ISSN 2521-8255
JU LY TW ENT YSE VENT EEN I SSUE SI X
The Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development
Education: Smart Opportunities Creative Shift in Public Education Building Tomorrow's Cities
Ithraa News JU L Y T W EN TY SE V E N TE E N ISSUE SIX
Formed in 1996, Ithraa is Oman’s award-winning inward investment and export development agency. We are an ambitious organization committed to promoting the business benefits of Oman to a global audience. Our experience, expertise and global reach helps companies of all sizes realize their potential.
Contents 4
Ithraa Events
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Creative Shift in Public Education
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Education: Smart Opportunities
16 One-On-One
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Why Should Leaders Learn
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Things We Make
And Finally...
Ithraa News Inside Stories 2017 About Inside Stories Inside Stories is a series of seven informal, highly-interactive evening discussions, organized by Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency, and held at The Public Authority for Civil Aviation Head Office in Al Hail North, opposite Al Mouj Muscat. The series brings together some of the sultanate’s most inspirational and innovative business people, scientists, educators, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, civil servants, farmers, urban planners and environmentalists to share their stories. And together, we discuss the opportunities and trends that are redefining what it means to be in, and start, a business today. Over the years, this highly successful series of seminars has helped hundreds of Omani businesses, large and small, ramp-up and understand the issues faced when starting and growing a business. Sessions are always stimulating and informative, and are open to all. Registration To reserve your seat at Inside Stories register at events.ithraa.om Supporters
2017 Program Hyperlocal Tourism: An Authentic Experience Wednesday 26 April Education: Smart Opportunities Tuesday 16 May Infrastructure: Getting to Our Destination Tuesday 11 July Aquaculture: The Blue Revolution Tuesday 15 August Micro Manufacturing: Build Local, Ship Global Tuesday 26 September Healthcare: Fit for the Future Tuesday 24 October Food & Beverage: A Seat at the Table Tuesday 12 December
Dear Readers In May we held an Inside Stories session on Education – the evening’s discussions were led by professional training veteran, Jon Morton, Director of the National CEO Program, and focused on the importance of education and training to Oman’s ongoing economic development. The panel considered how communities as well as local businesses could contribute and help shape Oman’s education and training sector as well as its vocational and professional training offer. We have included a short report from the event in this issue. Why should businesses become involved in education? Because it is in the enlightened long-run self-interest of the business community to do so. If we want higher rates of broad-based economic growth in Oman, which will help support the prosperity of businesses as well as local communities, we need to increase our labour force skills. This can be most effectively done through increasing investments in the early development of skills, and then later on focusing skills development around career relevant skills. Indeed, one way to strengthen an economy suggests the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is to attract well-paying employers. EPI data indicates that in US states with the least schooled workforces, the median wage is US$15 an hour compared with US$19 to US$20 an hour in states where 40% or more of the working population holds at least a Bachelor’s degree. It is clear that a skilled and educated workforce can boost an economy at every level. We also hope the newsletter conveys the message that Oman understands the availability of qualified (local and international) labour increases our national competitiveness, the competitiveness of our private sector as well as key sectors. Moreover, the availability of qualified Omani (and international) human resources is a major location factor influencing international investment decisions vis-à-vis setting up operations in the sultanate. Indeed, encouraging a college-educated population in the workforce results in pivotal benefits to the state that include, though aren’t limited to: 1. Individuals with higher degrees can expect to earn higher incomes. 2. People with more education make more informed health and lifestyle choices. The result: government savings in public resources. 3. Educated citizens are more comfortable handling decisions about health care, personal finance and retirement. The result: less government responsibility in those areas. In brief, Ithraa News Edition 6 has been designed specifically to show the world that we take education and training seriously and understand its impact on attracting investment, creating jobs and helping people live fulfilled and meaningful lives. The message? Education is the key to Oman’s success.
Credits Editorial: Taleb Al Makhmari Editor-in-Chief Sajda Al Ghaithy Senior Editor Nadia Al Lamki Editor Dave Pender Advisor Design: Lamahat www.studiolamahat.com Print: Al Anan Printing www.alananprinting.com
We hope you enjoy reading this edition. Indeed, we are always looking for ways to improve our communications and would welcome any comments you may have on Ithraa News. Please send any feedback you have to news@ithraa.om Team Ithraa
Photographs courtesy of Ithraa. 2
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Unwrapping Packaging - Four-day Workshop In today’s congested business world, packaging has become a critical factor; it can often make or break a product. And in an effort to help Omani exporters explore the importance of packaging and design, Ithraa teamed-up with the International Trade Centre (ITC) - a joint WTO – UN agency dedicated to
Ithraa Events
supporting the internationalization of SMEs - to hold a four-day packaging workshop 10 – 13 July at the Scientific College of Design and at Ithraa’s head office in Shatti Al Qurum. It is generally accepted that 70 - 80% of a consumer’s purchasing decision is made at the point of sale. In supermarkets, for example, research shows shoppers spend an average of less than 10 seconds in any single product category, so decisions are made quickly and often based on what a product looks like.
Education & Business Join Forces Education in the 21st century spans cradle to grave, from kindergarten to corporate training to lifelong learning and was the focus of discussion for May’s Inside Stories session at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation in Al Hail North. “Quality education is essential to the economic development of any nation,” explains Taleb Al Makhmari, Director General of Marketing & Media at Ithraa, and organizer of the monthly Inside Stories initiative. This fact is clearly evidenced from past experiences of countries such as Singapore, Ireland and South Korea. “The inability to develop future talent with the right skills could potentially prevent Omani companies from scaling up operations, meeting demand in new export markets and launching new products and services. Bringing business and education closer together is key to the sultanate’s economic prosperity,” says Al Makhmari. Ithraa’s Inside Stories is a seven-part, free-of-charge seminar series designed to help Oman’s public and private sector better understand the opportunities offered in areas such as tourism, manufacturing, aquaculture, logistics, healthcare, food and beverage, as well as education and training. “The old rules of education, training and work no longer apply,” suggests Al Makhmari: “In the years to come, the changes being wrought by the Digital Age will reshape not just our concept of education, the workplace and a career, but also the reality of how we study, train and earn a living.” The skills required for future middle and high-skilled jobs are rapidly evolving and interest in issues around national talent development and retention are clearly on the agenda. “The panel discussed how we could proactively bridge gaps to make sure Omani workers are educated, trained and prepared to secure sustainable jobs that will enable them to grow and prosper,” remarked Sajda Al Ghaithy, Ithraa’s Media Director. Education does not just work on the national level, argues Al Ghaithy it is also key to the success of local communities right across the sultanate. Skill levels drive local job and wage growth.
