OQN Guidlines

v8, last updated 30 September 2006.

1. Definition

The Oman Quality Network (OQN) is an independent, not-for-profit network of Omani Higher Education Providers (HEPs) focused on quality enhancement in higher education.

The OQN is a collegiate national network of Higher Education Providers HEPs, Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and Oman Accreditation Council (OAC) representatives.   is concerned with developing a strong and vibrant higher education sector by improving quality in higher education within the Sultanate of Oman. It aims to build a quality conscious, knowledge rich higher education sector through the sharing of ideas, strategies, research, and practices that inform the pursuit of quality improvement. 

Together all parties will work to continue to build on our collective strengths for the benefit of higher education sector in the Sultanate of Oman.

  1. The OQN membership will comprise representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, and two representatives from each HEP.
  2. HEP representatives should hold senior positions and have quality assurance responsibilities, e.g. Associate Deans (Academic), Managers (Quality).
  3. In the interest in furthering the Omanisation policy, at least one representative should be Omani. The OQN understands that this may require a wider pool of representatives, outside of the criteria as abovementioned.
  4. Membership will attract a yearly nominal fee from HEPs (note: this is an institutional sponsorship fee).
  1. To share good practices, strategies, research and development in relation to the enhancement of quality in higher education.
  2. To provide feedback to the Ministry of Higher Education and other agencies, as appropriate, on proposed standards, policies and processes.
  3. To raise the capability and professional skills of the sector in quality enhancement and quality assurance.
  4. To conduct regular meetings for the purposes of discussing priority topics.
  5. To identify and prioritise professional development training needs for the sector.
  6. To commission the development of training modules in quality enhancement.
  7. To conduct an annual Oman Quality Network Conference or Forum.
  8. To establish and participate regularly in online communications / discussions on issues of quality enhancement and assurance.
  9. To establish working parties on various priority topics as the need arises.
  10. To establish a database of network member details and expertise for the purposes of sharing capability across the sector.
  11. To encourage members to document their good practice, and experiences about successes, failures and lessons learned through systemic inquiry and reflection.
  12. To conduct or commission research into quality enhancement and improvement on priority topics.
  13. To publish a regular newsletter with contributions from the whole higher education sector.
  14. To review its performance against its objectives on at least an annual basis.

Includes Private Colleges and Universities and Government Colleges (including specialist Colleges and Institutes)

  1. The network will form an Executive Committee whose members shall be nominated via the OQN membership. The Executive Committee shall include the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and at least three elected members. This Committee will have delegated authority to conduct the operational business of the OQN between meetings.
    • Executive Committee members must be representatives of the Oman Quality Network.
    • They should be respected amongst their peers in the higher education sector for their commitment to improving quality in their field or area of responsibility.
    • They should engender trust amongst their peers, having demonstrated their competency and integrity in their field or area of responsibility.
  1. Membership of the steering committee will be based on a two yearly term. Membership will not be renewable for more than two consecutive terms.
  2. Network meetings will be held on a monthly basis at HEP locations on a rotational basis.
  3. The OQN will receive secretarial and website support through the Oman Accreditation Council and professional support from the Directorate General Private Universities and Colleges, Ministry of Higher Education.
  4. The Ministry of Higher Education will from time to time make available expert advice to the network.
  5. Members shall from time to time communicate their contact details (including email account or fax) to the Secretary of the OQN and advise of any changes which may occur.
  1. All members have in common a desire to advance the quality of Omani higher education.
  2. The OQN is a network of the whole higher education sector, including private and public institutions. It is not an instrument of the government nor a mechanism for conducting campaigns outside of the quality agenda by the HEPs.
  3. The OQN is a network of equal peers.  All leadership roles in the network will be shared.
  4. The OQN will share, in good faith, information about successes, failures and lessons learned in quality assurance.
  5. Nothing shared in the OQN will be used in a manner detrimental to any OQN member. All materials shared will be referenced to their source in the expected manner.
  6. Although HEPs may compete on a number of levels, the OQN recognizes that we can achieve things together that we could not achieve individually.
  7. The OQN will periodically review its activities and progress in relation to raising the capacity of the sector in quality enhancement and quality assurance.
  1. The Executive Committee will establish a joint account under the name of “Oman Quality Network” that requires at least 2 signatories.
  2. The Oman Quality Network will deposit its fund in its own bank account in one of the authorized  banks in the Sultanate but, informing MoHE in writing regarding this issue and any changes that might occur in this regard.
  3. The Ministry of Higher Education will ensure that signatories are appropriately nominated from the Executive Committee.
  4. The network will have an Annual Budget and Final Account prepared according to the accounting procedures. If the annual budget of the network reaches 25,000 OMR, a chartered auditor should be assigned to review & audit the final account of the network. Auditors will be provided gratis by member institutions on a rotating basis.
  5. The Executive Committee of the network will prepare at the beginning of each year a planned budget which includes the items that should be spent for administrative affairs and other activities.
  6. The Treasurer will be responsible for the daily account management issues related to finances of the Oman Quality Network (OQN) including ensuring that all members are invoiced correctly and maintain their paid up status.
  7. The network has the right to invest the surplus from its financial resources in earned-return activities to insure a permanent financial resource without affecting its activities.
  8. The network is allowed to accept donations & gifts.
  9. The Treasurer will ensure that the balance sheet is properly maintained and updated for the OQN account.
  10. The income and property of the OQN shall be used and applied solely in promotion of its purposes and the exercise of its powers as set out in these Guidelines.
  11. No income or property of the OQN is to be distributed, paid or transferred directly or indirectly as a dividend, bonus or profit to any member.

