Advances in Language and Literary Studies - Vol. 6 No. 3 - Flourishing Creativity & Literacy: Quality Research in Higher Education Institutions in Oman

Oct 15, 2026

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Academic research remains a prime source of knowledge and innovation for higher education institutions (HEIs) that strive to grow, expand and develop their academic reputations and standards. Yet, research informs teaching practices, shapes social changes and it has financial outcomes for HEIs. Therefore, it is imperative to develop institutional policies and strategies for promoting and sustaining quality research in HEIs in Oman. The study reviews international assessment models and explores factors affecting research and publication quality in the Omani context through a survey of 20 teacher researchers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Statement of the Problem

Theoretical Underpinnings

Factors Affecting Quality Research and Academic Publications in HEIs

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 Vol. 6 No. 3; June 2015 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia Flourishing Creativity & Literacy Quality Research in Higher Education Institutions in Oman: Some Views of Teacher Researchers Ahmed Ali Saleh Al Ajmi (Correspondence author) Department of English Language & Literature (DELL), Rustaq College of Applied Sciences, Oman E-mail: [ahmed.ali.alajmi@gmail.com](ahmed.ali.alajmi@gmail.com) Holi Ibrahim Holi Ali School of Education & Professional Development, University of Huddersfield, UK Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.3p.55 URL: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.3p.55)[.](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.3p.55)[v.6n.3p.55](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.3p.55) Received: 05/02/2015 Accepted: 15/03/2015 Abstract Academic research remains a prime source of knowledge and innovation for higher education institutions (HEIs) that strive to grow, expand and develop their academic reputations and standards. Yet, research informs teaching practices, shapes social changes and it has financial outcomes for HEIs. Therefore, it is imperative to develop institutional policies and strategies for promoting and sustaining quality research in HEIs in Oman. There are a number of international frameworks and models which have been developed to measure research quality in HEIs around the world. For example, bibliometrics were used to assess research quality in HEIs in the UK because bibliometric data can provide a number of component variables. An appropriate bibliometric model may include components such as output volume, diversity of outputs, citation volume, journal impact factor and average citations per publication, etc. Moreover, other popular examples of models for assessing research quality are Multidimensional Research Assessment Matrix (MRAM) used in Europe and the UK’s Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) . However, neither of the above mentioned models is adopted by HEIs in Oman. Thus, the current study is an attempt to explore some institutional, international, logistic and pragmatic factors that impact academic research and publication quality, review popular international research quality assessment models and explore the possibility of applying them in the Omani context. To achieve the study objectives, 20 teacher researchers were surveyed and the findings and recommendations were presented. Keywords: Quality Research, HEIs in Oman, International Models, Factors, Teacher Researchers' Views 1. Introduction As higher education (HE) expands, the public expects universal access to HEIs and more quality in HEIs (Chang, Nyeu and Chang, 2014) . Higher education in Oman has expanded after 1970 and now there are more than 62 public and private HEIs in Oman. The expansion of HEIs in Oman provides Omani citizens with opportunities to access HEIs as well as providing them with a variety of majors among which students can choose. Yet, it is important to ensure quality in such HEIs by considering quality of the progrmmes they offer to students and the research they produce. Chang et al (20 14) point out that the increase in the number of HEIs and students does not necessarily improve educational quality. Further, Wu (2008) indicates that quality in some of HEIs has been negatively affected due to the increase in the number of students and HEIs and lack of quality research. It is of utmost importance to strike a balance between teaching and research in HEIs to ensure balance between quality of the HEIs programmes offered and quantity of enrolled students (Chang et al., 2014) . The quality of teaching in HEIs is strongly connected to research which plays a significant role in shaping the teaching and learning process (Mahmood, 2011) . That is, the idea of research-teaching nexus should be of mission goal for all HEIs (Hattie & March, 1996) . Therefore, it is vital to ensure quality o

FAQs

What problem does the study focus on regarding research quality in Oman’s HEIs?

It addresses concerns about how research quality is assessed and the extent to which research contributes to policy and practice development in Oman’s HEIs. It also highlights the lack of a stable link between research and teaching practices.

Which international approaches are reviewed for assessing research quality?

The abstract discusses bibliometrics and models such as MRAM (Multidimensional Research Assessment Matrix) and the UK’s Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). It notes that these models are not adopted by HEIs in Oman.

How did the study collect evidence from participants?

It surveyed 20 teacher researchers, then presented the findings and recommendations.

Oct 15, 2026

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