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If some workers get better skills, this not only benefits those workers, but also increases the employment rates and wage rates of everyone else in the local economy. Oman’s business community, suggests Al Ghaithy has an important role to play in Oman’s fast evolving education system: “It’s in the enlightened long-run self-interest of the business community to do so.” Omani businesses have a vested interest in schools and colleges since students are their future workforce. While they provide mentorships and internships, students learn skills and get on-the-job training. In many cases, students will be better prepared to pursue a career with that company, requiring less additional training and be more aware about how to fit in with the company culture. By not connecting business and education and creating formal working ties, Omani schools, colleges and companies are potentially undermining many of their own best efforts to give students the academic skills and motivation they need to be a productive member of society.
“The look and feel of the product, design, colour, labelling, price and the name of the product itself are all things that trigger us to stop and look at items on shelves. Most of these triggers either are, or can be influenced by packaging,” explained Mrs. Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa’s Director General of Export Development & Investment Promotion and organizer of the four-day program. Consumers will touch, rate and even smell a product simply based on its packaging. With so much at stake, having a product packaged creatively will increase the likelihood of it being bought and re-bought if it lives up to its name.
Students finishing school with limited skills will not be able to work effectively as part of a team, operate sophisticated machinery, solve problems, or take initiative on behalf of customers. In short, they will not be able to do today’s jobs well, let alone tomorrow’s. May’s Inside Stories panel included Jon Morton, Director, National CEO Program; Wail Al Mugheiry, Founder, Engineering Village; Dr. Ammar Al Ojaili, Assistant Director, Takatuf; Kawthar Suliemani, Head, Investment Section, Ministry of Education and Sarah Nunn, Founder, Creative Elements.
Packaging is important but many firms only think about it at the end of the development process and when the new product is launched, when in fact product development and packaging go hand-in-hand. “If packaging is so important as to influence 70 - 80% of a consumer’s purchasing decision, then it must be continually reviewed and tested,” pointed out Mrs. Al Balushi Commenting on the success of the four-day program, Ithraa’s Director General said: “We’re delighted to partner with ITC. Indeed, it’s clear that the 40 participating firms clearly understood the marketing importance of packaging, design and branding and that it’s an aspect of their business that can’t be neglected.” Most consumers judge a product by its packaging before buying. So it is logical to assume attractive packaging is crucial in order to get the first time buyer to choose your product. Concluding, Frederic Couty, Senior Advisor, Packaging at ITC said: “It’s difficult to sell a good product in poor packaging. However, it’s much easier to sell a poor product in great packaging, at least to the first-time buyer.”
Omani Exporters Receive Warm Reception in Cairo Nineteen high-profile Omani exporters participated on a two-day Ithraa-led trade delegation to Egypt in May.
“If we want higher rates of broad-based economic growth in Oman, which will help support the prosperity of local businesses, then we need to encourage and strengthen links between business and education,” points out Al Ghaithy. Oman’s business community cannot prosper unless schools and colleges graduate a stream of well-educated, self-disciplined, motivated young people.
“If the packaging is right, people will buy a product without even trying it because most associate superior packaging with quality,” pointed out Mrs. Al Balushi. However, attention to packaging is a crucial step that is often neglected in business.
Cairo media interviews Khalid Al Hosni,
B2B meetings generate leads
CEO, Titronic Middle East
The mission began with site visits to companies in Cairo. While the highly successful B2B meetings with Egyptian importers, agents and manufacturers was inaugurated by Dr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Esaei, Oman’s ambassador to Egypt. “We were in Cairo to introduce our hosts to a range of high quality, Oman-made products, forge better connections with existing business contacts and establish new relationships too, particularly in food processing, marble, pharmaceuticals and plastics,” explained Mrs. Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa’s Director General of Investment Promotion & Export Development.
Over 100 Egyptian companies attended the B2B meetings. “The visit has proven to be incredibly useful on a number of levels, as it gave participating Omani firms an excellent opportunity both to highlight their high-end offer in food production, marble, pharmaceuticals and plastics as well as communicate to our Egyptian counterparts that we are open for business,” added Ithraa’s Director General. Egypt continues to maintain its position as the Arab world’s largest consumer market. With an estimated 92 million citizens and one of the world’s fastest growing populations, the demand for food products, in particular, is expected to continue to grow. Research suggests that by the end of 2017, food sales at Egyptian supermarkets and hypermarkets are expected to have doubled from their 2011 levels. Mr. Salem Al Bortamani of Areej Vegetable Oils & Derivatives SAOG and a delegate on the trade mission to Egypt remarked: “We are grateful to Ithraa for organizing this important export initiative. It gave us an excellent opportunity to meet potential buyers as well as get a better understanding of the consumer trends driving Egypt’s growing food sector. Visits like this are invaluable to Omani businesses looking to penetrate overseas markets.”
