SQU Academic Council gets powers to set up branches in governorates
The details of Royal Decree 19/2024 about the Sultan Qaboos University System were published on Sunday, specifying the role of the University Academic Council.
As per the decree, the Council will be formed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Its members will also include private sector representatives, whose work will be related to university education and public affairs.
After approval by the Council of Ministers and the competent authorities, the Council will be responsible for drawing up the general policy of the university to ensure the achievement of its objectives with powers to approve the university’s organisational structure, strategic plans, development plans, academic programmes, and quality standards, the establishment of branches in the governorates, abolition, merger, and modification of colleges, centres, institutes, and academies and the number of students accepted annually to the university.
The Academic Council will also determine the university’s annual budget and implement its provisions by the provisions of the financial regulations. It will also have powers to approve the start of studies and suspend or postpone them completely or partially, and issue the annual report on the progress of work at the university.
The Academic Council at the university is concerned with expressing an opinion on public policy proposals for education, research, and innovation entrepreneurship in the university referred to by various departments. The university may employ visiting professors for teaching, training, or research.