Oman Campus Roundup: AI Contests & Summer Programs in June-July 2026

June marks the end of the academic year at most Omani universities, but it also signals the start of a busy summer season filled with competitions, training academies, and community learning programs. Whether you are a student, a working professional, or a parent looking to enroll children in a skills program, here is your guide to what is happening across Oman's campuses in June and July 2026.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• The MTCIT is running a high-stakes AI competition with a June 24 launch and RO 13,000 in prizes. Registration closes May 29, 2026.
• UTAS-Al Mussanah's annual "Summer of the Future" program offers around 45 community workshops open to the public.
• SQU's Centre for Community Service runs summer clubs for school students across science, technology, arts, and language.
• Dhofar University's Summer Academy targets grades 7 to 12 with engineering workshops and Cambridge English curriculum.
• June is final exam season at most universities, so the main campus activities ramp up from late June onward.

🤖 AI and Machine Learning Events

"Engineer It with AI" Competition 2026 (MTCIT) — Coming in June and July

This is the biggest AI-focused event tied to Oman's university and innovation ecosystem this summer. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) has launched the 2026 edition of the "Engineer It with AI" competition, calling on teams across Oman to build real-world applications powered by agentic artificial intelligence. As Muscat Daily reported, the prize pool totals RO 13,000 distributed across winning teams.

Key dates:

• Registration deadline: May 29, 2026 (act fast)
• Official launch event: June 24, 2026
• In-person training bootcamp: June 28 – July 2, 2026
• First prototype presentations: Late July 2026
• Final presentations: August 24–25, 2026
• Winners announced: September 6, 2026

Who can participate: Innovators across Oman, including university students. Teams are capped at 25 total, with up to four members each. Selected projects may receive additional support for market deployment, making this a genuine launchpad for student-led AI startups.

How to register: Through the MTCIT's official platform at mtcit.gov.om. The competition is fully aligned with Oman's national AI strategy and the Oman AI and Digital Future Program 2024–2026.

Why this matters for students: This is not just a hackathon. The multi-month structure, mentorship support, and potential for market deployment make it a genuine career accelerator for Omani tech talent.

🎓 University Summer Programs

UTAS-Al Mussanah: "Summer of the Future" Program

The University of Technology and Applied Sciences at Al Mussanah runs one of Oman's most accessible summer learning programs, open not just to students but to employees, graduates, and members of the general public. According to Times of Oman, the program features around 45 interactive workshops and training courses covering:

• Technology, science, and innovation
• Leadership and entrepreneurship
• Critical thinking
• Language skills, including IELTS preparation

The program is delivered by academic and industry experts, with participants grouped by proficiency level. Based on past editions, the program runs from June through mid-August. The 2026 edition is expected to follow a similar schedule.

Who can attend: Students, graduates, public and private sector employees, and the general public.
How to register: Visit utas.edu.om or contact UTAS-Al Mussanah directly for the 2026 registration portal.

Sultan Qaboos University (SQU): Summer Programs for School Students

SQU's Centre for Community Service and Continuing Education runs annual summer clubs and intensive programs for school students. As listed on the SQU website, these include:

• Summer Club (Grades 2–10): Developed in cooperation with SQU's Colleges of Education and Science, the program nurtures creativity in mathematics, arts, and technology. Students are grouped by grade level.
• Intensive Summer Program (Grades 10–12): Covers English language skills and the International Computer Driving License (ICDL), with internationally recognized certification upon completion.
• Children's Medical Club: An exploratory science program covering human body systems.
• Young Explorer Program: Targeted at advanced students with a focus on cultural and intellectual development.

Who can attend: School students (Grade 2–12).
Fees: Contact the Centre directly for 2026 pricing.
How to register: Through SQU's electronic services portal at squ.edu.om.

Dhofar University Summer Academy

Dhofar University's Summer Academy is a well-established July program aimed at secondary school students. Based on the university's announcement of past editions, the academy targets students in grades 7 to 12 and delivers a multi-track curriculum including:

• Cambridge English curriculum (reading, writing, speaking, listening)
• Information technology: computer fundamentals, basic software and applications
• Practical engineering workshops in electrical, civil, and chemical engineering

Past editions have run for approximately three weeks in July (the 2024 edition ran July 7–25). A 2026 edition is expected.

Who can attend: Secondary school students, grades 7–12.
How to register: Via the Dhofar University admissions portal at du.edu.om. Contact the university directly for 2026 dates and pricing.

📅 Academic Calendar: What June Looks Like at Oman Universities

It is worth noting that most Oman universities are in final exam season for the first half of June, which means campus life is focused on studies rather than events. Based on the Dhofar University academic calendar 2025–2026, final exams run June 2–20, with grade finalization wrapping up by June 24–25. The Islamic New Year (Muharram 1) falls tentatively around June 16. Similar timelines apply at SQU and UTAS.

The upshot: most student-facing events, workshops, and competitions pick up from the last week of June onward, making this a transitional month where early registration for summer programs matters.

🌍 Oman's Innovation Ecosystem: Broader Context

June and July's calendar is leaner than peak academic season, but it sits within a broader push to build Oman's talent pipeline. The MTCIT competition is part of the national Oman AI and Digital Future Program, which runs through 2026. Separately, four Omani innovators from Sohar University were recently selected to represent the Sultanate at ITEX 2026 in Malaysia, reflecting growing momentum in student-led research and innovation.

The summer months are also when universities like UTAS and Dhofar open their doors to the broader community, turning campuses into public learning hubs aligned with Oman Vision 2040's human capital development goals.

🇴🇲 Why This Matters for Oman

Oman Vision 2040 places human capital and digital transformation at the center of economic diversification. University summer programs and government-sponsored AI competitions are exactly the kinds of pipelines that bridge formal education with real-world skills. The MTCIT's AI competition, in particular, is a direct signal that Oman is investing not just in infrastructure but in talent: the teams that compete this summer could become the founders and engineers driving Oman's next wave of tech startups. If you are a student, a fresh graduate, or a professional looking to level up, June and July 2026 are worth planning around.