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Inside Stories Education: Smart Opportunities
Introduction Inside Stories is a series of seven informal, highly-interactive evening discussions, organized by Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency, and held at The Public Authority for Civil Aviation Training Centre in Al Hail North. Offering invaluable learning and networking opportunities, Inside Stories is a leading meeting place for Oman’s business people, scientists, educators, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, civil servants, farmers, urban planners and environmentalists to gather and discuss business ideas and solutions that inspire positive change. The Tuesday 16 May Inside Stories focused on Education: Smart Opportunities. The panel included Jon Morton, Director, National CEO Program (Moderator); Kawthar Suleimani, Head of Investment, Private Schools, Ministry of Education; Sarah Nunn, Lead Trainer, Specialized Centre for Professional Training of Teachers, Ministry of Education; Wail Al Mugheiry, Co-founder, Engineering Village; and Ammar Al Owjaili, Assistant Director, Takatuf. Raising Our Game In what’s becoming an increasingly complex world, Oman’s success depends on its people having the opportunity to develop their full potential. We have informed, skilled employees delivering innovative products and services as well as creative entrepreneurs setting-up businesses. Building an exciting and stimulating learning culture that encourages enterprise, innovation and creativity is of paramount importance to Oman’s long-term success. The world’s economy is predicted to double in size by 2042 and this expansion will present significant new opportunities for Omani businesses – growing populations and rising prosperity; new technologies; the transition to a low carbon, circular economy; changes in age profiles; and the spread of international supply chains will all have an important impact on the sultanate’s future performance.
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Local & International Talent Two key elements will be critical in responding to these global opportunities. The first is ensuring that Oman’s economy is driven by, and has the relevant supply of, high levels of skill, talent, innovation and creativity. Secondly, ensuring that the sultanate’s economy is continually moving to the fore of technological change – change that is reshaping business across the globe.
Can Do Ambassadors Omani students need to see and experience the real-life impacts of a can-do attitude. They need to hear more about people like them that have been a success in business and government. More people with a strong entrepreneurial spirit will help ensure Oman’s economic and social future. Moreover, they will help energize Oman’s business community and public sector and build a more innovative nation.
In addition to developing domestic talent we must understand drivers that influence international re-location decision-making. Research suggests that location preferences of the highest skilled workers are shaped first and foremost by career development opportunities. However, other key features such as urban environment, for example, diversity, tolerance, physical infrastructure, residential amenity and cultural ‘buzz’ also play a critical role in attracting talented people who drive business innovation and national competitiveness.
Future Jobs Improving alignment between education, workforce development and the needs of employers is key in Oman’s fast-moving economy. As technological changes continue to accelerate, millennial workers, in particular, are likely to hold multiple jobs and need to learn new skills many times over the course of their working life. It is simply not possible to predict which specific workplace skills will be required in 2050. Therefore, in the long-term, Oman’s education and workforce systems need to be flexible enough to constantly adapt to the changing skills needed by businesses and the changing demographic characteristics of the labour market. Oman’s business community needs to take a stronger role in helping develop workforce training programs.
Commercial Challenges of Tomorrow The future face of Omani enterprise is one that will start in homes, schools and communities; it will be found in start-ups as well as in multinationals. Oman is building new skills and developing new talent to answer the commercial challenges of tomorrow. Indeed, there is already a strong desire among Oman’s youth to use their ideas for change. In this regard, much is being done to develop a culture that helps foster young Omani entrepreneurs. For example, government agencies such as the National Business Centre on Knowledge Oasis Muscat and Riyada are helping young local business owners and entrepreneurs by: • Creating up-to-date, reliable information that is tailored to business needs • Providing state-of-the-art business incubation space • Putting in place business-friendly regulation • Offering easier access to finance • Building peer-to-peer mentoring networks • Inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs through a network of business champions
Society 2.0 Fully exploiting technology is the single most important step Oman can take to improve education, business and the provision of public services across the sultanate. Our schools are in the vanguard of Oman’s ICT revolution, but there is also the need for growth elsewhere. Indeed, the Information Technology Authority (ITA) provides government, businesses, schools and colleges with the understanding and tools to take best advantage of what technology currently offers. Oman clearly recognizes that technology enables businesses to secure new markets, improve performance and attract high value-added investment to the sultanate. This will be achieved by the government’s continuing and widespread investment in ICT skills and training. In fact, research reveals that employment in ICT is forecast to grow rapidly and it is important that we encourage Oman’s youth, particularly girls, to undertake science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related degree programs and careers.
Education Benefits the Community The benefits of a better education are most often discussed in terms of personal gain: higher wages, greater economic mobility and generally, a better life. But not all the benefits are private - local economies flourish when there are more skilled and productive workers. The main reason education drives local economic development is that the overall skill level of the local workforce is one of the key drivers of local job and wage growth. If some workers get better skills, this not only benefits those workers, but also increases the employment rates and wage rates of everyone else in the local economy.
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Oftentimes, the onus for providing a well-rounded educational experience for every student falls directly on the shoulders of teachers and faculty. However, this limited perspective overlooks the fact that much of a student’s life and education occurs outside the classroom. What happens before the school day starts and after it ends can be just as important and impactful in the lives of students as what happens during the school day. This is why community engagement and involvement in schools is such an important facet of Oman’s educational process and experience. When schools, parents, families and communities work together to support learning, students tend to earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, stay in school longer and enroll in higher level programs.
Lifelong Learning In a world of ever-accelerating competition, change and opportunity Oman’s educational system is focusing on the goal of creating a culture of lifelong learning, the National CEO Program being an outstanding example of this. At the heart of this culture is the commitment to a set of values and to a system of education that affords all people the opportunity to stretch their minds to full capacity, from childhood through adulthood, learning more as the world itself changes. Such a culture has as a basic foundation the idea that education is important not only because of what it contributes to one's career but the value it adds to the quality of one's life. Also at the heart of Oman’s lifelong learning culture are educational opportunities extending far beyond our schools and colleges. They extend into our homes, offices, art galleries and museums; into every place where the individual can develop and mature in work and life. In our view, and as the Omani economy evolves along a more information based model, it is vital that employees and organizations keep their skill sets and knowledge pools up-to-date. With the correct training, people gain new skills and qualifications as well as opportunities for career advancement, while organizations reap the benefits in terms of a more efficient, productive and loyal workforce. Moreover, employee retention improves, as staff are more likely to remain with an organization that values their input and development, while recruitment becomes easier as candidates are attracted to organizations that foster a lifelong learning environment. In brief, we recognize that by improving skills we increase the chances of long-term financial benefits for individuals, families, organizations and our country.
