Campus Life in DU

Identification Card (ID)

Student Affairs Department issues an ID card to all new DU student in accordance with the following procedure:

• The student has to brings 4 passport photos to the Registration Department and gets a temporary ID card.
• The Registration Department sends these photos to the Student Services Section in the Student Affairs Department.
• After three weeks, the student gets the ID card from Student Services Section.

It is mandatory for all DU students to carry their ID card in the University campus all the times.

Student Advisory Council – SAC

Students elect annually their representatives to the DU University Student Advisory Council (SAC) also called Student Union, which is a representative body of the DU students on various committees and events. A total of 17 students, representing all the four colleges and the Centre for Preparatory Studies , are elected to this student’s body, which is based on the total student’s strength. The Chair of the Council, Deputy Chair, and General Secretary are the office bearer of the Student Council whose responsibility is to run the council and call for meetings to discuss students related issues. The Director of Student’s Affairs is the official nominee of the university administration who act as the mentor and liaison for the student council.

Eligibility conditions for nomination to the student’s council election

Students interested in the membership of the university student’s advisory council should fulfil the following conditions:

• Completed at least one semester with GPA not less than 2 for Bachelor student and 3 for Master students’
• Registered at least the minimum study load,
• Did not commit any prohibited act.

Role and responsibilities of the student’s advisory council

• Develop learning and researching process and help improve DU services for students
• Enhance transparency and constructive criticism among students
• Develop true citizenship principles
• Provide student with fundamental principles of strengthening and developing one’s personality and team work spirit
• Raise the level of student activities in all aspects
• Embed volunteer work principles
• Raise the level of intellectual, cultural, artistic, social and sporting life of students

Elections

• All students of DU have the right to vote during elections and each student has one vote to cast
• The election is conducted in a time period within the first three weeks of the Fall Semester of each academic year
• The elections procedure is managed by the election committee which headed by Dean Student Affairs (DARSA) with FOUR academic staff from each college and two personnel form department of student’s affairs along with four student observers.

Student Facilities

DU has always accorded top priority to ensure that its students have the best of the on campus facilities, both for males and females. The Students Affairs Premises at DU consists of a two-story building and houses majority of the facilities needed by the students. However, many of these facilities are made available in the individual College and ladies hostel also. These facilities include: social, recreational, sports, religious and even convenience so as to make the students feel at home in the University campus.

Transportation

DU does not provide transport facilities for its students to attend classes. They have to make their own arrangements. However, in case of industrial visits, study tours and emergencies, DU makes arrangements for their transportation.
Students are advised to use public vehicles which involves mass transportation. There is a bus stop right next to the university gate with a timetable for arrival and departure timings. The students using private motor vehicles are advised to have maximum car-pooling arrangements so as to reduce the number of vehicles in the campus.
Nevertheless, free transportation is provided for the female students residing in the hostel. This facility is provided for going to shopping centers, the hospital and the airport. In addition, weekend picnics and excursions are also arranged for them.
For male students with disabilities DU arranges free accommodation, if they require, and also provides free transportation facility to and fro from the accommodation to the University campus.
DU has three big and three small buses and six saloon cars exclusively for this purpose. For all emergencies, it is ensured that at least one driver is on duty 24 X 7.

Car Parks and Vehicular Movement

Campus Maps and Signage: The campus maps with directions as well as traffic signs are placed at various strategic places in the campus, which makes it easy for the newcomers to find their way to their intended destination.

Speed Breakers: Speed breakers are also placed at various places in the campus so as to slow down the speed of vehicles, specifically near the pedestrian crossings, in order to ensure safety of the pedestrians.

Car Parks: There are ample car parking places available to students all around the campus close to every college and student affairs building. Furthermore, there are designated parking places for the vehicles of physically disabled students, which in no cases be used by general public. All motor vehicles must be parked at the designated parking places only.

Vehicular Movement: All motor vehicles must follow the traffic rules inside DU campus. Any violation in this regard shall attract penalty as per ROP rules. CCTV cameras are installed at various places in DU campus and vehicular movement is monitored by the security staff.

