Muscat, May 21st 2015 – The Takatuf Scholars Programme, a unit within Takatuf Oman, held a recognition ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel to honour the one hundred and thirty-one (131) students who completed the 2014-2015 Enrichment Programme as well as to recognize the thirty-five (35) who were awarded an international scholarship .

This is a very important moment for this new batch of graduates, as they are now considered to be Takatuf Scholars. This means they are part of the Takatuf Scholars Network – bright young Omanis who are role models for their peers, who have acquired 21st century competencies that will support their success in both university and the workplace, and whose leadership skills have been tested and enhanced.

The Takatuf Scholars Programme is part of Takatuf’s commitment to developing Oman’s Human Capital at many stages and all levels. It is the pre-employment part of a lifelong process, where secondary school students are able to complete an enrichment programme that supports their success and where international scholarship winners are funded to attend some of the world’s most demanding schools and universities. The Programme’s effectiveness has been demonstrated through the performance of the scholars in leading schools in the UK, the USA, Canada and The Netherlands as well as in the admission of the first group of Takatuf Scholars 2012 into some of the world’s leading universities such as MIT, NYU, Imperial College and University College London.

Recognizing that these young people will return to Oman to provide leadership in many sectors, the sponsors are confident that this is a wise investment for the future of the Sultanate. Commenting on the programme, the sponsors said:

Isam Al-Zadjali, CEO of Oman Oil (OOC) and Chairman of Takatuf
“OOC invests in and supports the ‘Takatuf Scholars Programme’ in order to develop the nation’s future human capital, which is critical to Oman’s sustainability and competitive advantage.”

Talal Al Awfi, CEO of Oman Trading International (OTI)
“The Takatuf Scholars Programme is the most sophisticated mentoring and sponsorship programme we have seen in Oman, and OTI is pleased to support its graduates because we believe that nothing is more important than our investment in human capital. We see the Programme as a reference point for similar initiatives in Oman, and we anticipate that these students will become real life examples of what a successful investment in human capital can result in.”

Nofal Al Saidi, GM HRS – Orpic
“We start our third year of involvement in the Takatuf Scholars Programme and we have made significant achievements regarding talent management for future Omani talent within Orpic – supporting Al Batinah North Governorate’s bright and motivated students.”

Awadh Al Shanfari, CEO – Salalah Methanol Company (SMC)
“The benefits of this programme are countless for these students, their communities and their country and we at SMC expect and hope to see these students become great leaders and decision makers for our beloved country.“

About the Takatuf Scholars Programme The Takatuf Scholars Programme is operated through Takatuf Oman LLC, the Human Capital solutions provider. It joins academic excellence to real world experiences. Designed to prepare Oman’s most talented young people for personal and professional success, the programme introduces them to the tools and equips them with the skills needed to adapt to an ever-changing global environment, for the good of Oman.

Since 2012 over 2,500 Omani students have applied and been tested for admission; 216 have engaged in an independent learning programme concurrent with attending high school here in Oman; and 69 have been awarded international scholarships to attend preparatory school and universities abroad.

For more information about the programme, please visit www.takatufscholars.com.

About Takatuf
Contributing to Oman’s workforce requirements, Takatuf is the strategic provider of innovative Human Capital development solutions. Established as a subsidiary of Oman Oil Company S.A.O.G in 2013, Takatuf acts as a platform to bridge the gap between industry and academia, based on four pillars: Human Capital – Assuring that clients recruit the best candidates and that they have the right HR policies in place to retain them; Talent Development – Providing client’s talent pipeline with qualified experts; Takatuf Scholars – Supporting the success of Oman’s students in this new 21st century of learning, and so preparing them for personal and professional success; In-country Value – Offering guidance to develop the Sultanate’s economy to benefit the country’s people and businesses. For more information about Takatuf, please visit www.takatuf.com