The evening’s moderator, Jon Morton, Director,
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National CEO Program
If We Educate They Will Come International and local businesses are far more likely to base their location decisions on the skills of the local workforce than they are on taxes. In addition, additional higher-skilled labour attracts employers with more skilled jobs - in other words, if we educate them, they will come. Mapping There is a clear need to analyze career pathways and programs of education and training that prepare students for future employment in certain sectors. Compile these and make them available to Omani education institutions, workforce service providers and employers. In addition, create a measure of school readiness for students entering kindergarten. Use this to evaluate the effectiveness of various pre-school education programs at preparing students for success in Oman’s schools and colleges. Identify Skill Gaps Given the government’s ambitious and future-focused economic strategy, convene government, education and workforce leaders from Oman’s tourism, manufacturing, mining, logistics and fisheries sectors and identify the education and skills gaps experienced by these sectors.
Dr. Ammar Al Ojaili explaining the importance of internships
Project Based Learning Oman requires people with passion, know how, initiative, creativity, resilience and self-knowledge; people who can get on with others and who know when to listen and when to lead. These skills and abilities cannot be gained in the classroom alone. Indeed, the old-school model of passively learning facts and regurgitating them in public examinations is no longer sufficient to prepare Omani students to survive in today's fast-moving, tech-centric world. Solving complex problems requires students to have both fundamental skills such as reading, writing and mathematics as well as 21st century skills that include teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, research gathering, time management, information synthesizing, cross-cultural understanding and using high-tech equipment. With this combination, students become managers of their learning process. Indeed, by bringing real-life context and technology to the curriculum through project based learning, students become independent workers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners. Omani museums and art galleries are fundamentally educational institutions with learning embedded at the heart of their missions. We see them as labs that can inspire the next generation of Omani artists, scientists, engineers and teachers. Indeed, project based learning with local museums and art galleries has the potential to have a significant impact on Omani students. Opening their eyes to what history and art can provide, not only in education but also in terms of stimulus and entertainment. Collaboration: Teachers, Parents & Community What many schools and educational institutions potentially overlook is the fact that high rates of student success are generally the result of three groups collaborating to provide the best opportunities for the future - teachers, parents and the community. Research suggests there is a significant positive correlation between school, family and community involvement and student success.
Technology's Impact on Education Technology has revolutionized education. The importance of technology in Omani schools cannot be underestimated. In fact, with the onset of computers in education, it has become easier for teachers to impart knowledge and for students to acquire it. The use of technology has made the process of teaching and learning all the more enjoyable. Opportunities for communication and collaboration have also been expanded by technology. Traditionally, Omani classrooms have been relatively isolated places and collaboration limited to other students in the same school. Today, technology enables forms of communication and collaboration undreamt of in the past. For example, students in Nizwa can learn about Oman’s medicinal plants by following a team of scientists in the field, read scientists’ blog posting, view photos, e-mail questions to the scientists and even talk live with the scientists via a videoconference. Students can share what they have learnt about Oman’s medicinal plants with students in classrooms around the world who are studying the same plants. Students can collaborate on group projects using technology-based tools such as wikis, Google docs, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Perhaps, the greatest impact of technology on Omani classrooms is the change in perspective – helping students think global.
Final Note As future citizens of a fast-moving, inter-connected world, Omani students must learn how to learn, find creative solutions to complex problems, develop their own interests, experiment, fail and start over with new ideas. No one organization should or can shoulder that responsibility alone. Parents, communities and teachers all have their part to play.
Ministry of Education’s Kawthar Suliemani tackles private education
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Why Should Leaders Learn?
Jon Morton Director National CEO Program
Jon Morton Director National CEO Program How come by the time we are 18 months old we have learned a vocabulary of 50 words and the building blocks of a language; by the time we are 5, this has increased to approximately 10,000 words - we will be actively listening and processing thoughts; by the time we are 18 years old, we will have developed critical, comparative thinking and will have grasped a range of diverse concepts after 12 years of education. But - for a lot of us - once we start in the world of work, we pack up our learning and get very busy being busy. Add in the bewildering array of communications technologies demanding our attention, an increasingly unhealthy leadership lifestyle, commitments to family, friends and mortgages and it’s not surprising there’s no room for learning…and not a lot of space for thinking. Today it’s fair to say that the result is at best a reactive and at worst distracted international leadership population. But just imagine a leadership environment where we are measured as much on our thinking and learning as we are on other more quantitative metrics. Imagine an environment where we (genuinely) encourage leaders to think creatively about the future, to experiment with new ways of doing things, to make mistakes in a safe environment and to reflect about themselves, their teams and their organizations in the context of this future. In early 2000s we had a perfect leadership storm: the dot.com bubble burst, the attack on the Twin Towers and a number of significant cross-sector corporate failures emerged all at the same time. Alongside – or perhaps because of - these tumultuous events, the international business culture seemed to change: away from longer-term service-oriented and ambitious strategies to a shorter-term, sales focused business culture; from long-term wealth generation to short-term get-rich-quick schemes. The response to the immediate downturn was to cut learning. It was like a train wreck in the Business School world and not a very happy place to work.
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But something important emerged from the events of the early 2000s: those organizations that continued to invest in their people – specifically their leaders – and those organizations that had learning embedded as part of the leadership culture, weathered the storms in the short-term and fared much better in the long-term than their rivals. The survivors of the 2008 Financial Crisis are testament to this fact. But what makes leadership learning work? The future: if the 2008 global financial crisis demonstrated anything, it was that a good percentage of the international leadership population (especially in the financial services sector) wasn’t spending enough time thinking – and specifically thinking about the future. It’s easy with the benefit of hindsight, but bottomless-pit borrowing (and lending) at personal, organizational and national levels with no real means of paying off the debt was always going to sting at some point. So the learning environment needs to give individuals the time and space to drag themselves away from email and twitter and to think about what the future might hold – this isn’t about trying to predict future events; it is about helping Leaders prepare for uncertainty.
