Eller Executive Education Partners With Oman Institute Of Public Administration For Leadership Program
Tucson, Ariz. (March 2, 2021) The Eller College of Management’s Executive Education was awarded a contract through the Oman Ministry of Finance TAWAZUN Program to provide the Government of Oman with leadership development services to establish Oman and its prestigious Institute of Public Administration (IPA) as a regional hub for leadership programming, thought leadership and research. The initial phase of the project will focus on the development of leadership and management capabilities for mid-level public sector employees across the Omani government.
“Oman is a booming, growing country with a large population under the age of 25,” says Joe Carella, assistant dean of Eller Executive Education. “And the IPA plays an important role in advancing the competitiveness of its economy. This program will ensure public sector employees have the right capabilities to develop the infrastructure of the country moving forward.”
This opportunity was jointly pursued by Eller Executive Education and the University of Arizona Research, Innovation and Impact’s Defense Offset team. The new agreement expands on UArizona’s current relationship with governments in the Middle East. In 2018, UArizona was awarded a $3.9 million contract to support Oman’s 1 million date palm trees project, which aims to increase sustainable date production in the country. Eller Executive Education has also been the leadership development partner of choice to the United Arab Emirates Ports Management Authority, DP World.
“Countries such as Oman that have offset programs create an opportunity for UArizona faculty to implement knowledge or technology transfer projects with international partners such as the IPA thereby creating new capabilities in the partner country and extending UA’s relationships in a meaningful sponsored structure,” says Todd Shallcross, director of UA’s Defense Offset Programs.
The partnership between Eller Executive Education and IPA is expected to last five years and involve three key components—the Leadership Preparation Program (LPP), a Train-the-Trainer Program and the establishment of the Leadership Development Center. The ultimate aim is to establish a long-term partnership between Eller Executive Education and the IPA, aimed at creating the Davos of the Middle East for the public sector; a space where innovations and training for government employees to learn from one another and test new ideas.
Oman selected the Eller College of Management from among 25 academic institutions that had proposed to take part in the partnership. Among those institutions were Thunderbird, the University of Michigan, the Institute for Management Development in Switzerland and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Carella travelled to Oman to attend the formal signing ceremony on March 1, 2021.
“We are grateful to have this opportunity to participate in Oman’s Partnership for Development Program,” says Carella. “We are confident we have designed the right balance of academic and practical methodological approaches delivered by experts and experienced professionals that will deliver an impactful learning journey that Omani’s middle managers can apply immediately upon returning to their jobs.”