Muscat: The Research and Innovation Authority has announced that registration for the second edition of the Innovation Centers Support Program will open as of next Wednesday. The program targets both public and private higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman.
According to Oman News Agency, the Authority has invited institutions wishing to benefit from the program to submit their support applications electronically via the Research Information Management System (RIMS), noting that the registration window will remain open until the 1st of next September.
The program serves as a foundational pillar for investing in knowledge and fostering an innovation-conducive climate for entrepreneurship. It directly contributes to elevating the Sultanate of Oman's standing in global indicators-including the Global Innovation Index and the Global Competitiveness Index-in alignment with the national aspirations set forth in the "Oman 2040" Vision.
Najah Mohammed Al Rashdi, Acting Director General of the Innovation Center, explained that the Innovation Centers Support Program is designed to establish new innovation centers, empower existing ones, and enhance the services they offer to innovators.
She noted that through this program, the Authority aims to enrich the national economy with innovation-driven startups by developing competitive innovative products and services. Additionally, the program seeks to strengthen the role of universities and colleges in building a tangible knowledge-based economy, provide a safe and supportive environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to develop their ideas, and ultimately transform higher education institutions into entrepreneurial entities capable of production and meaningful impact.
She added that the program offers joint financial and technical support distributed across two main tracks, covering up to 50% of the total approved cost. The first track-the Establishment Track-focuses on creating entirely new innovation centers and equipping them with the necessary devices and systems, with funding of up to RO 400,000 awarded to the institution on a one-time basis.
The second track-the Empowerment Track-is concerned with developing and upgrading existing centers to increase their productivity and improve their services, with funding of up to RO 100,000.
She further noted that the program's first edition supported three institutions under the Empowerment Track, alongside two institutions under the Establishment Track, reflecting the Authority's ongoing efforts to strengthen the innovation ecosystem within higher education institutions.
She pointed out that the application acceptance criteria require that the applicant be one of the licensed higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman and possess the financial capacity to manage and co-fund the center in partnership with the Authority. Furthermore, the institution must have a clear policy in place for the protection of innovators' intellectual property rights.
She affirmed that through this program, the Authority aims to position the Sultanate of Oman as a regional and global hub for innovation and technology, to contribute effectively to the achievement of "Oman Vision 2040" targets, and to build a knowledge-based economy. The program is also intended to enhance the global ranking of Omani higher education institutions, improve the Sultanate of Oman's standing in international indices, and contribute to converting knowledge and research into tangible financial and economic returns.