Monday 07 / September / 2026
Salalah: The 11th International Conference on Geo-Advances in Geographic Information (GeoAdvances 2026) began today in Dhofar Governorate, organized by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM) and the University of Dhofar, with the participation of researchers and experts from inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman. The conference will continue for two days.
The opening ceremony, held at the University of Dhofar, was held under the auspices of Sheikh Salim Mustahail Al Maashani, Advisor at the Diwan of Royal Court.
Dr. Suleiman Abdullah Al Jamoudi, Director-General of the General Directorate of Vocational and Technical Education at the Ministry of Education and Deputy Chairman of the Conference’s Organizing Committee, said the conference features 71 scientific contributions, comprising 46 oral scientific papers and 25 research posters, in addition to the participation of seven keynote speakers who delivered six keynote lectures. He noted that the conference also saw the participation of 20 governmental, private and academic institutions, with its sessions distributed across 12 parallel scientific tracks, adding that Omani contributions totaled 40, including 22 scientific papers and 18 research posters.
He explained that the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of this edition of the conference carries significant scientific and institutional value, as it provides an opportunity to enhance specialized scientific dialogue and the exchange of expertise among researchers and specialists at the national and international levels, and to expand the scope of cooperation and partnership among academic, research and professional institutions, thereby contributing to supporting sustainable development pathways and future foresight.
He indicated that the Ministry of Education has worked to keep pace with scientific and technical developments in the field of geographic information and to strengthen their presence within the curriculum development system, through expanding the deployment of geographic information systems and modern technologies, particularly within social studies curricula, alongside developing related digital initiatives and projects, and strengthening institutional efforts in this field through the Modern Geographic Technologies Committee and its associated initiatives and programs.
For his part, Prof. Elias Abdul Rahman delivered a speech on behalf of UTM, in which he discussed aspects of joint scientific and academic cooperation with academic institutions in the Sultanate of Oman in the fields of geographic information and geospatial technologies, as well as the importance of employing modern technologies and innovations in geographic information, and enhancing integration between scientific knowledge and practical applications.
Following this, the “Digital Educational Atlas of the Sultanate of Oman” was launched, representing a modern digital educational platform that combines geography, history and spatial technologies, and supports the use of digital data and maps in education, thereby enhancing students’ analytical and spatial thinking skills and linking theoretical knowledge with digital applications and future skills.
The conference’s activities included a visual presentation reviewing modern geographic technologies in school and higher education and the Ministry of Education’s efforts to develop them, as well as the opening of the accompanying exhibition, in which 20 governmental, private and academic entities are taking part, with exhibits ranging across projects, devices, systems and scientific programs related to recent developments in geographic information and geospatial technologies and their applications in various educational and developmental fields.
The first day’s program included four scientific sub-sessions. The first discussed “Empowering School Curricula with Spatial Technologies: The Science of Place” through six working papers, while the second addressed “The Importance of Modern Surveying Device Applications in Geography” through 12 working papers.
The third session reviewed “Leveraging Geographic Information System Technologies to Build Interactive Digital Solutions for Education” through nine working papers, while the fourth session addressed the theme “Geographic Information Systems as a Driver for Achieving Sustainable Tourism: Alignment with Oman Vision 2040” through nine working papers.
The conference aims to enhance the international exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of geographic information, transfer and localize the latest technologies to national institutions, and build sustainable research partnerships between universities and research centers, in addition to supporting the Ministry of Education’s directions toward integrating geographic technologies into curricula and developing methods of applied learning and spatial analysis, thereby contributing to preparing a generation equipped with digital analysis skills and geographic thinking.
The conference also seeks to support data-driven spatial decision-making, promote the use of geographic technologies in sustainable development, resource management and addressing environmental challenges, empower national cadres and enhance the competence of specialists through workshops and training programs, stimulate investment, innovation and entrepreneurship in the geographic technologies sector, and strengthen the Sultanate of Oman’s regional and international standing in this field, in addition to promoting Dhofar Governorate as a global tourist destination and offering international participants an experience that combines knowledge and tourism.
The organization of the conference in the Sultanate of Oman underscores the importance of employing geographic knowledge and technologies in supporting development and future foresight, and strengthening cooperation among academic, research and professional institutions, in line with the rapid transformations in the field of geospatial information and supporting its utilization across various sectors.
