Oman Air has joined with the Muscat-based College of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS) to support the ongoing development of entrepreneurship amongst the young people of Oman.

The airline has accepted an invitation from the college to become a strategic partner for the CBFS Youth Entrepreneurship Competition. The competition aims to prepare students for success in an evolving Omani economy by incentivising, contributing and sustaining the success of the winning students. It culminated in a ceremony, which was held under the auspices of His Excellency Hamad Al Amri, Undersecretary of Manpower, on 24^th April.

As a part of its support for the competition, Oman Air provided the winner with return tickets to Dubai. The tickets will enable them to continue their project by visiting a financial firm in Dubai to exchange skills and expertise, and to enhance their knowledge and experience.

Dr. Khalid bin Abdul Wahab al Balushi, Senior Manager Government Affairs at Oman Air, commented:

“We are pleased and proud to be supporting this important initiative, in partnership with the College of Banking and Financial Studies. The continuing success and expansion of Oman’s economy depends on the entrepreneurial flair of today’s students, who will go on to become the business leaders of tomorrow.

“That is why the CBFS Youth Entrepreneurship Competition is so important. The business world is, of course, highly competitive and this project encourages students to shine in their chosen fields. Furthermore, the winner now has the opportunity to travel and to further develop their skills and knowledge. It has been a pleasure to provide them with their flights to Dubai, courtesy of Oman Air.”

The College of Banking and Financial Studies was established by Royal Decree in 1983 with the objectives of educating and training bankers and encouraging research in banking and financial subjects. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Central Bank of Oman and is supported by the commercial banks operating in the Sultanate.

Over three decades, the College has helped the financial services industry to meet its human resource development needs by offering academic and training courses that are tailor-made to meet the emerging needs of Oman. It is an active partner in the Omanisation of the banking sector.

Oman Air’s partnership with CBFS was the latest step in its corporate social responsibility programme which provides support for business and community development initiatives, as well as high achievement in the educational, sporting and creative fields. As the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, and as a major national and international employer, Oman Air is committed to backing continuing economic development in the country, a key part of which is a flourishing SME sector.

In November 2015, Oman Air was awarded Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year at the 9^th Aviation Business Awards.