During his visit the Vice-Chancellor attended a series of Ministerial level meetings to discuss collaboration and research in the education, commerce, industry and trade sectors, hosted  Alumni events and held discussions with the Vice-Chancellor  and senior team at Oman’s Sultan Qaboos University about continuing co-operation between the two institutions.   

Swansea University uses its research strength, collaboration with industry and global reach, to drive economic growth, foster prosperity, enrich the community and cultural life of Wales, and contribute to the health, leisure and wellbeing of its citizens. Nevertheless there is a limit to how much a single university can achieve, and Swansea University is actively pursuing an international strategy to partner with other universities across the world in order to tackle more ambitious problems and challenges together.

Swansea University signed a memorandum of understanding with Sultan Qaboos University almost fifteen years ago. This visit, constituted a part of the University’s efforts to establish meaningful strategic partnership with selected universities from around the world. With SQU, we wanted to discuss partnerships in selected disciplines through collaborative research and student and staff exchanges. Oil and gas, alternative energy, translation and Arabic studies, and medicine are some of the areas where both universities can collaborate.

Commenting on his meeting with topic officials of Sultan Qaboos University Professor Richard B. Davies, the Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University said:

“ Our meeting was unusual in that there was such evident warmth and a meeting of minds within minutes of discussing the commonality of purpose of both universities. Reassuringly it was also clear that both universities are focused on achieving outcomes rather than talk. Our University’s new Energy and Safety Research Institute (ESRI) focuses and grows our engineering strengths and our relevance for the energy industry.

“ Wales is a major European centre for the import of oil and gas products and the growing European interest in shale gas. Linking with high quality institutions in countries where oil and gas are significant both in terms of expertise and resource seemed to be a natural ambition.  Exploring alternative energy sources is also a strategic aim of many countries.  Already significant research is underway in Swansea University around photovoltaics and coating technologies and we want to position ourselves with partners appropriately.

“ Arabic language has been taught at Swansea University as an extra curricula subject and has proved to be popular with students. We would like to capitalise on this and our expertise in Translation Studies by introducing Arabic language and translation in our curriculum. We are also keen to explore opportunities for student mobility to enable students to gain a cultural and historical appreciation of Arabic.”

Building on the success of the Vice Chancellor's recent visit, Swansea University  will be working to establish stronger links between academics to discuss mutually beneficial academic and research programmes for students.

The next immediate steps following the visit include contact from Swansea University Engineering through Professor Nidal Hilal, a world class expert in membrane technologies including the desalination and decontamination of fluids, and Professor Andrew Barron, internationally renowned in the field of Materials Science, who will be visiting with a delegation early in the New Year.

Swansea University has a long tradition in Engineering and Science including working with multinational companies. The University achieved the highest growth in world-leading and international-quality research activity in the UK - a 207% increase on the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), whereas the average increase in England was 6%. In Civil Engineering the University ranked second in the UK, and in General Engineering ranked fifth. Medicine ranked seventh in its category. The University delivers an outstanding student experience, with research-led and practice-driven teaching of the highest quality that produces global graduates educated and equipped for distinguished personal and professional achievement.

Picture 1: Professor Richard B Davies, the Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University with HE Dr Mohammed Al-Hammadi , Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Higher Education, Qatar .

Picture 2: Professor Richard B. Davies, the Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University with HE Hamed Al Balushi. Director General External Scholarship, Ministry of Higher Education, Oman.