Department of PublicRelations and InformationSultan Qaboos University

Issue 298

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Low GI Diet Can Help Reduce Weight

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Mohamed Salem Al Ghailani

Editorial Supervision

Santhosh MuthalathSenior Editor

Sara Al GheilaniNasebah Al Muharrami

Translation

Ahlam Al WahaibiDesign & Layout

Photography Dept., CETPhotography

Salim Al SudairiDistribution

Horizon invites contributions from SQU members of staff and faculty. Contributions in the form of articles, news, travelogues, stories of unique and interesting experiences, encounters, etc., are wel-come. Contributions may be edited for the sake of clarity and length. Please send your contributions to horizon@squ.edu.om preferably, as MSWord attachments. Authors will be suitably credited.

The views and opinions expressed in the articles published in this newsletter are those of the authors and are not to be construed as the official views of the publication. Horizon is published three times a month by the Department of Public Relations and Information, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 50, P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Phone: +968 24141045 Fax: +968 24413 391E-mail: horizon@squ.edu.om Website: www.squ.edu.om

10 November 2014 P2

@SQU-infoSQU-info

Sultan Qaboos University has become of the seven World Trade Organiza-tion (WTO) Chairs awarded in 2014 through a highly competitive selection process involving 77 academic institutions. On behalf of Roberto Azevêdo , Director-General, David Shark, Deputy Director-General of WTO officially launched the WTO Chairs Program at SQU and at the same time launched the first Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) for the Arab and Middle East region organized jointly between the Sultan Qaboos University and the WTO secretariat.

The WTO Secretariat was assisted in the selection process by an external Ad-visory Body, comprised of 21 experienced scholars whose role was to ensure the academic quality of outputs generated by Chair holders and perform as advisors to the Chairs Program. The Deputy Director General himself men-tioned that the establishment of the WTO Chair at the SQU and the fact that the University was selected to host an 8 week RTPC was recognition of the University’s commitment and leadership to educate generations of leaders in Oman and in the Arab region. This is testimony to the dedication of its leaders to academic excellence, and preparing the new generations for the challenges of tomorrow. The role of academic institutions remains essential in creating capacity at home through local academic training programs. The Chair will get financial and scientific support for a period of four years.

WTO’s aim is create a network of academic and research institutions to share knowledge and experience. SQU has joined a network of 21 Chairs and will now be one of four universities located in the Arab and Middle East region. In addition to Oman, this includes, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. Knowledge is not produced to be compartmentalized or segmented but, on the contrary, WTO will act as a catalyst to support the dissemination of all kind of peda-gogical materials produced and related to trade policy analysis.

The WTO promotes research and pertinent curriculum development on WTO-related issues, and reinforces the relationship between the WTO and the aca-demic community both at the national and regional level. Let us hope that the Chair in SQU will contribute to enhancing the participation of Oman in the multilateral trading system and will play a critical role at the regional level.

Recognition of Commitment

News Update

P3 10 November 2014

A research paper presented by three researchers attached to the Com-munication & Information Research Centre (CIRC) and the College of Engineering at Sultan Qaboos University, has bagged the best paper award at the 5th International Conference on ICT Convergence 2014 with the theme of “ICT Convergence towards Hyper-Connected Soci-ety” which was held in Busan, South Korea, from 22nd to 24th of Octo-ber 2014. ICTC is a unique global premier event for researchers, indus-try professionals, and academics, organized by KICS, Korea, with the technical co-sponsorship of IEEE Communications Society and IEICE Communications Society, which aims at interacting with and dissemi-nating information on the latest developments in the emerging indus-trial convergence centered around the information and communication technologies.

A total of 549 papers were submitted in this conference out of which the paper from CIRC, SQU, entitled “Improving Reachability of Multi-Hop Alert Messages Dissemination in VANETs”, was selected as a Best Pa-per in ICTC 2014. Osama Hussain Rehman the first author, and Profes-sors Hadj Bourdoucen and Mohamed Ould Khaoua, who co-authored the paper, said that they were honored by achieving one out of the five Best Paper Awards that was presented at the conference Banquet event on 23rd of October 2014. “We were delighted to represent Sultan Qa-boos University at the ICTC 2014 conference, especially at the award ceremony event”, they said. Osama Hussain is a PhD student enrolled in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering of the College of Engineering, SQU. The research paper presented by SQU in this con-ference came out from a research grant project funded by TRC to CIRC.

