Funding quality of higher education in Oman

The world over is focused on funding and expanding systems of higher education. The ability of the system and institutions of higher education to flourish is dependent on the amount of funding available of higher education institutions. Funding is a major growing expense for the Oman government (13%–14% of the total spending in 2016), and is at par with that of other governments (e.g. 11% in the UK and 15.5% in the US). However, there has been little investigation into the funding of higher education in Oman. The present research project aims to explore the sources of funding at Oman universities after it opened the private education sector in 1996. Our research methodology includes conducting an online survey in higher education to explore different types of funding (e.g. gifts, tuition fees, government support). The results showed that the main source of funding at the universities is the government (89.2%), while funds from other sources (e.g. student tuition fees, grants, gifts, and donations) were very low. It was also found that financial deficit could be mainly due to two reasons: The annual accumulation of financial deficit in a university's budget and the lack and/or irregularity of financial allocations to universities by the government. The participants proposed more recommendations such as building closer partnerships and improving the development of “mutually beneficial business arrangements” between the higher education and private sectors, as well as establishing more partnerships with industries and other educational institutions. This will enhance our understanding, as well as that of decision-makers, regarding universities' funding sources and of the higher education landscape.