Royal Academy of Management

MUSCAT-

In accordance with the royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to develop national leaders in the fields of public policy creation and strategic planning, the Royal Academy of Management has launched the second version of the Public Policy and Strategic Planning Programme. This programme targets Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries and their equivalents in the government sector. It aims to empower national leaders to design, formulate, and implement public policies and strategic plans that enhance national competitiveness. The programme is implemented in cooperation with Singapore’s Kiwani University and the University of Cambridge in the UK.
His Excellency Prof. Mahad bin Said bin Ali Baawain, Minister of Labour and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Academy of Management, stated in his speech: “The launch of the Public Policy and Strategic Planning Programme – The Path of Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries, in its second version, epitomises its alignment with the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to enable national leaders to develop robust public policies and strategic plans to bolster Oman’s economy. This initiative advances the mission of the Royal Academy of Management and aims to effectively develop public policies to achieve the ambitious goals of Oman Vision 2040.”
His Excellency added that the programme had achieved remarkable successes in its previous version, including the strengthening of institutional ties, the advancement and effective communication of public policies, the optimisation of governmental procedures and institutional interactions, and the strategic alignment of the government sector towards sustainability and economic growth”.

His Excellency Dr. Ali Qasim Al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management, emphasised the importance of the Public Policy and Strategic Planning Programme in uniting policy and decision-makers within government agencies. This programme is designed to enhance cooperation across various units of the state’s administrative apparatus to meet the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. Participants will gain insights into global trends, the latest advancements in strategic thinking and planning, and the complexities of crafting and implementing public policies. The programme is developed in partnership with leading global institutions, focusing on the local context and how global trends and developments impact the Sultanate of Oman, aligning with its national priorities in public policy development and implementation.

His Excellency also mentioned that the programme aims to equip participating national leaders with strategic solutions by the end of its five-month duration, concluding in October 2024. Throughout the programme, participants will engage in analytical readings of qualitative data, which will contribute to the formulation of public policies. The curriculum features training and learning modules, alongside dialogues and methodologies designed to enhance the development of dynamic strategies and strategic planning policies based on evidence and data, utilising modern technologies in their formulation. This approach is intended to generate decisions with a strategic dimension.

The programme targets 25 participants, including Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries and their equivalents in the government sector. It aims to provide them with crucial skills and knowledge to navigate the impact of global trends and developments on the Sultanate of Oman’s competitiveness, create effective public policies, and devise implementation strategies. Through the programme, participants will gain insights into addressing challenges in public policy execution and converting national strategies into actionable plans. Furthermore, the programme places a strong emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of public policies through goal and results indicators, while promoting a culture of collaboration across government institutions and at the employee level.


The state’s general policies include a wide range of programmes, activities, plans, directions, legislation, and decisions crafted by the relevant state departments responsible for overseeing governmental procedural and developmental functions. These policies are developed based on the analysis of state data, guiding the formulation of decisions, laws, and orders for implementation by senior administrative and leadership segments. The strategic significance of public policies lies in their capacity to connect various leadership segments within state institutions, thereby facilitating the development process toward achieving sustainable development goals. This alignment is essential for achieving Oman Vision 2040 and promoting executive and administrative innovation.

It is noteworthy that the Royal Academy of Management works closely with a range of strategic partners to implement its varied programmes and initiatives, focusing on executive and administrative innovation. A significant collaboration is with Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. Furthermore, the Academy also partners with the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, recognised as one of the top 20 global centres for business education.