A delegation from SQU headed by H E Dr. Ali Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor, attended the international conference on “Women of Oman: Changing Roles & Transnational Influence” organized by Ken-nesaw State University, USA, and sponsored by Sultan Qaboos Cultur-al Center, Oman. The conference, held on 7 November at Kennesaw State University, addressed how the increased participation of women

Sultan Qaboos University celebrated the Omani Women’s Day under the theme “Women and the economy” in the courtyard of the Universi-ty Cultural Center, under the patronage of HH Sayyidah Dr.Mona bint Fahad Al Said, SQU Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Coop-eration, and in the presence of a number of members of the academic and technical, medical and administrative bodies at the university. At the ceremony, HH Sayyidah Dr.Mona bint Fahad Al Said gave a welcoming speech in which she lauded the contributions of the Omani women employed in medical, technical, academic and administrative fields of the university, in the progress of the institution, mentioning the numbers of female staff and students at the university, 1581 and 8776 respectively. According to statistics, 27 women are employed as medical doctors, 86 hold doctorate degree, 177 hold master’s degree and 828 women possess bachelor degree. At the end of her speech, HH Dr. Mona Al Said called upon the female Omani staff to continue their efforts and fulfill their duties to the society.

This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Abeer Al Jas-sim, and attended by Malak Al Shaibani, Director General, National Business Centre, Leena bint Jubair Al Bastaki, owner of Misk Muscat International, and Mariam Al Alawi, owner of Wassm Media. The par-ticipants shared the stories of their success as entrepreneurship and explained how the strike balance in their lives as employees and en-trepreneurs. The panel discussion was followed by an interactive ses-sion. Thereafter, HH Sayyidah Dr.Mona bint Fahad Al Said honored the ladies who participated in the panel discussion. At the end of the function there was a photo session.

SQU Researchers Bag Best Paper Award at ICTC 2014

SQU Marks Omani Women’s Day

SQU Delegation Attends US Conference on Omani Women

in public life has led to cultural change in Oman as well as the entire Arabian Peninsula. Presentation topics examined the role of women in the family, the workforce, and in popular culture. Kennesaw State University is celebrating the Arabian Peninsula during the 2014-2015 academic year. The university is hosting a series of events, lectures, conferences, and other activities throughout the year designed to promote a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the Arabian Peninsula.

In his visit to the USA, H E Dr. Ali Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor of SQU, is accompanied by H.H. Sayyidah Mona bint Fahad Al Said, Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Cooperation, Mr. Salah Al Din Al Sadi, Acting Director of In-ternational Relations Office, and Dr. Hilal Al Sabti, Senior Con-sultant and Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at SQU Hospital. During the US visit, the delegation met the “Year of Arabian Peninsula Learning Community” and student leaders at Kenne-saw State University. The delegation will visit Kennestone Hos-pital in addition to meeting Dr. Lance Askildson, Vice-Provost for Global Affairs and Chief International Officer and the Deans of various colleges at Kennesaw State University.

Insight

10 November 2014 P4

The consumption of low Glycemic Index (GI) diets by female stu-dents living on campus at Sultan Qaboos University, appeared to be a major determinant of their weight status independent of their physical activity level. Students consumed low GL diets while on the campus that helped in body weight reduction and they showed significantly lower BMI (body mass index) values as compared to their initial BMI at the beginning of the study with their traditional eating patterns.

The dietary pattern in Oman has changed from regular consumption of nutrient dense foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables to higher consumption of saturated fatty foods, refined carbohydrates, and fast foods. Unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle are the major etiological factors for obesity which is the leading cause to non-com-municable diseases among Omani adults. Unless primary preventive measures to combat obesity are introduced to, non-communicable diseases will continue to drain the health care system’s human and financial resources in Oman.

Bread and rice are the two staple foods in Oman, the breads are commonly consumed in a variety of ways and are served almost at all three mealtimes, breakfast, lunch and dinner whereas the rice is mainly served at lunchtime. Different carbohydrate rich foods induce distinct blood glucose responses based on their physical forms, par-ticle sizes, fiber contents and nutrient composition. The concept of Glycemic Index (GI) was proposed in 1981 and refers to a numeric physiologic classification of carbohydrate rich foods as compared to a standard carbohydrate source (glucose) for which the GI value is set at 100. The term Glycemic Load (GL) was introduced to predict the glycemic response of mixed meals and is calculated as: Glyce-mic response to mixed meals = (GI x Carbohydrate in the portion of food)/100. The GL is thought to be a healthier index to predict the glycemic responses from the habitual consumption of mixed meals. Low GI and GL diets are associated with reduced risk of obesity inci-dence, a major etiological factor for various non-communicable dis-

