News & Event

The Ministry of Education, represented by the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, in cooperation with Sultan Qaboos University, held a workshop titled "Supporting Social Innovation in Learning Cities." The workshop was held under the patronage of HE Dr. Intisar bint Abdullah Al-Ambosaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Supporting Educational Programs and Vice-Chairperson of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science. Attendees included the heads and representatives of the Omani cities participating in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities: Muscat, Sur, and Nizwa. Also present were several deans from Sultan Qaboos University, academics, educational planners, and a number of those interested in urban and city planning.

This workshop comes as part of the Sultanate of Oman's efforts to enhance the role of Omani learning cities in achieving sustainable development and building knowledge societies capable of addressing societal challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. The workshop also aims to raise awareness of the concept of social innovation and its importance in developing local communities, review leading practices and experiences in this field, and enable participants to design innovative initiatives and projects that contribute to addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges, and enhance partnership between various sectors concerned with education and community development.

Dr. Mahmoud bin Abdullah Al-Abri, Secretary of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, emphasized in a speech he delivered during the opening ceremony the importance of strengthening the role of learning cities as effective platforms to support lifelong learning and achieve sustainable development, in light of the rapid changes and challenges the world is witnessing.

He pointed out that the joining of Muscat, Sur and Nizwa to the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities represents an important step that reflects the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to building a knowledge society capable of innovation and active participation in development, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, and that social innovation is an important tool for transforming societal challenges into opportunities for development and creativity by enhancing cooperation between educational institutions, government agencies, the private sector and the local community, stressing that this workshop contributes to developing innovative initiatives and practices with a sustainable societal impact.

At the end of his speech, the Secretary of the National Committee stressed the importance of building national capabilities, exchanging experiences, and strengthening national and international partnerships, in a way that supports the sustainability of the Omani learning cities process and raises their readiness to compete for regional and international awards, most notably the UNESCO World Learning Cities Award.

Dr. Aisha Al-Harthi, head of the research team for the Social Innovation Support Project in Omani Learning Cities from Sultan Qaboos University, affirmed that social innovation has become an urgent necessity in light of the accelerating economic, social and technological challenges, as it is an approach that contributes to finding innovative and sustainable solutions that stem from the needs of society and are based on partnership between the university, the government, the private sector and civil society.

She explained that learning cities represent the ideal environment for fostering social innovation, where learning is transformed from merely acquiring knowledge into a tool for producing solutions and achieving sustainable development, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Oman Vision 2040. She also pointed out that the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities promotes the concept of lifelong learning and supports innovation and the use of technology as a means to improve the quality of life.

She reviewed the Colombian city of Medellin’s experience as a successful global model for employing social innovation to address societal challenges through effective partnerships and educational programs that have contributed to reducing school dropout rates and promoting community development.

She concluded her speech by emphasizing that sustainable social change requires a real partnership between various sectors, and that the challenges facing local communities represent opportunities for innovation and creating solutions that contribute to the development of the nation and the well-being of society.

The workshop included a number of working papers that focused on introducing the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, reviewing the experience of Omani cities that have joined this network, their role in building more sustainable and inclusive societies, the role of social innovation in achieving Oman Vision 2040, employing knowledge and lifelong learning in finding innovative solutions to societal challenges, and supporting social entrepreneurship, which contributes to improving the quality of life and achieving sustainable development.