Sunday 11 / January / 2026
Muscat: With the Royal blessings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Diwan of Royal Court announced four major awards, namely His Majesty the Sultan's Culture and Social Award, His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Research and Innovation, His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Economy, Business, and Digital Excellence, and His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Governorates Development.
Dr. Habib Mohammed Al Riyami, Chairman of Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science, stated that each award will encompass several axes covering the various fields mentioned in its title. He affirmed that regional and international awards will remain as they are, given their role in consolidating the Sultanate of Oman's stature in international forums.
In a press conference held at the theatre of the Ministry of Information today, he added that, to ensure coordination among the entities concerned with managing and organizing these awards, and to unify standards and enhance their institutional governance to achieve their objectives, the responsibility for their general supervision has been assigned to the Diwan of Royal Court.
He clarified that in this context, the Diwan of Royal Court will work in the coming period to set up a website for these four awards and establish a "timeline" for each award, including dates for opening registration, announcing results, and holding award ceremonies for the winners, in addition to forming committees concerned with the shortlisting and arbitration processes.
He explained that the name of each award clarifies its cycle period, target groups, fields, and value.
The value of His Majesty the Sultan's Culture and Social Award is RO 625,500. It targets individuals, civil society institutions, and private sector establishments in the fields of: Volunteer Work (annually), Youth Excellence (annually), Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage (annually), Cultural Recognition (annually), and Educational Excellence (biennially).
He pointed out that the value of His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Research and Innovation is RO 123,000. It targets individuals and institutions in the fields of: Research for the best published scientific research, best research institution, and best student innovative idea (annually), and the Innovation field for the best patent and best startup institution (annually).
Dr. Habib said that the value of His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Economy, Business, and Digital Excellence is RO 445,000. It targets institutions and individuals in the fields of Industrial Excellence, awarded to the first-place winner in Industrial Excellence at the Sultanate of Oman level, the best industrial company in applying Local Value Added standards, the best industrial company in adopting modern industrial technologies, and the best industrial company in adhering to environmental, safety, and social responsibility standards, as well as the best industrial company in adopting administrative standards, corporate governance, and customer service (every three years).
He added that the fields of His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Economy, Business, and Digital Excellence include Entrepreneurship, awarded to an institution with pioneering, innovative, and sustainable projects across various sectors, a creative handicraft institution, and an initiative supporting entrepreneurship (every three years). In the field of Digital Excellence, it is awarded for a digital service provided to citizens/business sector/governance, an entity achieving innovation and digital transformation, an innovative initiative for innovation and digital transformation, a technology institution achieving international partnership in the field of technology, and an open award (every three years).
He pointed out that the value of His Majesty the Sultan's Award for Governorates Development is RO 1,070,000. It targets governorates, individuals, and institutions in the "Governorates" awards field, awarded to governorates winning the first three places, the Institutions and Individuals Award for the first three places, and the Individuals Award, also awarded for the first three places, and held biennially.
