Muscat – Royal Academy of Management
The Royal Academy of Management has begun implementing the first educational module of “The National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight”.
This is designed to develop leadership skills in middle management departments within the state’s managerial apparatus, in line with Oman Vision 2040, and to prepare staff to face a world of increasing complexity and change. Implementation of the program is in partnership with the Ministry of Finance (Offset). Eller Executive Education, of the University of Arizona, has designed and is co-implementing the program.
The program’s first cohort comprises 30 participants who hold positions including assistant general manager, department director, assistant director of a department, and the equivalent in the state’s managerial apparatus, each nominated by their employer and who will have passed various stages of evaluation. Participants will undergo a learning journey that consists of five educational modules for a period of six months. These modules offer a variety of leadership skills and knowledge that can help candidates refine their abilities to face a variety of workplace challenges and develop work systems within middle management in the state’s managerial apparatus. This, in turn, will enable the candidates to maximize opportunities in the Omani economy, and to build bridges between the public and private sectors to advance Oman competitiveness in the wider world.
H.E. Dr. Ali Qassim Al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management, stated that “The National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight” would play an important role in improving the government performance of units within the state’s managerial apparatus. This is in pursuant of the lofty directives of His Majesty the Sultan, which emphasize the need to improve the government work system to provide better services that keep pace with world developments and benefit public interest. This program will provide participants with the skills of systematic institutional thinking and leadership methods, driving change and innovation based on critical thinking, modern decision-making methods, and strategic thinking.
Dr. Yasmin Shanan Al Bulushi, Project Manager of “The National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight”, explained that the project will provide educational modules based on blended learning. This includes the experience accelerator, individual and group coaching, and personal interviews, in addition to research projects, and coaching and mentoring by experts from the private sector. She added that the program will provide participants with a set of fundamental competencies such as a growth mindset, resilience, agile leadership style, creative and strategic thinking, collaboration, networking and persuasion skills. Candidates in the “Train the Trainer (Leadership) Program”, launched by the Academy earlier this year, will also participate in some modules of “The National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight”, giving them an opportunity to directly experience the process undertaken by training program participants and to learn from the global experts.
Dr. Karthik Kannan, Dean of the College of Management at the University of Arizona, which oversees Eller Executive Education, said: “We are proud to partner with the Royal Academy of Management in the Sultanate of Oman in implementing the ‘National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight’, which aims to develop and empower leadership in the public sector to achieve Oman Vision 2040.”
Dr. Kartik confirmed that the program uses blended learning methods that combine direct training, online education and research projects, enabling participants to put their acquired skills into action. He also said that the program is characterized by the use of multiple learning methods such as the experience accelerator, individual and group project business coaching, in addition to utilising mentors and coaches from outside of the public sector. “We are fully confident that the participants will be leaders with a resilient mindset, and they will be ambassadors for change, growth and development in the future,” Dr. Kartik added.
Eller Executive Education is regarded as one of the best specialized centers in its field and was ranked 24th globally by the Financial Times in 2020 for customized executive education. It is one of the leading global providers in delivering organizational development solutions to companies and organizations around the world.
“The National Program for Developing Leaders and Future Foresight” is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance (Offset), and in cooperation with Lenco Armored Vehicles Company, USA. This reflects the Ministry’s aspiration to build national capacities and competencies in all sectors, and transfer knowledge and best practices through partnerships that link the program with leading institutions and companies around the world.
The Royal Academy of Management has been blessed by the honorary patronage of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik since its establishment in January 2022. It aims to develop national leaders at various levels of management in the public and private sectors in line with Oman Vision 2040, therein building an innovative and future-ready managerial apparatus through an integrated suite of specialized centers, initiatives and programs that are based on the latest trends in New Public Management.
