Dhofar University

Introduction

Dhofar University (DU) is located in the city of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate of Sultanate of Oman, which is well-known for its geographical beauty, blessed with lush green mountains, pristine beaches, and moderate weather throughout the year. It is the only University in the Dhofar Region of Sultanate of Oman offering Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs.

DU is also the first University in Oman to be accredited nationally by Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA) and internationally by Accreditation Services for International Schools Colleges and Universities (ASIC) from UK. ASIC is an independent government approved accreditation body in UK.

Campus

The University moved to its new campus in November 2010, which is spread over an area of 450,000 square meters and encompasses a blend of both modern and traditional Omani architecture. The campus is nicely landscaped and there is plenty of open space, with adequate provision for parking and waiting areas for female students. All the buildings on campus are constructed in compliance with Omani Health and Safety Laws.

The campus includes an administration building, separate buildings for colleges, a common classroom building, a library building, engineering workshop, a student activities center, a Mosque, female student hostel consisting of four blocks and housing for the senior administrative personnel.

Common classroom building, consisting of four wings, is centrally located providing easy access from all Colleges. In addition, DU has a well-equipped big multipurpose hall with a seating capacity of more than 1000 which is used for extracurricular, social, recreational and religious activities.

High speed WIFI facility is available 24/7 in all the buildings and the campus.

The campus can accommodate up to 10,000 students.

For ensuring compliance with Omani Health and Safety Laws, DU conducts regular inspections of its facilities, equipment and work areas. In addition, regular safety checks are also carried out by external regulatory agencies such as: Dhofar Municipality, Public Authority of Civil Defense and Royal Oman Police.

Students with Special Needs

DU has taken the utmost care in designing its physical facilities to ensure that students with special needs face no problems in moving from one place to another. All buildings have ramps and specifically designed and designated toilets apart from separate parking spaces; and all classrooms and labs are wheel-chair compliant for easy movement of such students.

Facilities for Religious Activities

There is a centrally located Mosque to serve the religious needs of staff and students. Apart from that, there are prayer rooms for students in all College buildings. The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) arranges religious lectures by eminent guest speakers and also provides opportunities for students’ religious observance consistent with Islamic beliefs and traditions.

Cafeterias and Coffee Shops

DU has two exclusive cafeterias for male and female students in the main classroom building. There is also a coffee shop located in the courtyard of each College to serve snacks, sandwiches and beverages. In addition, there is a large restaurant in the ladies’ hostel with kitchen facility to cater to the requirements of meals and snacks. The hostel also has a mini supermarket to satisfy students’ daily needs.

DU Clinic

DU has an on-campus clinic that serves the basic health needs of its students and staff, where a nurse is available for clinical consultation and service during day time. The clinic provides basic medical assistance for minor physical injury and sickness. Urgent and emergency cases are transferred to the nearby Medical Complex or to the City Hospitals. This medical assistance is also made available to female students in the DU hostel on a 24/7 basis.

Security and Safety

There is adequate provision for security services within the campus. The security guards are on duty 24/7 and are responsible for patrolling the University campus. DU has provided them with a patrol vehicle.

The entire DU campus is covered by surveillance cameras which are installed in all the buildings as well as on the open grounds. The surveillance cameras are regularly monitored by the security department through its control room.

The University also ensures safety of its students, staff and visitors on the campus. For that purpose, it conducts mock drills for fire safety on a regular basis. It has provided assembly points at a number of places on the campus in case of emergencies.

Other Support Services

The University provides a number of support services to its students and staff through its various centers. These centers include: Centre for Entrepreneurship, Computer & Networking Centre (CNC), Community Service & Continuing Education Centre (CSCEC), Centre for Teaching & Learning (CTL) and Learning Support Centre (LSC).

Hostel for Female Students

DU provides free furnished accommodation for its female students on-campus and local transportation facilities for them. The hostel has four buildings which can accommodate up to 1000 students. There are 12 supervisors to oversee the hostel, working in three shifts, under the leadership of Director of Hostel Services.  There is adequate security arrangement on a 24X7 basis provided by 12 security guards who work in three shifts. Other facilities available inside the hostel include: restaurant, supermarket, study hall, gymnasium and recreation rooms.

Learning Support Center

DU has a LSC, for providing personalised assistance in a supportive atmosphere to the students who are academically weak and also the students with special learning needs. This is accomplished through peer-assisted learning scheme using the services of outstanding senior-level students. The LSC provides its services free of charge to all DU underperforming students and there is a provision of monetary incentive for peer tutors.

Community Service and Continuing Education Center

The CSCEC at DU links the University resources and expertise in catering to the needs of the community. It partners with public and private sector organisations to launch various initiatives for the local community.

The CSCEC also offers training programs to meet professional and personal needs of community at large. It provides on-campus and off-campus offerings that include certificate programs, workshops, seminars, conferences, and customised training programs both in English or Arabic.