Affirming its belief that academic advising is an institutional responsibility and a professional partnership that empowers students to make informed academic decisions and successfully navigate their educational journeys, the University has launched a new academic advising system. This milestone represents a significant step in advancing academic practice and enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
This achievement follows two years of sustained effort, during which the University worked to develop an integrated system that addresses previous challenges, while establishing a clear governance and management framework to define roles and improve the effectiveness of academic advising at all levels.
The new system marks a genuine qualitative shift in the educational services provided by the University. It introduces a new phase in academic advising, grounded in a comprehensive governance and management model aligned with international standards and best practices. Through this system, many aspects of academic advising will be automated, facilitating the process for all stakeholders, including academic advisers, students and administrative staff responsible for monitoring and evaluating advising at SQU.
To introduce the system, the University organised an orientation programme outlining its structure and governance. The programme included key stages highlighting the development journey of the system, from its initial design and implementation to its governance and management dimensions. It also showcased supporting systems and practical digital applications, such as the academic advising webpage and the electronic advising system, reflecting the University’s ongoing digital transformation in this area. The programme further included discussion sessions to encourage the exchange of views and foster shared understanding.
The event was attended by several deans, centre directors, assistant deans for undergraduate studies, faculty members, students, and representatives of the Royal Navy of Oman. The system was officially launched under the patronage of Prof. Salim bin Hamoud Al-Harthi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Community Service.
The academic advising system aims to strengthen institutional integration by ensuring coordination among all units involved in advising and its support, while standardising practices in a way that respects the specific nature and needs of each academic programme. It also seeks to organise efforts through a clear framework that ensures efficiency and quality in implementation, institutionalise academic advising through a comprehensive administrative and organisational structure, and reinforce the University’s institutional vision by highlighting its role in academic advising to all stakeholders.
The system is built around three main components: governance, management and the system itself. Governance represents the institutional perspective and organisational structure defined within the academic advising procedures that regulate and evaluate advising across the University. Management oversees the advising system, evaluates its performance, ensures effective implementation in line with established procedures, and coordinates with supporting units across the University.
At the heart of the system is the Academic Advising Unit, which is responsible for managing the system and operates under the Deanship of Admission and Registration. The unit promotes a strong culture of academic advising by developing policies, regulations and guidelines, coordinating efforts, and providing support to all University units offering advising services. The academic advising webpage serves as a comprehensive digital platform, enabling stakeholders to access relevant information and open data, including policies and guidance materials, as well as responses to general enquiries. Meanwhile, the electronic advising portal functions as an interactive tool linked to the student information system, providing all necessary data to facilitate advising efficiently, while enabling the structured and accurate documentation of academic consultations and guidance.