First Nursing Students Graduate with a Cardiff University BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies in Oman
20 April 2011
The School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies entered into a collaborative agreement with the Oman Specialised Nursing Institute (OSNI), at the Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman in 2008. In May 2009 the first cohort of 27 students registered with Cardiff University to undertake a BSc (Hons) in Nursing Studies delivered in Oman by Cardiff University staff.
The collaboration has been a huge success, highly acclaimed by Professor Paul Dummer, the moderator appointed by Cardiff University to oversee the quality of the programme. The fruits of this successful venture were realised when 100% of the students graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Nursing Studies in July 2010. Some students attended our ceremony in Cardiff; however another graduation ceremony was held in Oman this February to celebrate the prestigious achievement.
This event was attended by the Dean and Head of School Professor Sheila Hunt, Deputy Head Dr Dianne Watkins, Cardiff University Moderator Professor Paul Dummer, Programme Manager Meryl Jones and SONMS lecturer Lorraine Joomun.
Dignitaries from the Oman Ministry of Health including the Minister for Health and the ex Minister for Health; the Director of Nursing and Midwifery Affairs for Oman, the Oman Director General of Education and Training, Dean of the Oman Specialised Nursing Institute, Programme Director for the BSc, mentors to students joined the graduates and their families in attendance.
The ceremony, hosted by two female Omani student nurses, included personal accounts from students of what they had learnt from the programme and how it had influenced their personal development and professional practice.One of these students received a commendation from the Director General of Education and Training for her speech on what she had learnt from the BSc and her role as a nurse in promoting and caring for the health and well being of Omani people. 
Professor Sheila Hunt gave a speech on nursing as a caring profession, life long learning and the role of education in improving the delivery of evidence based nursing care to patients. Degree awards were presented by His Excellency the Minister of Health for Oman. Mentors from OSNI were thanked for their support of students and were given a present by the Minister for Health. A video prepared by the students which portrayed SONMS lecturers teaching and supporting students in Oman was shown to the audience. This provided a glimpse into how the BSc is taught in Oman and the engagement of lecturers and students in the learning process. 
The successful achievement of a BSc (Hons) in Nursing Studies by Omani nurses marks a historic point in the School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies move towards collaborative working with other countries.