiveness of its communication systems.
9.4 Facilities Management
The SU Estate Department is responsible for all aspects of estate management, which includes
general campus management and planning, effective custody and safeguarding of physical assets,
analysis of the use of facilities, maintenance of assets and facilities, security, management and
replacement of items, general cleaning, landscaping, irrigation, and car parking (Portfolio, p.67).
The Panel observed that the campus was well maintained and supports SU’s efforts here. SU also
aims to focus on preventive maintenance and ensuring that needs are planned and performed
effectively in line the planned preventive maintenance program (ibid). SU plans to benchmark its
facilities standards (Strategic Plan, p.13) and the Panel supports its efforts in this area.
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APPE�DIX A. AUDIT PA�EL
Prof Graham Webb (Co-Panel Chairperson)
Deputy Vice Chancellor
University of New England
Australia
Prof Jan Botha (Co-Panel Chairperson)
Director
Division for Institutional Research and Planning
Stellenbosch University
South Africa
Dr Mothana Al Kubaisy
Former Dean
Muscat College
Sultanate of Oman
Dr Saleh Al Khusaiby
Dean
Oman Medical College
Sohar
Sultanate of Oman
Prof Raymond Harbridge
Former Dean
Faculty of Law and Management
La Trobe University
Melbourne
Australia
Dr Tariq Al Sindi
Director
Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training
Higher Education Review Unit (HERU)
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tess Goodliffe (Executive Officer)
Oman Academic Accreditation Authority
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APPE�DIX B. ABBREVIATIO�S, ACRO�YMS A�D TERMS
The following abbreviations, acronyms and terms are used in this Report. As necessary, they are
explained in context. In some cases, URLs are provided to facilitate further enquiries about these
acronyms and terms.
ADRI.............................................. A four step, cyclical model for analysing a topic, comprising:
Approach → Deployment → Results → Improvement.
AMR .............................................. Annual Monitoring Report
Approach........................................ The first dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on evaluating
what a HEI aims to achieve for a given topic and how it proposes to
achieve it.
APRC............................................. Academic Planning and Resource Committee
AQH............................................... Academic Quality Handbook
BoD................................................ Board of Directors
BoG................................................ Board of Governors
Call Back Interview ....................... An interview conducted by the Audit Panel towards the end of the
Audit Visit for which it has invited specific people, usually at short
notice, to respond to particular issues on which the Panel will require
assistance.
CCE................................................ Centre for Continuing Education
Deployment.................................... The second dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on whether a
HEI’s plans for a given topic are being followed in practice, and if not,
why not.
DRIC.............................................. Director of Research and Industry Collaboration
DSA ............................................... Deanship of Student Affairs
DVC............................................... Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Ex officio member ......................... Members of a Board or Committee due to their position or title.
Executive Officer ........................... An OAAA staff member assigned to an Audit Panel to provide
professional guidance and support.
External Reviewer.......................... A Member of the OAAA Register of External Reviewers; a person
approved by the OAAA Board to participate as a member of the
OAAA’s various external review panels.
FB .................................................. Faculty of Business
FCIT............................................... Faculty of Computing and Information Technology
FE................................................... Faculty of Engineering
FHSS.............................................. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
GFP ................................................ General Foundation Program
HEI................................................. Higher Education Institution (also known as HEP – Higher Education
Provider)
HR.................................................. Human Resources
HR PPM......................................... Human Resources Department Policies and Procedures Manual
Ibid ................................................. As per previous reference
ILC................................................. Industrial Liaison Committee
Sohar University HEI Quality Audit Report
Page 47 of 49 © Oman Academic Accreditation Authority
Improvement.................................. The fourth dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on how
effectively an organisation is improving its approach and deployment
for any given topic in order to achieve better results.
KPI................................................. Key Performance Indicator
LRC ............................................... Learning Resources Centre
MoHE ............................................ Ministry of Higher Education (www.mohe.gov.om)
MU................................................. Mu’tah University, Jordan
OAAA Board ................................. The governing body of the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority
OAAA............................................ Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (www.oac.gov.om)
OFI................................................. Opportunity for improvement.
OQF ............................................... Oman Qualifications Framework.
Panel Chairperson.......................... The Chairperson of the Audit Panel.
Panel Member................................ An OAAA External Reviewer who is a member of an Audit Panel.
Portfolio ......................................... see Quality Audit Portfolio.
PVC ............................................... Pro Vice-Chancellor
Quality Assurance.......................... The combination of policies and processes for ensuring that stated
intentions are met.
Quality Audit Portfolio .................. The report produced as the result of a self study. Also forms the main
submission made to the OAAA by the HEI being audited.
Quality Audit Report...................... A public report published by the OAAA which presents the findings
and conclusions of the Audit Panel’s External Review of a HEI.
Quality Audit ................................. An independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the system and
processes by which a HEI sets, pursues and achieves its mission and
vision.
Quality Enhancement..................... The combination of policies and processes for improving upon
existing approach, deployment and results.
Random Interview ......................... An interview conducted in situ by individual Panel Members during
the Audit but separately from the main interview sessions.
Results ........................................... The third dimension of the ADRI cycle, which focuses on the
evidence of the outputs and outcomes of a topic’s approach and
deployment.
ROSQA.......................................... Requirements for Oman’s System of Quality Assurance, published in
2004.
SWOT analysis .............................. An analysis of an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats.
SU .................................................. Sohar University
System ........................................... In this Report, system refers to plans, policies, processes and results
that are integrated towards the fulfilment of a common purpose.
The University ............................... Sohar University
TLC................................................ Teaching and Learning Committee
ToR ................................................ Terms of Reference
UCMT............................................ University Corporate Management Team
UQ ................................................. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
VC.................................................. Vice-Chancellor
HEI Quality Audit Report Sohar University
© Oman Academic Accreditation Authority Page 48 of 49
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