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Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure SDG9
Oman's focus and achievements on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 9 are central pillars of its Oman Vision 2040. The national strategy is aggressively moving the country away from oil dependence by building a diversified, sustainable, and knowledge-based economy.
INDUSTRY
The primary goal is to develop a diversified and sustainable national economy by expanding the non-oil sector, with a specific focus on transforming industries and promoting value-added production.
- Targeted Non-Oil Sectors: Growth is being actively promoted in manufacturing, logistics, tourism, fisheries, and mining to create new economic engines.
- Green Hydrogen: Oman is making a globally significant investment in green energy. Major projects, such as Green Energy Oman (GEO) and HYDROM, are underway to establish the nation as a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen.
INNOVATION
This is arguably the most dynamic area of focus. Oman is laying the groundwork to become a regional hub for technology and startups, driven by a national digital transformation policy.
- National Digital Economy Programme:This is a key government initiative aimed at increasing the digital economy's contribution to Oman's GDP to 10% by 2040.
- FinTech Boom: The FinTech market is projected to reach RO 1.1 billion by 2025. This growth is driven by the Central Bank of Oman's (CBO) Innovation Acceleration Programme and a new roadmap for licensing digital banks.
- AI and 4IR: Oman launched a National Programme for Artificial Intelligence and inaugurated a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies.
- Startup & SME Ecosystem: The government, through bodies like the SME Development Authority (Riyada) and free zones like Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), is actively fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and tech startups.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Oman has been investing heavily in world-class, resilient infrastructure to serve as the foundation for its new economy, enhance logistics, and enable sustainable development.
- Ports & Rail:The major ports of Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm are central to this strategy. The Hafeet Rail project, part of the larger GCC railway network, is advancing to improve cargo and passenger transport between Abu Dhabi, UAE and Sohar, Oman.
- Aviation: Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport are key hubs for tourism and air freight.
- Waste-to-Energy: A major Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant is in development in Barka, highlighting a new focus on sustainable utilities and the circular economy.
- Renewable Energy: Multiple new wind and solar power plants are being added to the national grid.
- Urban Development: The new Sultan Haitham City is a flagship project, representing a massive investment in modern, sustainable urban infrastructure for the future.
Resources:
SDG9 at Sohar University
Sohar University’s strategy is to leverage its location in Oman's industrial core to act as a bridge between academia and industry. Its focus is on building resilient infrastructure for innovation, promoting sustainable industrialisation through Omani SMEs, and fostering a culture of applied research.
INDUSTRY
Industry collaboration: The university actively partners with major industrial players, many of whom are based locally in the Sohar Port and Freezone, to conduct joint research and development on specific industrial challenges, such as process optimisation and sustainability.
INNOVATION
Applied Research and commercialisation: The university is building an RO 4 million Innovation Centre that will serve as the central hub for its entire commercialisation strategy. This centre is designed to provide the essential services that bridge the gap between academic research and a viable business, housing:
- Specialised laboratories.
- A dedicated Patent Office to help researchers and students protect their intellectual property (IP).
- An international business accelerator to guide new ventures.
The Renewable Energy Research Unit and Sustainable Technologies Research Unit: These are leading teams that aim to promote innovation and sustainability in the renewable energy and emerging technologies sectors. They are committed to advanced research and development, building local capacities, and providing sustainable solutions to meet the growing energy needs in the region and the world.
Enterprise and Industry Research Theme: This academic initiative fosters innovation by directing university research toward addressing industrial challenges. One of the university's four core research themes, it drives faculty and students to conduct collaborative, interdisciplinary research focused on enterprise and industrial challenges and management sciences. This creates a pipeline of innovation and applied research that can be directly transferred to industry partners, upgrading the technological capabilities of the industrial sector.
Sohar University Journal of Sustainable Business (SUJSB): The journal's mission is to bridge the gap between academic research and practical business operations, with a strong emphasis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Oman Vision 2040.
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Sustainability
- Business Technology for Sustainability
- Sustainable MIS
INFRASTRUCTURE
Intaj Suhar (Advanced Manufacturing Centre): A state-of-the-art centre for product design, prototyping, and advanced manufacturing, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion. It provides the physical infrastructure, such as labs, machinery, and technical expertise, that local industries and entrepreneurs need to develop, test, and manufacture new products. The entire concept is to support in-country value (ICV) initiatives, thereby directly fostering industrial diversification and enhancing the technological capabilities of products designed and manufactured in Oman.
The Manufacturing Incubator:This initiative directly targets the promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialisation by supporting small-scale enterprises, providing a practical, hands-on ecosystem that guides entrepreneurs from an idea to a manufactured product. Most products are prototyped at the Intaj Sohar facility.
In direct collaboration with Oman's Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Riyada), Sohar University established a dedicated incubator for SMEs providing:
- Administrative and technical support
- Business mentorship
- Marketing consultation
- Assistance with manufacturing plans and equipment selection
- Support for knowledge transfer and protecting intellectual property
SU’s Strategic Commitment to Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Sohar University is committed to serving societies by leading change in response to local and global challenges, as outlined in the strategic objectives of Research and Innovation and Community and Industry thrusts in the Strategic Plan 2023-28.
Research and Innovation
- Expand Research with Impact
- Promote Innovation and Research Commercialisation
Community and Industry
- Establish impactful stakeholder partnerships
Core Values of the Strategic Plan
- Innovation: Support intellectual freedom and creativity, encouraging stakeholders to explore and innovate to become independent thinkers and successful entrepreneurs.
- Sustainability: Integrate and balance the economic, social and environmental spheres to meet current and future needs.
Associated Policies and Procedures
- All research guidelines
- Internal Research support funding
- Scientific Journals and Periodicals Publication Policy