The following provides a description of proposed expenditure and income items that may require consideration in determining an appropriate sponsorship fee.

Draft Yearly Budget - Oman Quality Network

Proposed Expenditure Per unit Quantity Total (OMR)
Newsletter      
Design     500
Production 5 200 1,000
Catering (provided gratis by institutions)      
Monthly meetings 1.5 x 60 people 90 12 0
Executive Committee meetings 1.5 x 7 10.5 5 0
Training program module development     0
International expert consultancy fees x 3 invited experts 300 3 days x 3 2,700
Travel 2000 3 6,000
Accommodation 100 4 nights x 3 1,200
Subsistence 100 3 days x 3 900
Annual Forum - underwriting costs     2,500
Website maintenance (provided gratis by the OAC)     0
Facilitation and Administrative Support (provided gratis by the MoHE and OAC)     0
Total Expenditure     14,800
Proposed Income
HEI sponsorship fees* 250 44 11,000
Sponsorships (to be determined)     5,000
Total Income (in OMR)     16,000

*sponsorship fee to be confirmed by the Oman Quality Network

The Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee of the Oman Quality Network (OQN) shall comprise 6 members.
  2. Membership of the Executive Committee will be based on a two yearly term. Membership will not be renewable for more than two consecutive terms.
  3. If an Executive Committee member should resign before the end of their term, the Executive Committee may co-opt an OQN member to that position for the duration of that term.
  4. The Executive Committee will be elected from eligible members of the Oman Quality Network.
  5. Each eligible member institution may nominate two people to the Executive Committee, however only one shall be a staff member of their own institution.
  6. Nominations will be called by and should be sent to Ms Fakriya Al Habsi by email at (fakhriya@oac.gov.om) or Fax: 24475168 as requested.
  7. All nominations will be disclosed to members after this date through the OQN website.
  8. If more than 6 nominations are received for the Executive Committee, members will be asked once again to nominate a smaller group of representatives in a second round of nominations.
  9. Representatives will receive communication referring them to the OQN website to cast their nominations.
  10. Only representatives are eligible to nominate the Executive Committee representatives.
  11. Representatives will only nominate once in any given nomination process.
  12. At the completion of the  nomination process, after nominees have been informed of results, the nominated members of the Executive Committee will be posted on the OQN website
  13. At the first meeting of the Executive Committee, the Committee will delegate amongst themselves the following roles
    • Chair
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer

Meeting Procedures

  1. At least 5 meetings of the OQN shall be conducted in any one year, with locations rotating amongst member institutions.
  2. Each calendar year, an Annual General Meeting of the OQN will be held where members will receive a report from the Chair and Treasurer in relation to achievements of the OQN, and a financial statement.
  3. OQN members will receive notice of a meeting no later than two weeks prior to the meeting date.
  4. Members who wish to add items to the meeting agenda will email items to Ms Fakriya Al Habsi by email at (fakhriya@oac.gov.om) or Fax: 24475168 no later than 5 working days prior to the meeting date.