So the learning environment needs to give individuals the time and space to drag themselves away from email and twitter and to think about what the future might hold... History: for centuries History has been a staple of any state education curriculum – the rationale being if we learn history, we can adopt examples of good leadership and avoid making the mistakes of our predecessors. But the omnipresent internet has somehow devalued the importance of history – despite the enormous wealth of historical knowledge now available freely to anyone with a broadband connection.
Recent research has indicated that the emergent leadership population (i.e. those who have grown up using the internet as a primary, secondary and tertiary education tool) has lower retained general knowledge, specifically around history. There could be a number of reasons for this: overload of data means it’s difficult to retain knowledge; or possibly millennials find it challenging to differentiate between the critical important issues and all the noise that surrounds their day-to-day lives. Or perhaps we might call this the ‘calculator effect’: in the 1970s, the calculator was a new and suddenly affordable commodity item – as a result in the classroom, teachers struggled to teach complex mathematical calculations; the rationale being ‘why do I need to learn differentiation, if the calculator can do it for me in an instant?’. ‘Why’ one might say now ‘do I need to retain facts about history, when the internet can deliver it to me in a microsecond?’ But from a leadership perspective, respect for history is fundamental: if we remembered the stories of our predecessors, would the world be making the mistakes we are making today? Learning to Learn: learning orientation is key to effective leadership development. A starting point for every learning process needs to be the questions: ‘what leadership capabilities do you need to develop? How will this help you grow your organization? How will this help you achieve your ambitions?’ Leaders need to embark on learning with a high degree of self-awareness in the context of the current and future organizational, sectoral and international operating environments. In line with this, leaders need to take responsibility and accountability for the effectiveness of their learning – Business Schools and consultancies can help catalyze new ideas and ways of thinking but it’s up to the individual learner to translate this into something meaningful and so do something different. Intellectual, Emotional and Physical: 25 years ago we used to put Leaders into tiered lecture theatres in the basements of the Business School, often without natural light. We would talk to them about great leadership models and occasionally let them out to have a little walk around, before sequestrating them again underground. After three weeks of this, we expected them to become more effective leaders. Fortunately, we’ve left those days behind and recognize that Leadership Learning is as much around behavioural
impact as it is around intellectual development. We can teach and learn the best strategic ideas in the world, but if we don’t actually do anything differently, then that’s all they are…ideas. As such today’s learning process needs to be designed as much around emotional impact as around intellectual development. Leaders need to know the ‘what’ (what do I need to do differently?) and the ‘how’ (how do I go about doing it differently?) – but most importantly the ‘why’ (why should I do anything differently?). Perhaps there’s a third factor – the ‘can I?’ factor. We live in an increasingly unhealthy leadership world – this is less about physical fitness (although current WHO statistics demonstrate alarming predictions for diabetes and heart disease), and more about mental fitness. Leaders are never disconnected – there’s always another email, tweet, WhatsApp to read, process and reply. This means Leaders are increasingly struggling to switch off and relax. Learning needs to help Leaders reclaim a healthy intellectual, emotional and physical balance. Your Network – our Community: the learning environment is a powerful space for building relationships. Sharing personal leadership challenges and opportunities with (often) strangers is a powerful means of building trust. Once trust is established, then the creation of the community is a natural progression. But communities, like relationships, need to be kept in good repair. This means that when embarking upon a leadership development journey, we must consider what the subsequent community will look like, what will be its purpose and how will it be supported. This is just a short article about a few principles – but if one thing is clear from international events over the last 18 months, the need for self-aware, innovative, pragmatic and (most importantly) reflective leaders has never been more important. Learning needs to play a much bigger role in developing this community of international leaders.
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Oman exports to more than 135 countries
Things We Make Here are some examples of great Omani products, from ethical luxury soap, cooking oil, organic honey, tea to water tanks
Gulf Mushroom Products Company www.gulfmushroom.com Muscat Thread Mills www.mtm.com.om
Amira Soaps @amira_soaps
Oman Flour Mill Copmany www.omanflourmills.com
National Tea Company LLC
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Amiantit Oman www.amiantitoman.com Al Shoala Luban Cosmetics www.alshoala.org
Honey Shop @dukan_alasal
Areej Vegetable Oils & Derivatives www.avod.com 13
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Creative Shift in Public Education
Sarah Nunn Creative Elements - www.creative-elements.org producer@creative-elements.org
Sarah Nunn Creative Elements Across the Sultanate of Oman there is a creative shift-taking place in public schools. Creativity, technology and the arts are taking centre stage. Omani New Teachers are applying active learning strategies and ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ approaches, inspired by international best practice, to engage, motivate and inspire their students to think critically, imaginatively and collaboratively.
Teaching Profession is dominated by Young Women A recent Newsweek article by journalist Lelia Hatoum highlighted that,
As the workplace becomes increasingly automated and digitalised, employers require young people to be competent in soft skills such as problem solving and independent decision-making. The New Teacher Programme at The Specialised Centre for Professional Training of Teachers in Muscat, is addressing these needs by equipping the next generation with the necessary 21st century skills to deal with the sultanate’s economic diversification and secure its commercial competitiveness in the years ahead.
Teaching is one profession in the sultanate that can guarantee employment for young female graduates. Internationally, the teaching profession is dominated by women, providing many with an opportunity to earn a living while balancing work and home responsibilities. It was no surprise that in Cohort 1, over 80% of the New Teachers on the one-year programme were women under 25 years of age. In light of this data, it became very clear while designing the New Teacher programme, that the content not only had to motivate and reflect the Millennials interests, it also had to provide opportunities for the young teachers to engage creatively with each other and provide a platform to innovate. By generating a feeling of ownership the teachers started to quickly adapt the new strategies to their own classroom context, share resources and enjoy the process of experimentation as it was starting to generate a cycle of positive behaviour and genuine engagement from their students’.