eases among adults. A study was conducted at SQU to compare the changes in dietary patterns and to correlate the daily dietary Glycemic Load intake and physical activity level in female university students with their weight gain/loss status over a period of six months. Two hundred female university students within the age group of 18 to 25 years living in hostels at SQU campus were randomly recruited for this study on voluntary basis. The goal was to evaluate the impact of daily dietary GL and physical activity level on the weight gain/loss status of the participants. The study noted that the students consumed low GL diets while on the campus that helped in body weight reduction and they showed significantly lower BMI values as compared to their initial BMI at the beginning of the study with their traditional eating patterns. Although the physical activity level of these volunteers is considered as low, the consumption of low GL diets appeared to be a major determinant of their weight status independent of their physi-cal activity level.

The study finding was in agreement with the beneficial effects of eat-ing low GL meals in relation to lowering the risk of obesity related non-communicable diseases mainly type 2 diabetes and cardiovas-cular diseases. It was concluded that the dietary intake patterns of students changed from their usual home eating patterns while resid-ing at the university campus. The subjects consumed low glycemic load diets, showed a slight reduction in body weight and maintained a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) with a score of waist/hip ration of less than 1, with no significant differences in the time spent for physi-cal activity.

The study was conducted by Dr. Mostafa Waly and Dr. Amanat Ali from the Department of Food Science & Nutrition, and Professor Hashem Kilani from the Department of Physical Education, at Sultan Qaboos University. The finding of this study was well received by the science community and published recently in the Asian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a Scopus indexed journal.

Low GI Diet Can Help Reduce Weight

Mind Over Matter

P5 10 November 2014

A study of the massive algal blooms behind the deadly fish kills and other economic impacts unleashed all along the Omani coast in 2008, has won top billing from a top Nasa-affiliated research agency. The research study, spearheaded by an internationally renowned Omani marine biologist of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), was ranked among “seven most interesting scientific papers” published in the first half of 2014 that used Nasa’s Giovanni data system for scientific research. Dr Adnan al Azri, who spearheaded the study, described the accolade as a singular honour for Omani research, as well as a laudable recognition of the important contribution that the Sultanate has made in probing the phenomena behind algal blooms plaguing the waters of the Arabian Gulf.

“My fellow research colleagues (from Sultan Qaboos University, University of Columbia in New York, and University of Maryland) and I are deeply honoured to have won this recognition from the Nasa Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Cen-tre, based in Maryland, USA. It pays testimony to the high stand-ards of our research into a subject that has bedeviled scientists and marine biologists trying to fathom the mysteries behind the phe-nomena of algal blooms in the Sea of Oman and Arabian Gulf,” Dr. Al Azri said.

The paper, titled ‘Mesoscale and Nutrient Conditions Associated with the Massive 2008 Cochlodinium Polykrikoides Bloom in the Sea of Oman/Arabian Gulf’, was featured in the July-August 2014 issue of The Giovanni News, a highly respected online journal pub-lished by the Nasa Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Centre.

Applauding Dr. Al Azri on the quality of the research paper, the Centre’s Director Dr. .James Acker wrote: “We considered it one of the seven most interesting scientific papers published in the first half of 2014 that used the Giovanni system.” He further added: “Be-cause of the thought-provoking nature of your paper, we would like you to consider giving a live presentation or poster about your re-search at the 2nd Gregory G Leptoukh Online Giovanni Workshop, which is organised to provide information about the many branches of Earth Science research to which Giovanni contributes.”

Dr Al Azri has accepted the invitation and is set to give a live pres-entation on November 12, 2014. The 2014 Gregory G Leptoukh On-line Giovanni Workshop, slated for November 10-14, 2014, will un-

derscore the multitude of ways that the Nasa Giovanni data system is being used for scientific research.

Other objectives include fostering discussions on (1) applications of Giovanni to environmental and disaster monitoring; and (2) using Giovanni for geoscience and climate change education, according to Dr Al Azri.

The algal blooms were responsible for significant impacts to fisher-ies, tourism and the operation of refineries and water desalination plants all along the coast, says Dr Al Azri. The species was responsi-ble for the death of around 200 tonnes of fish, including 70 tonnes of caged fish, 70 tonnes of shellfish and around 60 tonnes of wild fish during the period from October 2008 to March 2009.

In addition, the United Arab Emirates reported damage to coral reefs in its marine protected regions, while the blooms forced the closure of around five water desalination plants due to clogging of intake systems. Many schools in Muscat were forced to shut due to intense odours from the methyl sulfide compounds produced by the blooms.

