The inauguration ceremony was held today at the Royal Academy of Management, under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Ali bin Amer Al Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, in the presence of a number of dignitaries, senior officials, and members of government digital transformation teams.

In his keynote address, H.E. Dr. Ali bin Amer Al Shidhani stated: “The Irtiqa program is a pioneering initiative within our ambitious national journey toward a prosperous digital future, aligned with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, which places people at the heart of development. Irtiqa serves as a strategic roadmap for government capacity-building, initially targeting members of digital transformation teams in 57 government entities. It also focuses on leaders implementing government digital transformation projects and initiatives through specialized educational programs carefully designed to empower them with cutting-edge knowledge, technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership skills. This will enhance government performance, keep pace with global developments, and position Oman among digitally advanced nations.”

He stressed that building national digital capabilities is the cornerstone of successful government digital transformation, describing Irtiqa as a qualitative leap in investing in human capital. H.E. Dr. Ali bin Qassim Al-Lawati, President of the Royal Academy of Management, highlighted the Academy’s strategic role: “Our participation as a strategic partner in implementing Irtiqa reflects our strong commitment to empowering a new generation of leaders, shaping Oman’s future, and guiding digital transformation pathways to support comprehensive national development. It embodies our vision of investing in human capital, a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, and contributes to the realization of Oman Vision 2040’s strategic objectives.”

He further emphasized: “Our ambition extends beyond preparing individual leaders; we seek to build an integrated national leadership ecosystem that is resilient, innovative, and capable of reinforcing Oman’s position as a pioneer in addressing global transformations, ensuring readiness for the future.” For his part, H.E. Dr. Saeed bin Hamad Al-Rubaie, President of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, noted: “The University values this partnership with the Ministry, as signing the Irtiqa program agreement reflects our commitment to sustainable education and research that drives a knowledge-based society and prepares national talents to compete globally. It further strengthens the University’s role as a leading institution in specialized technical higher education, contributing effectively to building national capacities for development.”

The ceremony also featured a presentation by Ms. Kawthar bint Ali Al-Hinai, Head of the National Capacity Building and Change Management Track within the National Program for Government Digital Transformation. She outlined the program’s core pillars and its significance in empowering national competencies, fostering knowledge transfer, and sustaining digital capabilities. A panel discussion followed under the theme “The Human at the Core of Digital Transformation”, with the participation of H.E. Dr. Ali Al Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry; Dr. Mundher bin Hilal Al-Busaidi, Deputy Head of Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Unit; and Dr. Ghalib bin Saif Al-Hosni, Chairman of OSHRM. The discussion highlighted the central role of people in leading digital transformation—not as passive technology recipients, but as active partners and innovators shaping the future and creating real impact.

A National Vision for Digital Excellence

The Irtiqa program aims to cultivate a generation of transformation leaders capable of driving innovation in government, enhancing service delivery, improving user experiences on digital platforms, and elevating quality of life for Omani citizens. It also seeks to advance a sustainable knowledge-based economy, built on the principle that digital knowledge is the new capital and a key driver of sustainable economic growth. The National Program for Government Digital Transformation (Tahawul) achieved an overall performance rate of 80% in the first half of 2025, compared to 73% in 2024. The average performance of government entities in meeting digital transformation requirements reached 81%, with 74% of priority services digitized. Moreover, 96% of targeted priority services were streamlined, and more than 11 million digital government transactions were completed in the first half of this year.

A Comprehensive National Program

Irtiqa is one of the flagship initiatives under the National Program for Government Digital Transformation’s “National Capacity Building and Change Management” track. It complements other strategic initiatives such as the Unified Government Services Portal—launched as a single gateway to digital government services—the National Open Data Platform, as well as pioneering projects including the Artificial Intelligence Studio, the Omani Large Language Model “Maeen,” the Digital Identity “Theqa,” and the development of Oman’s designated Artificial Intelligence Zone.

On the sidelines of COMEX 2025 Global Technology Exhibition, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, in cooperation with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, the Royal Academy of Management, and OSHRM, signed an agreement to implement the Irtiqa program. The initiative aims to create a pool of specialized Omani talents in digital transformation and advanced technologies, empowering them to lead Oman’s digital future.