User:Scoreoman

Welcoming note:
The standing committee on research exchange SCORE would like to welcome you all to our beautiful country, the Sultanate of Oman, we hope this page would be useful to all of you planning to come to our side of the world!

Overview:
Oman occupies the far south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, its geographical boundaries clearly defined by nature from earliest times. The Sultanate of Oman occupies the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and lies between latitudes 16° 40' and 26° 20' north, and longitudes 51° 50' and 59° 40' east. The total area is approximately 309,500 km2 and it is the third largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Oman’s coastline extends 3,165 km from the Strait of Hormuz in the north, to the borders of the Republic of Yemen in the south and shares its coast with three seas: the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It also comprises a number of islands off the coast, among them the islands of Masirah, Halanyat and Salama. The Sultanate borders the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the west, the United Arab Emirates in the northeast, the Republic of Yemen in the southwest, the Strait of Hormuz in the north and the Arabian Sea in the east. The Musandam Peninsula forms the country's northern tip. It is the only coast the Sultanate has on the Arabian Gulf and is just over 50 km south of the Islamic Republic of Iran across the Strait of Hormuz. The Omani culture has its roots firmly in the Islamic religion. Oman developed its own particular form of Islam, called Ibadhism, after its founder, Abdullah ibn Ibadh who lived during the 7th century AD. Not all Omanis are Ibadhis however; there are also Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. Omanis are not only tolerant of the beliefs of different Muslim sects, they are also tolerant towards believers of other faiths, who are allowed to practise their religion in churches and temples. The dress code is fairly liberal in Muscat, although decency is still expected. Women should wear, for example, tops with sleeves, and skirts covering the knees or trousers. Men are required to wear trousers and shirts with sleeves. Swimwear should be restricted to the beach or pools.

Sultan Qaboos University
The first Sultan Qaboos University students were enrolled in 1986. In accordance with the Royal Directives of His Majesty, The University commenced with five colleges; namely Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Education and Science. Furthermore the College of Arts was established in 1987, following the College of Commerce and Economics which was developed in 1993. The College of Law joined the University in 2006 and finally the College of Nursing was established in 2008.

The SQU-MSG (Sultan Qaboos University Medical Students’ Group) was found in 2006, with the aim of enabling medical students with the knowledge and practical experience necessary to build their personality as future doctors, who appreciate and understand how they can address different medical problems and challenges that might face them in their future career. The SQU-MSG was able to successfully join the IFMSA (international federation of medical students association) in March 2009.Currently more than 500 students are active members in this group in its various subcommittees. As a start the SQU-MSG has activated SCORE (The Standing Committee on Research Exchange), SCOPE (The Standing Committee on Professional Exchange), SCOME (The Standing Committee on Medical Education) and SCOPH (The Standing Committee on Public Health), with a plan to activate the rest of the committees in the coming years.

Social considerations:
If you were to visit our country, the first thing you would notice about our people is the obvious sense of hospitality and modesty. It is part of our tradition and upbringing that we must honor our guests and put them first. And since Oman is an Islamic country, you will be able to explore that in their life style and practices, starting with the 5 times a day prayers, and fasting during the wholly month of Ramadhan, as well as the modesty observed in their choice of clothing. however there are many expatriates living comfortably amongst us, and respect and acceptance of others is the principle we choose to adhere to.

Social program
Oman is known to be a great attraction for tourists. There are wonderful forts, castles, museums, mosques as well as the natural beaches, mountains, desserts and springs which you wouldn’t want to miss! During your visit to Oman we will make sure that you cover the main attractions of our beautiful country and we can guarantee that you will want to come and visit us again.

Local and national transportation
Transportation at the Sultanate of Oman is quite easy, if you were to come you would arrive at Muscat International Airport, buses as well as taxis are available and are completely safe.

Weather
The varied geography of Oman has resulted in a wide variety of climatic conditions. Although lying in the tropics, the Sultanate is subject to seasonal changes like the more temperate regions of the world. During the winter it is cool and pleasant, but summer on the coast is hot and humid. The interior remains hot and dry, except for the mountains where temperatures can drop drastically at night. The hottest months are June through August but on the southern coast of Dhofar the monsoons bring light but persistent rain, resulting in a cool and misty summer. Rainfall varies but in general remains sparse and irregular. In the south, most of the year's rainfall occurs during the summer monsoon months. In the north, the opposite occurs.