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Building a future with research

Sultan Qaboos University is on its way to becoming a full-fledged research institution. Prof. Amer Al Rawas, deputy vice-chancellor for postgraduate studies and research, speaks about SQU’s research initiatives.

Research is the second pillar on which SQU is building its future. In order to make SQU a successful research institute, it must be able to offer postgraduate and doctoral degrees in an effective manner. How far SQU has progressed in this sphere of activity?

Prof. Amer: SQU currently offer 50 masters programmes, mostly based on course work, and a research project, and some, including MBA, on course work only. Doctoral programmes are offered with 23 specialisations in the science-based colleges. Our Deanship of Postgraduate Studies has also initiated a range of skills programmes, which run parallel to the postgraduate programmes and aim to instal broader life skills in postgraduates. Both postgraduate courses and postgraduate research supervision are regularly evaluated through student surveys and external examiner feedback. This ensures continual improvement in all aspects of our postgraduate training.

How would you evaluate the graduation of the first PhD student from SQU in December 2008?

Prof. Amer: The first doctoral programme, in carbonate geology, was opened in 2002 and two students have completed this, the first graduating in 2008 and the second is expected to graduate in 2009. Since doctoral programmes represent the pinnacle of academic research training, this was a major milestone in SQU’s development and a mark of increasing maturity as the university becomes a fully-fledged research institution.

How good is the response of students (both Omani and international) to the newly-introduced PhD programmes in the colleges of Science, Engineering and Agricultural & Marine Sciences? Does SQU have plans to introduce doctoral programmes in the remaining colleges in the near future?

Prof. Amer: The response to the opening of doctoral programmes in the four science-based colleges is excellent, and we have already received enquiries and applications from more than 30 prospective doctoral students, both Omani and international. We estimate about 20 students to be fully registered and engaged in doctoral studies this year. We expect that the other colleges will follow in short succession and that all colleges will offer doctoral programmes in the medium term. As the national university and the premier higher education institution of the Sultanate it is important for SQU to offer Omani citizens the option of doctoral study in all disciplines within the country.

How would you elaborate the academic activities and community services of various research centres in SQU? How would you outline the social and academic significance of the newly established Chair in Nanotechnology?

Prof. Amer: Research Centres cover a broad range of fields and serve as focal points for research collaboration and contact with the community. The nine centres are all active in research and consultancy and provide outreach in many forms. They produce annual reports which detail all their activities and contributions. The Chair in Nanotechnology will establish a cutting edge research laboratory working on improving membrane technology in desalination. We expect that this will be one of several areas of research excellence at SQU that will be built around research chairs funded by the Research Council.

Could you give a brief overview of the most prestigious research projects taken up by SQU (both ongoing and completed), including HM-funded, internally funded and collaborative projects?

Prof. Amer: His Majesty’s support in the form of Strategic Research Funds, the internally-funded projects and contracts signed with some external organisations, all contribute to the progress of the university in becoming a full fledged research institution. To date, SQU has housed a total of 38 strategic research projects, more than 780 internally-funded projects, more than 280 contracts and consultation services, and numerous collaborative research activities. ‘The Bioactivity-driven Chemical Investigation of Omani biodiversity for Medicinally Valuable Compounds: The development of Omani Natural Products’ is a research project funded by His Majesty’s Strategic Research Fund. The objective of the study was to investigate plants and microbes for natural products that could have uses in medicine and agriculture. A number of lesser-known high oil-yielding plants with anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties were identified. They produce oils which can be incorporated into shampoos, soaps, perfumes, pesticides and fragrant hydrosols.

We have a number of research agreements with PDO relating to the oil and gas industry; these study how to enhance oil recovery (using steam and microbial activity) and how to increase productivity. SQU is also undertaking research on methods to recover production water coming from oil fields by purifying it and removing the oil content to enable its use for agricultural and landscape purposes. The university has also signed a number of significant research agreements with international institutes and organisations such as UAEU
and Malaysian Islamic University.

What are the steps taken to ensure high standards of quality in research programmes? How far have the completed projects been successful in contributing to the social and economic development of Oman?

Prof. Amer: The university recently reviewed its research rules and regulations. In general, all research proposals are evaluated internally by the college boards and the university’s Research Board. If a proposal requests a budget exceeding
RO5,000 it will be externally evaluated by referees in terms of its merit, originality, methodology and the budget required.

Strategic research must be relevant for Oman and should contribute directly or indirectly to national development. Reports of all completed contract projects are sent to the
concerned parties and provide direct assistance in solving problems, improving productivity and reducing operational costs.