“It has been estimated that the bloom expanded along the western side of the Arabian Gulf in January 2009 where it proceeded to cover about 14,000 km2, including 750 km of the Iranian coast and where it was responsible for additional fish and shellfish kills,” said Dr Al Azri in his research paper.

In the broader Gulf region, more than an order of magnitude more fish kills were reported than those reported in Oman. At the north-ern Strait of Hormuz, moreover, the bloom is estimated to have last-ed 8-10 months from late 2008 into 2009, he further stated.

“This study supports the growing conclusion that increasing num-bers of blooms of C polykrikoides are associated with nutrient load-ing, and the diversity of nutritional mechanisms appears to allow them to not only establish under conditions of high nutrient loads, but to be sustained for long periods of time.

(The original article was published in Oman Daily Observer dated 2 No-vember 2014).

Research Paper on Algal Blooms Wins Nasa Recognition

News Round Up

P610 November 2014

A delegation from Campus France, the French national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and in-ternational mobility, led by Olivier Chiche-Portiche, Director, Market-ing and Mobility Department for the French Higher Education, and Yoann Le Bonhomme, Head of North Africa and Middle-East Depart-ment, visited Sultan Qaboos University recently. The delegation was received by Dr. Badria Ibrahim Al Shihi, Head of the Foundation Pro-gram at Sultan Qaboos University.

The two sides discussed on the possibilities of boosting exchange of students between French higher educational institutions and SQU. They reviewed the existing ties between SQU and French institutions and stressed on the need for strengthening the collaboration. The mis-sion of Campus France is to promote French higher education abroad, coordinate services for international students in France, and to make arrangements for recipients of international grants and scholarships conferred by governments.

Campus France officials said that the number of Omani students study-ing in French universities in comparatively low in relation with other universities in the Gulf region. “We are here to see that more students from SQU study in French universities in future. We expect Omani students to specialize in business and engineering and other majors in various French institutions. The universities in France are also pleased to send their students to Oman for higher studies”, they said.

The participants of the 24th general meeting of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) that held in Muscat, visited Sultan Qaboos University recently. The delegation was received by the University officials led by Dr. Salim Al Harthy, Assistant for Postgraduate Studies & Research at the College of Science. The participants listened to a visual presentation about the university, its academic programs, research, community ser-vice activities and internationalization. The delegation also visited the cultural center, the main library and learned about the services offered to students and researchers.

H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor of SQU, and H.H. Sayyidah Dr. Mona bint Fahd Al Said, Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Cooperation, attended the third Symposium for Sultan Qaboos Scientific Chairs, organized by Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture, in collaboration with Tokyo University at Tokyo, Japan on 2 to 3 of October 2014 under the theme “ Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development”.

Subsequent to attending the symposium, the SQU officials visited uni-versities and research institutions in Japan to explore prospective aca-demic and research partnerships. During these visits, the Vice Chancel-lor and the Assistant Vice Chancellor were accompanied by a number of senior academicians, administrators and officials from SQU Hospi-tal. The SQU delegation viisted Nagoya University, National Cancer Centre Hospital, Tokyo Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo, and Waseda University.

The aim of the visit was to explore academic and research partnerships in engineering, business studies and management, political science and other disciplines. SQU also seeks to benefit from the Japanese institu-tions’ expertise and experience in IT management and university man-agement. On the medical side, SQU explored collaboration in oncol-ogy research and treatment and trauma care along with other medical specialties.

The Free and Open Source Software Conference (FOSSC Oman) jointly organized by the Communication and Information Research Center (CIRC) at SQU and the Information Technology Authority (ITA), will be held on February 18 and 19, 2015 at SQU. The objective of this event is to support the national initiative on Free and Open Source Software and it aims at promoting awareness and disseminating the use and development of free and open source software for professionals, staff, students, and the community in Oman. FOSSC Oman targets ICT com-panies and professionals, academia faculty, staff and students and the broader FOSS community. A Number of distinguished experts in Free and Open Source Software will attend the event and present addresses on the main topics of the conference.

