The second edition of the Student Graduation Projects Showcase for the 2025/2026 academic year was inaugurated this morning under the patronage of Her Highness Sayyida Dr. Muna bint Fahd Al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation, in the presence of Professor Salim bin Hamoud Al-Harthi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Community Service, alongside several college deans, academic faculty members, university officials, participating students, and representatives of sponsoring organisations. The exhibition was held at the Conference Hall.
In his opening remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Community Service welcomed attendees and emphasised the importance of the exhibition in showcasing students’ academic and research capabilities. He highlighted its role in fostering an environment of innovation and creativity while linking educational outcomes to the needs of society and the labour market. He also noted that the exhibition provides students with a valuable opportunity to present their ideas and experiences to specialists and interested audiences.
Engineer Azzan bin Qais Al-Kindi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rihal, also delivered a speech in which he reflected on his personal experience with a graduation project. He stressed the importance of initiative and perseverance in pursuing innovative ideas rather than following conventional paths. He explained that a spirit of challenge and teamwork enabled a graduation project to evolve into an innovative venture that gained international recognition and won a global award.
He further highlighted the importance of leveraging AI technologies to develop larger and more impactful projects, enabling students to focus on creativity and the development of competitive, innovative solutions. He added that the skills students acquire today in problem-solving and defending their ideas are essential requirements in both the labour market and the field of entrepreneurship.
Following this, Dr. Said bin Salim Al-Ismaili, Head of the Department of Soil, Water and Agricultural Engineering at the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, delivered a presentation on the Innovative Framework Programme for Strategic Undergraduate Student Projects. He explained that the programme represents an innovative system designed to transform student projects from short-term experiences into a cumulative and sustainable pathway through which achievements can be built upon over the years, thereby strengthening students’ role in creating value and impact. He also outlined several of the programme’s targeted tracks, including education, economy, and sustainable data, in addition to related sub-fields.
Dr. Aziza bint Saleh Al-Sawafi, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Registration for Registration and Project Manager for the Gradual Transformation to the Entrepreneurial University Model, also presented the key features of the initiative, which aligns with the priorities of the university’s strategic plans and Oman Vision 2040. She explained that the project seeks to establish an integrated educational ecosystem that promotes entrepreneurial thinking and innovation while empowering students and researchers to develop their creative and competitive skills. She also highlighted the project’s emphasis on strengthening partnerships with various sectors locally and internationally.
Dr. Al-Sawafi further reviewed several anticipated outcomes of the project, including the development of entrepreneurial education and training, the incubation of innovative ideas, support for start-ups, enhancement of entrepreneurial awareness, and the transformation of innovative outputs into products and services capable of meeting labour market demands.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, sponsors and participants were honoured, followed by the official opening of the exhibition, which featured a wide range of student graduation projects from various academic disciplines.