Sohar University
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Established | 2001 |
| Vice-Chancellor | Dr Abood bin Hamed Al Sawafi |
Academic staff | 187 (March 2010) |
| Students | 4495 (2009-2010) |
| Location | |
| Affiliations | University of Queensland,Australia |
| Website | http://www.soharuni.edu.om/ |
Sohar University (جامعة صحار ) was established by Royal Decree in 2001, and was incorporated by decree of the Oman Ministry of Higher Education, dated 11 September 2001, as the first private university in Oman. It was granted degree awarding powers by the Oman Ministry of Higher Education, with the authority to provide programs and courses whose successful completion leads to academic awards.
Summary
Sohar University is a private university whose principal aim is to provide high quality education to residents of Oman and international students in the faculties of: Business, Computing and Information Technology, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences. Our emphasis is on the creation of an environment in which students can develop both in terms of academic skills and personal development. Thanks to the generous support of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said the campus is now being expanded to include a Faculty of Health Sciences. Students will also enjoy a new student center, a mosque, a physical education center and a large graduation hall.
History
Sohar University effectively began its life as the Sohar College for Applied Sciences, which opened in 1998. At that time, the College’s main overseas partner was the University of Lincolnshire & Humberside (UK). In 2001 Sohar University became affiliated to the University of Queensland (UQ), a member of Universitas 21, to ensure that its academic activities meet international standards.
Academic
The medium of instruction is English for most programs, but some courses in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences are delivered in Arabic. Nearly all students spend one year in the General Foundations Program (GFP) to improve their English, math and computer literacy skills prior to entering a degree program offered through the faculties of: Business, Computing and Information Technology, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences.
The Sohar University vision is to be recognized as a university of excellence in the GCC, through partnering with industry, building Oman’s economy, serving Oman’s society and enhancing Oman’s culture by focusing on learning research. SU encourages staff to engage in research as part of its commitment to making university expertise available - regionally, nationally and internationally.
Campus Expansion
The University campus is located in Sohar, Oman's fastest growing city and the administrative centre of Al Batinah region in the Sultanate of Oman. The University lies on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, 224 kilometres west of the capital Muscat, and approximately 200 kilometres south-east from Dubai in the UAE. The area around Sohar, including Saham and Liwa, has a population of approximately 300,000 and is expanding rapidly, largely due to the very recent establishment of the Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC).
With the generous support of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said the University has embarked on an ambitious expansion of the existing campus. The extended campus will cater to the growing number of students seeking a tertiary education. The new campus is designed to develop the potential of students to meet the needs of modern industries in the Sultanate.
External links
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