The FOSSC conference is a good opportunity to discover, discuss and exchange ideas on FOSS in Oman and beyond. The event will also pro-vide the opportunity to network different groups of FOSS users, benefit from insightful lectures delivered at the conference, and share mutual experiences and discuss potential implementations of FOSS. The or-ganizing committee is inviting managers, and individuals who have passion, students, educators and experts from companies, public and private organizations to share their successes in the vast array of free and open source software that is transforming information and com-munication technology across the globe. Paper submission for the con-ference will last until November 15, 2014. More details are available on the conference website http://fossc.om/2015/

Campus France Officials Received

Oman FOSS Conference in February 2015

TWAS Delegation Visits SQU

SQU Explores Ties with Japanese Institutions

Panorama

P7 10 November 2014

A Scholarly Undertaking on Coastal Erosion in Al Batinah

The book Coastal Erosion in Al Batinah, Sultanate of Oman, published in 2014 by the Academic Publication Board at Sultan Qaboos University, is largely based on the geophysical fieldwork carried out by six academic researchers headed by Dr. Salim Al-Hatrushi, an Associate Professor of Geography in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University, whose demonstrated expertise in the field is reflected in other similar projects undertaken in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as in his areas of teaching and research at Sultan Qaboos University. The other contributors to the project, and to the book in various capacities, include Dr. Andy Yaw Kwarteng (co-project leader from the Remote Sensing and GIS Center), Dr. Ahmed Sana (Department of Civil and Architectural En-gineering), Dr. Ali Said Al-Buloushi (Department of Geography), Profes-sor Anton MacLachlan (former Dean of Postgraduate Studies), and Dr. Khalid Hussein Hamed (Department of Civil and Architectural Engineer-ing).

Coastal Erosion in Al Batinah, Sultanate of Oman opens with an articulate and incisive Executive Summary, which clearly states the raison d’être of this scholarly undertaking and the various ways it can serve as an eye-opener and a survival guide for the local community and what it requires to cope with the changes resulting from activity around sandy beaches. Placed in a global context, the importance of the project lies in the worth-while contribution it brings to the growing body of works appertaining to the study of the phenomenon of erosion and its various ramifications at the geographical, ecological, human, economic and social levels, trans-national issues which are intensely debated in academia and elsewhere. The fact that the book deals with an issue which transcends geographical, as well as social and cultural, barriers gives its scope the universal dimen-sion it requires to appeal to global audiences.

The book takes the coast of Al Batinah as the focal concern of the study and carefully examines how sand supply, waves and tidal energy interact

Reviewed by: Dr. Jamal En-nehasDepartment of EnglishCollege of Arts and Social Sciences

to form erosion states. Stretching over 200 Km, this geographical zone is territorially vast and is heavily settled. It is also unique in comparison with other areas in Oman as it is characterized by the fertility of the land and its shorelines represent more than 90% of sandy beaches, hence its importance for the current study. At the demographic level, this area has been witnessing a steady in-crease in settlement and human activity over the years, which are intensified by large-scale industrial, agricultural and fishing ac-tivities. The coast of Al Batinah has also recently attracted a great deal of investment in infrastructure, some of which can have vis-ible and detrimental environmental impacts. For instance, the construction of dams can result in the retraction of terrestrial sediments and, consequently, can provoke erosion. This correla-tion is clearly shown in the book, and the field study has lent it significant material support.

Coastal Erosion in Al Batinah, Sultanate of Oman does not merely indulge in theoretical considerations about the state of coastal erosion or simply expose the relevant problems, but it also seeks to adequately diagnose the situation and, in equally important terms, it puts forward viable and pragmatic solutions to address them. In fact, the three approaches that the author puts forward deserve due consideration by the local communities and the con-cerned authorities. These consist of pulling back the settlements located close to the shore, which will help preserve the sand dunes as reservoirs, adopting a “soft engineering approach,” which consists of using sand as a form of “beach nourishment,” and by using “hard engineering structures” as mechanisms for shore protection. The third approach, as the study recommends, is only meant as a last resort. These are, indeed, practical solu-tions which, if duly implemented, will help the local communi-ties themselves, will restrain the effect of erosion and will help Oman protect its shorelines.

The project’s findings are of great import to the expert in the field and, in fact, to anyone who desires to embark on further research in the domain and perhaps to compare his/her observations and conclusions and those of the research team which undertook the current project, as well as to Omani and non-Omani students of geography, oceanography and environmental studies. The re-searchers point out that the sandy shoreline is overall steady. The engineering structures along the coast, however, have provoked erosion. The research, however, recommends further monitoring as a preventive measure. The local communities are aware of the issues appertaining to coastal erosion and they are capable of coping with the problems emanating from erosion, the study reveals. In some cases, however, the researchers recommend the use of nourishment and the relocation to the coast of the sedi-ments extracted from the dams. Finally, the researchers suggest the setting up of a national entity to liaise among the different stakeholders and to serve in the monitoring process.

