The Gulf Forum for Empowering Vocational Training Institutions in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Incubator Management concluded in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on 15 October 2025. The Forum was organized from 13 to 15 October by the Omani Ministry of Labor, in cooperation with the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). It aimed to promote scientific research, intellectual property, and digital transformation, and to develop the incubator ecosystem to empower and enhance staff competencies in the labor market.

During the opening session, Mr. Waqas Afridi, expert at ICESCO’s Education Sector, emphasized that the Organization’s initiatives in education and innovation have benefited hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and policymakers across Member States. He noted that the Forum reflects the strategic orientations of ICESCO’s Education Sector for 2025–2030, stressing the importance of integrating skills learning from early school stages to foster youth competencies, confidence, and creativity.

Mr. Afridi added that ICESCO’s Education Sector will present the first draft of the “Strategy for Skills, Technical and Vocational Education and Training” at the Regional Conference on Education and Vocational Training (Middle East and Arab World), scheduled for early 2026 at Doha University of Science and Technology, in cooperation with UNESCO’s Regional Office in Qatar. The strategy aims to align skill development with labor market needs and prepare youth for a rapidly evolving work environment.

For his part, Dr. Khalid Ambusaidi, Director General of Vocational Colleges at the Ministry of Labor, reaffirmed Oman’s and ICESCO’s commitment to strengthening the role of education and vocational training in development, in line with Oman Vision 2040. Dr. Mahmood Al-Abri, Secretary-General of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, explained that the Ministry of Education in Oman has integrated technical and vocational education into the school education system, aligning with ICESCO’s approach to making vocational education a tool for achieving sustainable development goals.

The Forum brought together over 100 experts and representatives from Oman and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, along with several international organizations. It featured workshops on the role of training institutions in supporting entrepreneurship, establishing and operating incubators, developing their programs and services, and discussions on teaching methods that foster entrepreneurial mindsets, impact assessment, and ways to enhance regional and international cooperation.