Wednesday 30 / April / 2025
Muscat: The Royal Academy of Management (RAM) has launched the Societal Communication Programme for current public sector leaders who hold the positions of Under-Secretaries and Directors-General.
Designed to elevate the skills and capabilities of national leaders in the area of community engagement, the landmark programme is in line with the bold vision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, which aims to elevate and strengthen the knowledge and skills of national leaders. This strategy is aligned with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and the requirements of national strategic initiatives and programmes.
The main purpose of the Societal Communication Programme for Under-Secretaries and Directors-General is to further build trust between the government and society and, thus, increase national social cohesion. The programme focuses on strengthening the role of these leaders as intermediaries between the government and society while enabling them to contribute to the government's vision in an effective manner that aligns with Omani values, culture, and society.
The Societal Communication Programme aims to equip participants with a more community-centered communication mindset by increasing their awareness of societal needs and providing them with the necessary skills to implement government directions and policies clearly and accurately, as well as to manage the public communication process effectively.
The programme also provides participants with advanced tools and techniques that enhance their crisis management skills and improve leadership communication strategies to navigate social challenges effectively.
The programme enables participants to build trust-based relationships with citizens and other community stakeholders by leveraging comprehensive communication techniques to involve these entities in the process of formulating, implementing, and evaluating government policies.
The Societal Communication Programme targets 50 participants from the public sector and will constitute 25 Under-Secretaries and 25 Directors-General. The selected candidates will embark on an enriching and comprehensive learning journey that will run until 10 September 2025.
The programme will comprise different themes. It has been designed to elevate essential and effective community communication and crisis management skills and explore stakeholder engagement.
Apart from focusing on empowering strategic communication skills, it will also focus on the strategies leveraged by government institutions' strategies to enhance public trust, the methodology of gauging and handling public opinion while navigating social challenges in Oman. Participants will also be exposed to developing and implementing comprehensive public communication strategies using various channels and take part in a workshop about building the characteristics of a community leader in the local context.
The programme will be delivered through modern executive learning methods, including a carefully curated blend of lectures, interactive workshops, case studies, and engagement with real-world scenarios. Participants will review and analyse local and international examples, including challenges in community engagement. The programme will also feature guest speakers from Oman who are leaders in community engagement and leadership communication, allowing participants to explore the best practices and experiences in these respective fields.
The Royal Academy of Management launched the Societal Communication Programme based on the bold vision that lies at the heart of the programme: The strategic importance of effective community communication in building social cohesion and a society capable of keeping up with an ever-evolving world.
Participants will learn to make a meaningful social impact by leveraging effective communication techniques and channels to increase public awareness of national challenges, encourage constructive dialogues, and involve community members in the decision-making processes that serve the nation. These outcomes will contribute to achieving sustainable development and to the realisation of the future objectives of the Sultanate of Oman.
