Muscat – December 12, 2022
The Royal Academy of Management has launched the Public Policy & Strategic Planning Programme, focused on empowering national leaders to devise, formulate, and implement public policies and strategic planning to achieve and maintain the Sultanate of Oman’s competitiveness. The programme consists of two pathways, one designed for Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries and another for the Directors General and their equivalents in the government sector.
H.E. Dr. Ali Qassim Al Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management, explained that the Public Policy & Strategic Planning Programme follows the directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to develop national leaders, particularly those working on public policies and strategic planning. The focus of the programme is in line with the Academy’s specialisations and its role in developing national leaders at various levels to support the expansion of the Sultanate of Oman’s economy and enhance its competitiveness,novative and future-ready managerial apparatus.
His Excellency added that the programme will inform participants from the state’s managerial apparatus of global trends and the latest developments in strategic thinking and planning. It will also focus on devising and formulating public policies and the tools for implementing them. His Excellency explained the programme has been tailored to the regional context of the Sultanate of Oman and designed in cooperation with world-leading institutions: Singapore’s Civil Service College, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Switzerland’s International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The programme features several executive education elements such as lectures, case studies, workshops and applied projects, in addition to field visits to experience best international practice.
The first pathway targets Their Excellencies the Undersecretaries and their equivalents in government sectors, with 25 participants focusing on the impact of global trends and development on the Sultanate of Oman and its national priorities. They will analyse, develop, evaluate and assess strategies and public policies. They will also master skills that will help them justify and communicate public policies to the government and citizens of Oman. In addition, they will champion and support a culture of collaboration across ministries and their functions to achieve the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
The pathway comprises eight executive learning modules focused on global and regional development related to strategic thinking and planning, formulating and correcting public policies, and best practice in policy review. It includes a workshop on future thinking and foresight, and competitiveness in the Sultanate of Oman, in addition to working on applied projects.
The second pathway targets Directors General and their equivalents in government sectors, with 36 participants focusing on the impact of global trends and development on the competitiveness of the Sultanate of Oman. The programme supports them to formulate public policy, learn about factors influencing its effective implementation, translate national strategies and develop action plans. They will also monitor and review the effectiveness of public policies against objectives and outcomes, in addition to promoting and supporting a culture of cooperation across government institutions and at employee level.
The pathway involves nine executive learning modules within which participants will explore recent global trends in formulating public policies and the challenges of their implementation, translate strategic plans into action plans and analyse the competitiveness of the Sultanate of Oman. They will also present applied projects and experience an educational visit to Singapore.
There are three partners in the programme with a wide range of expertise. The Civil Service College is the central learning institution for Singapore Public Service, playing a pivotal role in developing public services to meet future challenges. They will share the Singaporean government’s experience and best practice. The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, part of the National University of Singapore, is Asia’s top university with a mission to develop thought leadership, improve standards of governance, and promote sustainability. The International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Switzerland, founded 75 years ago to develop leaders and transform organisations, is one of the world’s most prestigious institutes in economics and management. It has appeared in the top three annual global Financial Times Executive Education Rankings since 2012 and has been in the top five for 15 consecutive years. The Institute includes the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, issuer of the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook.
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 in building an innovative and future-ready managerial apparatus. This will be achieved through an integrated suite of initiatives and programmes based on the latest trends in New Public Management delivered through specialised centres.
