The International Cooperation Office organised a field trip to the Wilayat of Bidiyyah in the North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, with the participation of 84 international students from the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of South Korea, and the Republic of Estonia. The trip formed part of the University’s cultural programmes aimed at promoting cultural exchange and familiarising international students with the tourism and natural assets of the Sultanate of Oman.

The programme featured a range of activities that provided students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of Oman’s desert environment and its rich natural and cultural diversity. Activities began with a four-wheel-drive tour across the sand dunes, allowing participants to explore the beauty of the desert and experience driving across its varied terrain. This was followed by sandboarding, which saw strong student engagement and helped foster a spirit of adventure. The programme also included group sporting activities designed to enhance communication and cooperation among students of different nationalities, in addition to a camel-riding experience, which represented a key cultural highlight and introduced participants to an important aspect of Oman’s desert heritage.

Organisers of the trip emphasised that such activities contribute to creating an inclusive learning environment beyond the classroom, helping international students to integrate into the local community and to build cultural and social relationships that enrich their academic experience in the Sultanate of Oman. They also noted that the selection of the Wilayat of Bidiyyah was due to its distinctive tourism and heritage features, which have made it one of the leading destinations for desert tourism.

This trip comes as part of SQU’s ongoing efforts, through the International Cooperation Office, to deliver cultural and recreational programmes alongside the educational process. These initiatives aim to introduce international students to Oman’s history, heritage, and diverse environment, while fostering the values of mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue, thereby enhancing the University’s image as an attractive international learning environment.