Given the vast resources deployed by the Sultanate of Oman in environmental management and preservation in an effort to se-cure the vital means of livelihood for a large segment of its popu-lation, particularly those who live along the coast of Al Batinah and who depend substantially on fishing and other activities that ultimately provoke erosion, and given the statistical predictions regarding human and industrial growth in this vibrant region of Oman, the relevant authorities need to familiarize themselves with the work of the team on the problem of coastal erosion in Al Batinah and to take into consideration the findings and the recommendations of this major undertaking. In fact, this book can serve as a trailblazer, a model for similar studies in the Gulf region and equally in any other place where the phenomenon of coastal erosion represents an ecological challenge for the country and its development.

Straight Talk

David Shark is the Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WTO) looking after the organization’s Agriculture and Commodities Divi-sion, Trade and Environment Division, Accessions Division, IT Solutions Division, Languages Docu-mentation and Information Management Division. Mr. Shark paid a visit to SQU, recently in connec-tion with the formal launch of the WTO Chair and opening of the first Regional Trade Policy Course (RTPC) for the Arab and Middle East region organ-ized jointly between the SQU and the WTO secre-tariat. Excerpts from his chat with Horizon:

David Shark

Horizon: How do comment on the establishment of the WTO Chair at SQU and the launch of the first RTPC for Arab and Middle East region in Oman?Mr. Shark: This is my first visit to Oman and SQU. I am really impressed by the facilities at the university and the hospitality of the people of this country. I expect that the WTO Chair at SQU will have successful years ahead and the RTPC is going to be excellent given the inter-est and engagement of the participants. I believe that by hosting this course, SQU is providing a very important opportunity for the people in the region to learn more about trade from both a regional and global perspective.

Horizon: How is SQU going to benefit from the es-tablishment of the WTO Chair?Mr. Shark: By joining the WTO Chairs Program, SQU will receive supplementary resources in practical terms in developing curriculum, performing research and outreach activities on international trade related issues. As academics develop independent thoughts on their specialized areas in international and regional trade, Omani authorities can benefit from it. I think this will help the government to analyze international trade issues and decide what positions it should take. This will also help the government to defend its interests. Hosting the RTPC for the Arab and Middle East region is indeed a good gesture from SQU side. The training pro-gram will help in molding the next generation of lead-ers on trade issues. RTPC is something that will benefit not just Oman. It is designed to benefit the entire Middle East and the Arab region. The course is focused on giving an intermediate level of training to people who already have some experience on trade. The course will further sharpen their expertise and analytical skills which will help the governments concerned to establish trade poli-cies. The participants can better understand the most re-cent developments in international trade and have more expertise on WTO laws and agreements.

Horizon: Could you explain the procedure of how SQU was selected to host the WTO Chair?Mr. Shark: The establishment of the WTO Chair at the SQU and the fact that the University was selected to host an 8 week RTPC is recognition of the University’s commitment and leadership to educate generations of leaders in Oman and in the Arab region. This is testimo-ny to the dedication of its leaders to academic excellence, and preparing the new generations for the challenges of tomorrow. The selection of SQU to host WTO Chair was done by the Secretariat based on input from an advisory board . The selection process was mainly driven by the quality of the proposal on curriculum development, re-search and outreach with a regional dimension submit-

ted to WTO. The role of the Chairs is to contribute to the creation ok knowledge.

Horizon: What are the different types of continued support provided to WTO Chairs? Mr. Shark: The Chair is entitled to an annual fi-nancial contribution from WTO and this will be based on the plan submitted by the Chair and performance under the plan. In addition, the Chair will get techni-cal and scientific advice from the WTO and can act in partnership with the organization’ Secretariat. SQU is one of the seven WTO Chairs awarded in 2014 through a highly competitive selection process involving 77 academic institutions. SQU now joins a network of 21 Chairs and will now be one of four universities lo-cated in the Arab and Middle East region. In addition to Oman, this includes, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. The Chairs in the region will work closely with each other. During the forthcoming year, the Chair will con-duct several activities. Each Chair has the freedom to decide its area of activity related to international trade. The proposal submitted by SQU focusses mainly on enhancing food security through WTO systems and market mechanisms. This is a really important topic as far as the region’s challenges in ensuring food security and boosting agricultural production. I am happy that the Chair will be hosted by the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences. I hope that the Chair in SQU will certainly contribute to enhancing the participation of Oman in the multilateral trading system and will play a critical role at the regional level.