Muscat: Sultan Qaboos Bin Said exhorted Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) pupils to keep pace with the scientific developments to further Oman's own development.

Addressing a gathering, of students and staff, at the SQU, the leader of Oman affirmed the importance of science and knowledge and keeping pace with their developments.

"Take what is useful and leave what is not," he advised at the opening of SQU Cultural Centre.

"We seek to invigorate your efforts to make valuable addition to this field," he said, adding that the progress achieved hitherto was nothing compared to the vast sea of knowledge."

The Monarch of the country, added that stressing  the useful science is the right springboard for acquiring knowledge, expertise and skills that enable the current and future generations to contribute positively to the service of  their homeland and society and meet the needs of  development in a guided manner.

The Sultan of Oman reiterated that science was the right springboard for acquiring knowledge, expertise and skills that would help country’s present and future generations to contribute to the socio-economic development. 

He also stressed that besides building public educational institutes to impart knowledge in the country, the private sector is being encouraged to actively participate in giving the country’s young minds best possible higher education. "We have opened the doors for private sector with financial as well as morale support."

He told the educationists as well as students that he has been following with keen interest the march of educational sector in the country from the early stages till the post graduate studies stage.

The Omani monarch appreciated all the sincere efforts made by those working at the different scientific institutions, especially the teaching staff and students. "Be persistent and exert more effort to attain the prospective goal - in Allah's will," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ali Bin Saud Al Baimani, SQU Vice Chancellor delivered a speech before His Majesty where he said that SQU Cultural Centre and Omani Studies Centre shoulder a great responsibility; to the goals of the university, its teaching staff and students in a way that serve the studies, researches and different projects to ensure communication with the Omani, regional and international community.

"At Your Majesty's visit in 2000, the number of graduates since the opening of the University stood at 8541, holders of bachelor degree from the university's seven colleges. The number of bachelor programmes stood at 63 and the number of MA programmes stood at 29. After the graduation of this year, the number of bachelor, MA and Ph.D holders now stands at 32,526 after increasing the number of colleges to 9, the number of bachelor programmes to 68, the number of MA programmes to 54 and introducing a new Ph.d programme to raise the number to 26. It is worth mentioning that the number of students registered at the University now stands at 15,499," he added.

The total area of SQU Cultural Centre is 130,225 square meters without the streets. The internal buildings were gathered to form a paved and open internal yard in order to benefit from it in organising the various celebrations and events.

The centre has the Grand Auditorium, main library, Omani Studies centre, reception hall and the grandstand in addition to the accompanying halls.