About UTAS

The University of Technology and Applied Sciences-Muscat (UTAS-Muscat), formerly known as the Higher College of Technology, is Oman’s second largest higher education institution, serving over 14,000 students across various academic programs. Established in 1984 as the Oman Technical Industrial College under the late Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, UTAS-Muscat has evolved significantly, offering a wide range of programs through seven academic departments: Engineering, Information Technology, Applied Sciences, Business Studies, Pharmacy, Photography, and Fashion Design.

The university offers more than 25 specializations with three different exit levels, diploma, advanced diploma, and bachelor’s degrees in the stream of technical education.  Each level bestows knowledge, competencies, and skills upon the students, and to progress from one level to another it is essential for students to meet well-defined criteria. This clearly defined structure affords UTAS-Muscat an edge of competitiveness in fulfilling Oman’s demand for qualified and skilled human resources. It also gives students the flexibility to exit the system after completing any level with a qualification enabling them to enter the job market.

History

The College of Technology was once having seven (7) branches, namely: Higher College of Technology, Ibra College of Technology , Salalah College of Technology, Al Musanna College of Technology , Nizwa College of Technology , Shinas College of Technology, and Ibri College of Technology. It was known as Oman Technical Industrial College, established in 1984 at the initiative of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said to educate the citizens of Oman by implementing high-quality programs in various fields. There were five other Colleges of Technology established in 1993 except the ones in Shinas and Ibri, which were started in 2005 and 2008, respectively. The COTs was under the Oman’s Ministry of Manpower (now, Ministry of Labor).

The College of Applied Sciences was once a group of thirteen public colleges with six campus namely: Ibri College of Applied Sciences, Sohar College of Applied Sciences, Salalah College of Applied Sciences, Nizwa College of Applied Sciences, and Sur College of Applied Sciences. These colleges were established in 2007 as per Royal Decree 62/2007. Notably, prior to the colleges’ establishment, some of the colleges operated as teaching colleges which offered two-year degrees to future teachers of the Ministry of Education and was known from 1985-1995 as the Intermediate College and from 1995-2007 as the College of Education. CAS was under Oman’s Ministry of Higher Education (now, Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation).

Vision

Leading in technological and applied education contributing to the development of a sustainable and knowledge-based society

Mission

To build competitive and innovative capabilities by providing a stimulating environment and effective engagement with community and industry to promote excellence in learning, research, and innovation.

Values