OIRED

Oman

Virginia Tech – Oman Program

Virginia Tech partnership with the OTE Group of Companies—a large Omani multinational corporation dealing in automobiles, consumer electronics and household appliances—to establish a science and technology-based university in Oman.

Year: 2008 - [open-ended]
Private Sponsorship: OTE Group
Location: Muscat, Oman 

Virginia Tech is partnering with the OTE Group—a consortium of companies selling commercial vehicles, special equipment, electronics, and home appliances—to establish a university in Oman. The university will feature a science and technology-based curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students.
A formal partnership with the OTE Group began in October 2007 when six Virginia Tech faculty members visited Oman. John Dooley, Vice President for Outreach and International Affairs, and Patrick Guilbaud, Director of IT for OIRED and the project contact, were among the six representatives.

Two-year partnership
Under the arrangement, which is expected to last at least two years, Virginia Tech faculty and staff are assisting in establishing educational programs and cooperative relationships with other institutions. The Virginia Tech representatives are also helping secure the necessary government and accreditation approvals. 
The new university will offer three major areas of study: engineering, business, and science. Additionally, students will be able to specialize within these areas of study.

Endeavor opens up educational opportunities
“This new endeavor will provide Omani youth with wider educational opportunities to generate the scientists and engineers Oman needs,” says S.K. De Datta, Associate Vice President for International Affairs and Director of OIRED. “Through this partnership, Virginia Tech can expand its global reach and forge an educational partnership that will mutually benefit both universities and their host countries.” 
Virginia Tech faculty involved:

  • John Dooley, vice president for outreach and international affairs
  • Patrick Guilbaud, IT director for OIRED
  • Jerry Via, assistant dean of biological sciences
  • Anne Moore, associate vice president for learning technologies
  • Lance Matheson, associate professor of business information technology
  • Vinod Lohani, associate professor of engineering
Sultan Qaboos University Faculty Meet

 

 

 

 

Vinod Lohani and Patrick Guilbaud meet with a member of the engineering faculty at Sultan Qaboos University.
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Anne Moore receives a present from Professor Amer Ali Al-Rawas, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Post Graduate Studies and Research at Sultan Qaboos University.
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John Dooley and Lance Matheson speak with Mr. Zaher Sulaiman Al-Zakwani, Director of the Office of International Relations at Sultan Qaboos University, and  Mr. Abdullah Mohamed Al-Hakmani of the OTE group.
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The group that went to Oman in the fall of 2007, left to right:

Jerry Via, Patrick Guilbaud, John Dooley, Anne Moore, Vinod Lohani, and Lance Matheson.
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Members of the Virginia Tech team meet with His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sarmi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education of  the Sultanate of Oman and representatives of the OTE Group.