A Space to Learn and Innovate The Specialised Centre for Professional Training of Teachers (SCPTT) is part of the Ministry of Education’s rigorous programme of educational reform. The Centre is committed to implementing new approaches to Leadership and Learning at every level of education across the country. It has a dedicated building and resources in Muscat. An exclusive group of over 50 specialist trainers, selected from across the Sultanate, disseminate innovative training programmes to the national workforce of Omani Principles, Supervisors, Expert Teachers and New Teachers. There are currently nine programmes that span either one or two years. Each programme involves face-to-face training, an online learning platform and project-based action research, where theory becomes practice and a space for teachers to innovate. The New Teacher Programme For two years, I was the Lead Consultant and Trainer on the New Teacher Programme, creating and developing content with international writers alongside mentoring and coaching 25 core Omani Trainers to deliver the ambitious year long programme. Since March 2015, over 3,000 New Omani Teachers have participated in the training programme. Trainers have delivered four face-to-face training weeks, provided guidance online and undertaken classroom observations during regional visits. This consistent and positive support has galvanised the next generation of teachers, inspiring many to enthusiastically lead educational reform in their classrooms and schools. 14
“…Unemployment among females in the Arab world is a staggering 43.4% when compared with 12.7% globally.”
Programme Design Textbooks, once a teacher’s burden, were liberated and replaced with active learning strategies that were practical and relevant to real-life. Students’ were encouraged to think collectively or independently to achieve the learning intention outlined in the curriculum as opposed to working through a textbook activity. Inquiry-Based Learning was introduced, a strategy that starts with an open question, sparking curiosity and research over an extended period of time. The teacher has to be a skilled facilitator and observe the students’ interaction before asking questions to deepen the learning. This technique required New Teachers to move away from the traditional didactic teaching methods and really connect with each student to understand their learning needs and respond accordingly.
Integrating Smartphone Technology The New Teachers are the Millennials generation, active social media users and confident creators of online content. Integrating smartphone technology into the programme was an immediate success and implemented with ease as teachers quickly observed an increase in student engagement. Trainers selected apps such as Padlet and Plickers to motivate students to participate in live online discussions and enable teachers to collect real-time formative assessment data without the need for a student device. Value of Creative Partnerships in Education However, it was the introduction of Creative Partnerships Pilot in September 2015 followed by the ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ initiative in 2016 that defined the programme’s unique design. As the global economy shifts, an increasing number of job opportunities are emerging for young people in the creative industries. Internationally, leaders in these fields are campaigning and investing in evidence-based research to urge their governments to safeguard cultural learning and arts education, sighting it as essential element for developing 21st-century skills in young people. Award-winning filmmaker, Sir Lord Puttnam, advocates that learning through culture and arts enables young people to become, “the leading thinkers, innovators, creative business and community leaders of the future.” (Cultural Learning Alliance, 2017, p8) With these observations in mind, I wanted to create a distinct component within the year-long programme that would enable New Teachers to actively engage with the following prestigious cultural arts and scientific organisations in Muscat: The National Museum, Bait Al Zubair Museum and Gallery Sarah, The Royal Opera House Muscat, The Planetarium, EcoOman Centre, The Children’s Museum and Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The purpose of the ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ initiative was to expand the New Teachers’ perception about how students’ learn and to encourage them to look beyond the confines of a traditional classroom environment. Effective engagement with museums and arts organisations can prepare young people for the challenges of the 21st century. Cultural institutions provide teachers with ideal platforms to facilitate unique opportunities for students to explore and discover new concepts. By working outside of the classroom, the dynamic learning environment is a meaningful resource that can activate fresh ways of thinking and perceiving the world. I developed a bespoke series of self-directed workshops that could be delivered by the Omani Trainers independently at each venue. A series of high-quality professional training sessions were delivered at each venue with the Omani Trainers to demonstrate through active
participation, how to activate learning in a museum or cultural setting. This collaborative process with the trainers, resulted in a unique fusion of facilitation strategies tailored for each cultural setting. Impact of Learning Beyond the Classroom At the Centre English Teachers had been exploring strategies to teach persuasive language. At the National Museum, they worked in groups to devise a 1-minute video advertisement to persuade tourists to visit. The activity was a huge success, combining technology, cultural heritage and oral storytelling. The self-directed workshop at The National Museum gave the teachers a real-life context for persuasive language and transformed theory into a purposeful, collaborative and enjoyable learning experience. In regions where there is no museum, New Teachers adapted the ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ strategies to reflect their context, finding alternative environments such as a fort, a wadi or souq to explore new concepts and motivate students. During the action research process, Teachers observed their students growing in confidence, taking the lead in group situations and a distinct improvement in decision-making skills. Sustaining a Creative Shift in Education To date, over 950 English, Social Studies, Islamic Studies, Art, Science, Mathematics and Music New Teachers have participated in a self-directed workshop led by Omani Trainers in a museum or cultural setting. This year another 1,000 teachers are expected to participate in the ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ initiative. In the immediate future, I am optimistic that the Centre and the Creative Partners will be able to move beyond their current transactional relationship. The annual interaction will lead to teachers and museum providers investing time in developing longer term learning experiences that provide meaningful interactions that cultivate critical thinking and innovation, awakening Oman’s “leading thinkers, innovators, creative business and community leaders of the future.” (ibid) Looking further ahead, the notion that the creative industries in the Sultanate can provide undergraduates with a viable career path is relatively new thinking. However, as young people become more resilient and less reliant on public sector jobs, I believe their creativity and entrepreneurship spirit will start to open up new markets, locally and internationally, especially in the hyperlocal tourism field as international visitors seek out authentic and contemporary engagement with the Sultanate of Oman’s arts and culture.
