MUSCAT: GHEDEX Oman’s Official Higher Education Exhibition launched its Future Skills & HRD Conference & Awards at the Crowne Plaza, Qurum 0n 6^th December 2021. The Event is supported by Ministry of Higher Education, Research & Innovation (MOHERI), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Labor (MOL), Oman Academic Accreditation Authority and Quality Assurance (OAAQA) and partnered with Oman Information Technology Society (OITS), Oman Society of Petroleum Services (OPAL), Oman Society of Education Technology (OSET) and many other governments and non-government agencies working to development of future skills and human resource development in light of the forces of 4^th Industrial Revolution. 

Amr Abdullah Baabood CEO said “We at GHEDEX understand that being proactive is crucial because the skills people will need to succeed in their current and future jobs will constantly evolve. Future Skills & HRD Conference will offer the most engaging & networking platform for talent development leaders, learning heads, human resources, and business leaders along with policymakers and influencers to discuss the gaps, find solutions and ideas through focusing on several areas such as AI, Cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain and more which compile with Oman Vision 2040 goals. this platform will enhance the skills of youth and develop their abilities to be successful leaders.”. 

HE Bakhit Ahmed Al Mahri – Undersecretary of Higher Education inaugurated the 3-day Conference as the Chief Guest. Several Undersecretaries, Ambassadors, C Level Executives, Deans, Professors, and Students were also invited to attend the 1^st Edition of Future Skills & HRD – GHEDEX Series.  

Sadiq Khan – Group COO of Arabian Research Bureau said “Future Skills & HRD Conference will offer the most engaging platform for talent development leaders, learning heads, human resources and business leaders along with policymakers and influencers to discuss challenges, exchange ideas and create solutions in the skill and learning space, to help the organizations and people. While most jobs will be lost and many more will be created”. With increased digitization at workplaces, a focus on continuous and multi-generational upskilling and reskilling are deemed more important than ever. There is a desperate need to identify skill gaps, opportunities to reskill and to learn new technologies in the workspace to stay productive, active & indispensable. The gap between education and employment will be bridged through this initiative. 

The 3-day Hybrid Conference (face2face + Online) brings together Universities, Colleges, Authorities, Scientists, Experts, Professors and Students discussing hot topics with the over 65 Future Skills and Human Resource Development Global Specialists as speakers with Senior and Middle Management as delegates discussing the latest and next major trends in Future Skills & HRD as well as the challenges that lie ahead in building an efficient Skills driven organization, How to have the most impact and how to improve capabilities of their workforce. The conference will provide you with latest in-depth information on the Future Skills & HRD heading towards the 4IR – 4^th industrial revolution. 

Majan University College were the Diamond Sponsors and National University of Science & Technology were the Gold Sponsors, while Muscat University, Scientific College of Design, Muscat College were the Silver Sponsors supporting the cause and raising awareness.  

The Event also had Special recognition for Future Skills & HRD to recognize and honor Associations, Companies, Ministries and Academia’s which are in for setting up exceptional practices and achievements in their work, judged by over 15 High Profile Experts. The Competition was close and tough. The Award winners have demonstrated how Future Skills and HR can boost corporate performance, improve customer experience, and drive product creation, sales, and economic success. 

The Award Winners were; 

BEST IN AI – Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) 

BEST IN IoT – Majan University College 

BEST IN HEALTH & WELLBEING – Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) 

BEST IN LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT – Global Computer Services 

BEST IN ROBOTICS – Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa 

BEST IN 3D PRINTING – German University of Technology in Oman 

BEST IN CLOUDTECH – Datamount S.A.O.C Company 

BEST IN CLOUDTECH – National University of Science & Technology 

BEST IN DRONES – Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) 

EMPLOYER OF CHOICE – Oman Environmental Service Holding Company S.A.O.C (B’eah) 

BEST IN FUTURE TECHNOLOGY – Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa 

BEST IN PEOPLE & CULTURE _PROTIVITI – Oman Member Firm 

There was a tie in the Contestants which won the highest number of awards was given the title of BEST OF BEST – which went to Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa 

A Housefull Hybrid Summit with 225 people seated and upto 500 on zoom opened with Keynote address from Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi – Chairman of Oman Information Technology Society – OITS where he spoke about how the society will make oman a leader in information communication technology regionally and globally. The society will work with corporate, government, academia and individuals to make a big difference. He was the CEO of Information Technology Authority and wishes to use this experience to further and broaden the outreach. 

Dr. Amer Al Rawas – Chairman of Oman Society for Petroleum Services – OPAL spoke from his experience as a Global Professor, New Vision University – Georgia on how Future Skills will disrupt and how new skills need to be developed all the time. 

Dr. Abdullah Saleh Baabood – Chair of The State of Qatar for Islamic Area Studies & Visiting Professor to Waseeda University, Japan focused on Study in Oman; how Omani universities, colleges and schools can achieve local, regional and global high ranking and announced the formation of an advisory board, thinktank of thought leaders to take this framework forward. GEHDEX will hold Conference on Quality in Higher Education and Awards for Excellence in Higher Education as a catalyst to ensure that all institutions have the required knowledge and skills to be able to make Oman’s education economy a reality. 

 Dr. Sultan Al Yahyai – Co-founder – Code Academy explained the Oman Future Skill Framework and what the leaders of Oman Education, Government and Corporate world need to do. 

A Special Panel discussion on Skills for Future Jobs with the CEO’s of Future Skills & HRD in the panelist, Dr, Jamil Darwish Alshaqsi – Asst. Professor in Machine Learning and Data Mining at SQU and OITS was the chair of the panel with panelist including; Dr. Ahmed Dabbagh – Director of Professional Services at Mohammed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Hussain Al Salmi – Acting Rector at GUTech and CEO of Oman Educational Services LLC, Saud Said Al Zakwani – Head of Data Science at PDO, Kamilya Al Lamki – Head of New World School, Muscat, Laila Abdullah Al Hadhrami – Smart Cities Development Manager at OITS, Warith AL Kharusi – Chairman of MAHARAT and Aditya Khimji – MD of Seeracom. 

There were sessions from Skills and HR Experts on Impact of 4^th Industrial Revolution on Industrial Jobs like 4IR : is it about humanizing robots or Automating Human being by Dr. Aymen Al Fudhaili – Acting CEO of Madayn Academy, Exploring the impact of AI on jobs & The Cloud Talent Gap by Areej Alshaibani Director of HR at Ministry of Transportation, Communications & Information Technology, Stackable Credentials to Soften the impact of 4IR on jobs by Dr. Senthil Nathan – MD of Edu Alliance LTD, The impact of 4IR on Employment by Dr. Zahra Rashid Al Rawahi – CEO of Artificial Intelligence Academy, Marketing Analytics and its impact on Organization Success by Dr. Ammar Al Balushi – Head of Faculty of Business Management at Majan University College, A Personal Experience in working with Digital Workforce by Fatma Al Mukhaini – Robotics Process Automation Developer at PDO and You are Awesome by Dr. Alex Jones – Asst. Professor at American University in the Emirates, UAE 

The Future Skills & HRD Summit 2021 organized by Arabian Research Bureau – ARB will be on for two more days with more than 45 more topics to learn from, face to face as well online on zoom. As the organizers of GHEDEX since 2000, Arabian Research Bureau – ARB / OITE are proud of the significant role their event has played in Oman’s quality of Higher Education and its transformation.