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Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions SDG16
Oman’s strategy for SDG 16 is fundamentally integrated into its Oman Vision 2040, which prioritises good governance, the rule of law, and institutional efficiency as the bedrock for all other national development.
Strong Institutions
Institutional Restructuring: The government has undergone a significant restructuring of the State Administrative Apparatus. This initiative aims to streamline government operations, reduce bureaucracy, define clear responsibilities, and enhance the efficiency of public services.
Performance-Based Governance: A key initiative has been the Individual and Institutional Performance system, which links the performance of government units and their employees directly to the goals of Vision 2040.
Digital Transformation: The government has aggressively pushed its digital transformation program, which is central to SDG 16. By digitising services in the judiciary, police, and civil service, Oman aims to increase transparency, reduce opportunities for corruption, and make public services more accessible to all.
Justice & Rule of Law
Judicial Independence: The Sultan's Decree 35/2022 established a new Law of the Judicial Authority that reinforced the judiciary's independence and streamlined its operations.
Legislative Development: The bicameral Council of Oman, with its elected Majlis Al Shura, serves as a key institution for public participation in legislation, ensuring that laws are responsive to the public's needs.
Specialised Courts: The establishment of specialised commercial courts has been a key achievement, helping to resolve business disputes quickly, strengthen the investment climate, and reinforce the rule of law in the economic sphere.
Peace & Security
Regional Peacemaker: Oman continues to actively promote peace and inclusive societies by serving as a neutral mediator in regional and international conflicts, fostering dialogue and helping to de-escalate tensions.
Internal Security: Domestically, Oman consistently ranks among the world's safest countries, according to the Global Peace Index. This achievement is based on strong, community-focused policing and a stable social environment.
Anti-Corruption & Transparency
State Audit Institution (SAI): The SAI has been empowered as the country's primary anti-corruption body. It actively protects public funds, promotes integrity, and investigates financial and administrative violations.
Public Access to Information: The government's digital transformation, in collaboration with the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), aims to provide the public with transparent data, a key component of SDG 16.10 - Ensure public access to information.
Resources:
SDG16 at Sohar University
Legal Education
The Faculty of Law is dedicated to educating and training the next generation of legal professionals through its programs at the Bachelor's, Master’s and PhD levels, who will someday be responsible for upholding justice and the rule of law in Oman.
Moot Court and Virtual Court: The Faculty of Law infrastructure features a fully functional on-campus Moot Court laboratory where students simulate legal cases, participate in virtual court sessions, and can enrol in Legal Debate and Mock Trial courses to receive solid, practical training in legal advocacy.
Judicial System Integration: Law students are provided with experiential learning opportunities through visits to courts of various levels, public prosecution departments, ministries, and institutions. This initiative ensures they understand the real-world application of the law and the practical workings of Oman's judicial institutions.
Community Engagement: The Faculty of Law maintains numerous partnerships with community groups to disseminate legal knowledge and raise public awareness through workshops and seminars.
- Oman Women’s Association
- Oman Legal Association
- Oman Tax Authority
Human Rights Education: The Bachelor of Law program includes mandatory courses such as Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Public International Law. These courses are the primary academic mechanisms for teaching the principles of state-of-law, separation of powers, and fundamental human rights.
Ethics Education: Sohar University embeds ethics directly into its curriculum through mandatory, specialised courses, such as Legal Professional Ethics, in the Faculty of Law, while also integrating principles of corporate and professional responsibility into the core programs and learning outcomes of its Business, Engineering, and Arts faculties.
Research on Social Issues
Connecting Communities Research Theme: This is one of the university's core interdisciplinary research themes, which funds and promotes academic studies on social dynamics, community challenges, and societal well-being in Oman.
International Law & SDG Conference: In February 2024, the Faculty of Law hosted a major international conference, Environmental Law and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This event brought together academics, UN experts, and Omani policymakers to produce research and policy recommendations linking environmental justice to the SDGs.
Faculty Publications: Faculty members contribute research on the Omani legal system itself, including academic papers on the Transformation of the Omani Judicial System, which directly inform institutional development.
Community Engagement
Public Legal Literacy Workshops: The university partners with community organisations to provide legal and financial education. A key example is its collaboration with the Omani Women's Association to deliver workshops on topics like legal rights and financial literacy. EXAMPLE of women’s rights workshop at Sohar Mosque.
Tax Law Education: The university collaborates with Oman's Tax Authority to host educational workshops for students and the public that explain tax laws and procedures. This builds public understanding and transparency, which are cornerstones of a strong, rule-based institution.
Legal Dialogue Sessions: As part of its Master's program, the Faculty of Law hosts interactive dialogue sessions on the new legislation in the Sultanate, inviting external experts and policymakers to discuss legal changes with students and the community.
Ethics
Institutional Governance Policies: The university has developed many policies to ensure good ethical governance and establish clear rules and transparent procedures for accountability, modelling the behaviour of a fair and just institution.
University Ethics Committee: The central body responsible for ethical oversight. As defined in the university's Ethics and Bio-Safety Policy, any research project involving human participants, animal use, or potential environmental damage must be referred to this committee for consideration and approval before it can begin.
Collaboration with Institutions
Oman Business Law Forum: The Dean of the Faculty of Law actively participates in high-level national policy discussions, such as moderating the Oman Business Law Forum 2025. This event, focused on the legal roadmap for Vision 2040, directly connects the university's academic leadership with the nation's legislative and economic planning.
Partnership with Government Authorities: The university collaborates with key state bodies to co-host major events. The 2024 environmental law conference included keynote speakers and partners from the Omani Environment Authority and the United Nations (UN), demonstrating a deep collaboration on policy, law, and governance.
SU’s Strategic Commitment to Strong Institutions
In its 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, Sohar University lists Ethics as one of its core institutional values.
Ethics: Fostering the highest academic and professional standards in the spirit of open and critical thought, enquiry, fairness and integrity. This top-level commitment sets the tone for all university policies and activities, linking ethical behaviour directly to academic and professional excellence.
Associated Policies and Procedures
- SU Corporate Governance Charter
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Misconduct Policy
- Conflict of Interest Policy
- Committee Code of Conduct
- Similarity Checking Software Policy
- Staff Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- SU Copyright Policy
- Ethics and Biosafety Policy