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One-on-One Building Tomorrow’s Cities Professor Nikolaus Knebel Architectural & Urban Design at GUtech
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Professor Nikolaus Knebel Architectural & Urban Design at GUtech Today, as urban populations swell - by 2050, 66% of the world’s population will live in cities - the notion of people-friendly design matters more than ever. To discuss good urban design we sat down with Nikolaus Knebel, Professor of Architectural & Urban Design at GUtech. This is what he had to say.
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In a nutshell, how would you describe good urban design?
Many people think that designers give form to an object through a stroke of genius. But in reality design is not so much about giving form. Rather it is about finding form through the integration of various and sometimes contradictory conditions, constraints and dreams; it involves many people especially when the design is about a city. Therefore, the criteria for "good urban design" should not be defined on a formal level. They come from within a city's culture and a society's understanding of urbanity. We often find that beautification of cities in the name of "good urban design" can destroy the urbanity of a place much more than tolerating a not so beautiful building and acknowledging its inherent qualities for the life of people and the urbanity of a city in general. This misunderstanding comes from thinking of design as a noun. Rather we should think of design as a verb. The activity of designing a city as an open process is much more important than the looks of the result. Good urban design therefore does not relate to the appearance of a city, but rather to the coherence between the very complex ways of living and the ways of building in a city. Good urban design is a well-negotiated balance between these aspects. In this way of looking at it design becomes invisible.
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Urban structures obey scientific rules that are independent of geography. There is a secondary dependence on local tradition, climate, resources and materials, but perhaps that’s being erased with the uniform modernist approach. What do you believe to be the fundamental mistakes we’ve made in designing and building cities in the Gulf region? And what can be done to put that right? When speaking about the new cities that have emerged in the Gulf region in the last generation, I would rather not start with discussing mistakes. First of all, one should appreciate the enormous achievements of building cities - often from scratch - under difficult conditions, in such a dimension, and in such a short period of time. There are not many, if any, precedents in history for this. Mistakes are inevitable. The question is how fast one learns from them. And judging these developments is not so easily done either. How should we evaluate them; in comparison to what? Do we look at the Gulf from a Western view, a South-Asian view, an African view, or from within the Gulf societies themselves? In a globalized world, there are many versions of modernism - and more and more of them are non-Western. We have to acknowledge this paradigm shift. The actual problem of many rapidly growing cities is not so much about the looks of buildings, but the disintegration of urban societies. New cities are often developed as a conglomerate of independent, autonomous, and mono-dimensional parts; every part with its own branded name. A This-and-That City next to a So-And-So City. There is a dangerous tendency to disintegrate cities through hermetic, mono-functional, segregated and exclusive islands. Cities are dynamic systems and function through the interaction of complementary parts for mutual benefit. If the benefits are not mutual, tensions arise and urban societies fall apart.
The information revolution is generating enormous social and commercial change. Indeed, given the advance in technologies new types of building are being generated by new kinds of use. For example, it was the airplane that created the development of airports as a building type, not the reverse. How do you see technology impacting on how we design and build buildings in the Gulf region? Indeed, airports are a good example to look at the relation of technology and human experiences. Even such technology-driven buildings like airports should not be exclusively designed for airplanes, but first and foremost for people who travel by air. The sensation of this kind of traveling has inspired architects to design some of the most awesome airport buildings, e.g. Eero Saarinen's TWA building at New York airport from the 1960s. The building is a large hall with dynamic curves that makes people feel like floating in the air. This approach to architecture celebrates a certain bodily experience enabled through technological progress. But technology is only a means to an end and progress is no quality as such. What counts is the actual improvement of people's experiences. It will be interesting to observe how information technology actually improves people's experience of the built environment. Of course there are advancements in the production of buildings; the ability to generate more complex geometries, and the possibility to link planning and manufacturing more directly. For me the most interesting question is, whether the perception and use of real spaces will change through people's experiences in virtual spaces. Navigating the net in multiple dimensions is quite a different thing from the more or less linear connections that still shape many of our built environments. How will this reflect back from the virtual into real spaces?
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Our cities are a jungle of highways, parking lots, skyscrapers and shopping malls. They seem designed more for motorists and consumers than inhabitants or citizens. What’s your take on this? From your questions I sense quite a disappointment with the contemporary built environment. When was the last time that you were impressed by a space - urban or architectural? And why did it impress you? For my part I can say that when I moved from Addis Ababa, a very poor African metropolis, to Muscat I was taken aback and astounded by a shopping mall's parking lot; the enormous dimensions, the generous high ceilings, the delicious light reflecting on the shiny new cars, the effortless flow of vehicles. I believe that every environment has its own sensations, and without limiting ourselves with preconceived ideas of beauty we could enjoy and appreciate many more of them – no matter from which period or culture they are.
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Should we be narrowing or widening our streets and roads?
Instead of looking at traffic in a sectoral way, an overall vision of urbanity is required. What is the role of a street in relation to the city and the ways of life of its inhabitants? In some places like India, roads are widened because traffic is choked in too narrow streets; this allows for a smoother and better connectivity of the overall city, but it also creates new barriers between neighborhoods. In Europe, for example, with alternative mobility systems available, wide roads are narrowed to re-create a denser urban fabric, traffic jams are tolerated again.
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Leading Change Through Education & Training Dr. Ammar Al Ojaili Associate Director, Takatuf Scholars Program
We sat down with Dr. Ammar Al Ojaili, Associate Director at the Takatuf Scholars Program in an exclusive interview to discuss why he became an educator, his philosophy on education, what
What are the qualities of an excellent teacher? Passion, open-mindedness, ability to read students and an insatiable thirst for knowledge
makes a great teacher, and the role of the community in helping educate young Omanis. This is what he had to say.
