Royal Decree creates Oman’s Research and Innovation Authority
Royal Decree 11/2026 establishes an independent public authority in Muscat to lead the national research and innovation system.
Royal Decree 11/2026, issued on 12 January 2026 and published in the Official Gazette the next day, establishes the Research and Innovation Authority. It is a public authority with its own legal personality and with financial and administrative independence, headquartered in Muscat and answerable to the Council of Ministers.
The decree transfers the research and innovation allocations, assets, rights and obligations of the former Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation to the new Authority, which now runs the national funding programmes, awards and youth science competitions covered elsewhere in this news section.
Source: Official decree text (decree.om)
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