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We read a lot about creating "ecologically sound" communities, solar energy, conservation and sustainability. As an architect, what does all this mean to you? You have to look behind the scenes. Obviously, wind energy is positive, but when it has to be backed up by nuclear power the progress is zero. Ecological houses are good, but when they are located in disperse suburban areas and create lots of traffic the ecological effect is questionable. Regionalism is required, but when it is more about appearance than performance it might not be appropriate. These terms like, e.g. sustainability, regionalism, etc. don't mean much as superficial labels. However, what is needed to fill them with meaning is an integrative approach to thinking.
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If I you had the authority, would you make a law whereby every time someone built a building they’d have to put the name of the architect and the client above the door in big letters? There is this misconception of urban and architectural design as the work of a single genius. Making a building involves so much more than a single person’s eureka moment. An urban or architectural designer is a mediator between and translator of various, often contradictory concerns, constraints and wishes. This process can be spoiled as much by the egoism of an architect as by the last-minute interference of a client, the narrow-mindedness of a permission authority, an uninspired engineer or an unskilled builder. However, excellent buildings are as much the result of architects as of clients, lawmakers, engineers and builders.
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Defining Urban Design Urban design is the art of creating and shaping cities and towns. It involves the arrangement and design of buildings, public spaces, transport systems, services, and amenities. It is the process of giving form, shape, and character to groups of buildings, to whole neighbourhoods, and the city. It is a framework that orders the elements into a network of streets, squares, and blocks. Urban design blends architecture, landscape architecture, and city planning together to make urban areas functional and attractive.
What is your educational background? I studied construction engineering at Iowa State University, then followed that with an MSc in Project Management from the University of Manchester and PhD in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. In short, I trained to be an engineer.
What role does the community play in helping educate Oman’s youth? Major. It’s the community that engrains the desire to learn in the youth. When the community values education and what an educated person brings to them, then it helps its youth strive for education. The opposite is quite destructive to education. What do you want Takatuf Scholars to remember about
What was the most rewarding part of attending university? Making life-long friendships with people from all over the world and experiencing different cultures.
the program? The skills they have gained through the program and that their indebtedness to Oman for the opportunity they’ve been provided.
When did you decide to become involved in education and why
How should we be taking advantage of resources within the
did you choose this field? In 1996, right after graduation. I was impressed with a senior year lecturer’s desire and ability to facilitate learning and decided to follow a teaching career.
community to enhance the school learning experience? By moving the focus of learning away from the textbook to issues, problems and challenges that are affecting local communities and how they were and are being dealt with. When students see the direct application of what they are learning, they become engaged learners.
What is your philosophy on education? That it should be about facilitating learning and application of knowledge. What do you think is the greatest challenge facing Omani students today? Having the right skills required to successfully navigate tertiary education and a career. There is far too much focus on memorizing.
Further information on the Takatuf Scholars Program can be seen at: www.takatufscholars.com
What is the most difficult aspect of teaching today? Motivating students to want to learn.
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And Finally... “Increasingly, today’s tourists are looking for more than just the tick-box attractions, passport stamps and Instagram photos. They’re after genuine experiences that are memorable,” says Al Makhmari.
Oman’s Tourism Goes Hyperlocal
The demand for hyperlocal tourism activities is on the rise. Whether it is climbing mountains, crossing deserts, sailing, relaxing on a beach or shopping, tourists want an authentic experience. In fact, there is a large number of travelers who are looking for offbeat locations to get the local, unique real-life experience, a market worth around US$140 billion globally.
The cheap package holiday, bucket and spade culture and jetting off for two weeks of sun, sand and souvenirs is on the decline suggests Taleb Al Makhmari, Director General, Marketing & Media at Ithraa, and organizer of the annual Inside Stories initiative.
Research shows that when tourists are asked to describe their ideal holiday they use words like “authentic”, “discovery” as well as “relaxing”. “More and more often, they’re looking to experience distinctive, local culture, too,” pointed out Sajda Al Ghaithy, Ithraa’s Director of Media.
Today, there is a new type of tourism, one that could be described as deep travel, it is about getting under the skin of a place. Tourists seeking out authenticity, real experiences rather than fake culture packages made for the masses.
Al Ghaithy went on to say: “And it’s not just about attracting foreign tourists to Oman, our next happy customer could be closer to home. With a growing array of options available to local residents, from scuba diving, mountain biking, camping, sailing to exploring Oman’s forts and historic buildings the staycation trend is definitely getting stronger year-on-year. The growth in experiential travel is clearly being driven by a number of factors – not least, a consumer shift away from a desire for material possessions and towards an interest in actual experiences.”
“It’s about the appreciation of local distinctiveness, the idiosyncrasies and the detail, the things that make a place unique and special,” remarked Al Makhmari. “Tourism is going hyperlocal,” explains Ithraa’s Director General and the topic for the first session of Ithraa’s 2017 Inside Stories season held recently at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) Training Centre in Al Hail North. Generously supported by BP Oman, Al Mouj Muscat and PACA Inside Stories is a series of seven informal evening talks scheduled for 2017 that brings together Oman’s business community and public sector. Discussions focus on the opportunities and trends that are redefining what it means to be in, and start, a business today.
Talk to Us Tel: +968 24 62 33 00 Fax: +968 24 62 33 35 www.ithraa.om Ithraa, PO Box 25, Wadi Kabir 117, Sultanate of Oman.
The recent Inside Stories session was moderated by His Highness Sayyid Dr. Adham Al Said of Sultan Qabos University and panellists included: Mazen Khoury, Investment Director, Tourism & Culture, Oman Investment Fund; Eric Walters, Director, Hud Hud Travels; Gillian Taylor, Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre and Khalid Al Haribi, Deputy CEO for Operations, Riyada. Oman’s small businesses, particularly those working in the creative industries space, can certainly play a role in helping tourists realize their expectations, as well as supporting the local hotels they stay in and the airlines they travel on. “These were just some of the hyperlocal tourism issues we discussed,” concluded Al Makhmari.
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