As for students, who are dropped by their families or friends, there are designated areas for safe loading and unloading. Public motor vehicles and chauffer driven vehicles are not allowed to remain in DU campus for more than 1 hour.

Support Centers for Minority Groups

DU has two minority groups namely “International Students” and “Students with Disabilities”. There are dedicated centers for catering to the needs of these minority groups with full time staff. For more details, click here to visit “International Students Support Center” and click here to visit “Students with Disabilities Support Service Unit”.

Clinics

DU has an on-campus clinic in the Students’ Affairs Building and free medical facilities are made available to all students during normal working hours of the University. There are separate arrangements for male and female students.
In addition, there is one clinic in the Ladies Hostel, where free medical facilities are made available to female students on 24X7 basis. There are four full-time nurses to look after these clinics, who work in three shifts.
The clinics provide basic medical assistance for minor physical injury and sickness. All those cases for which medical care cannot be provided on campus are referred to the nearby Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals. For that purpose, it is ensured that a nurse-accompanied emergency transportation is always available, as and when required.
Apart from these clinics, each floor of the College Buildings, Common Classroom Building and Dean Offices are equipped with first aid boxes and wheel chairs are also available for dealing with any emergency situations.
All students are strongly advised to go for regular health checkup in the designated hospital to ensure good health. Talks on Wellness, hygiene and health issues are regularly organized to create awareness among students. During COVID -19 additional health checkup and precautionary measures are being taken to ensure safety for all.
Location of the DU Clinic
Room 015A
Ground Floor, Student Affairs Building
Telephone No: 23237135
DU Medical emergency numbers
GSM: 92345288/95231283/92474124
General Emergency Hotlines
Ambulance: 9999
Sultan Qaboos Hospital (Salalah): 23211151
AL Saadah health Centre Reception no: 23225613 / 23225102

Cafeterias

DU has two cafeterias, each with seating capacity of 200 students at a time, with separate arrangements for male and female students. One of the cafeterias is located in the ladies’ hostel, while the other one is located in the Students’ Affairs Building. The food served is a mixture of Arabic and oriental cuisine. Fast food options too are available.
All cafeterias are monitored by the university to ensure that the students are served with healthy and hygienic food. Students can provide their feedback or lodge complaints about the cafeteria services to a dedicated office in the Students’ Affairs, which in turn address the reported issues through the Administrative Affairs Department of the university.

Coffee Shops

A number of open-air coffee shops serving snacks, tea, coffee and beverages are located in all college buildings and common classroom building, and also in the courtyards of these buildings. A number of small huts are located near these coffee shop to facilitate sitting in groups and provide privacy. Furthermore, just like the cafeterias, these coffee shops are also monitored by the university to maintain the quality of their services.

Shopping Center

There is a mini shopping center on the ground floor of the Student Affairs Building which houses shops for stationary, electronic items, food and beverages and other similar items of daily consumptions. The shopping center is open on all working days from 9 AM to 4 PM.
In addition, for the convenience of girl students, there is a mini super market located inside the Ladies Hostel Building, where all daily needs items as well as personal items including sanitary items are made available.

Bank Branch and ATM

The students have access to the banking facilities and an ATM of the Bank Dhofar on the ground floor of the student affairs building. The service provided by the bank on campus include: opening a bank account, depositing and withdrawing cash and other routine banking services.

Religious Facilities

There is a Mosque on the University campus that caters to the religious needs of the students. The mosque can accommodate around 500 students and has all services including utility rooms, toilets and abolution area. The Mosque is on a 2-minute walking distance from the Students Affairs building and on a 4-minute walking distance from the common classrooms.
The Mosque has a full time Imam (preacher) to conduct the Salah (prayer). In addition, the SAS arranges religious lectures by eminent guest speakers for students and also provides opportunities for students’ religious observance, consistent with Islamic beliefs and traditions.

Prayer Rooms

There are separate prayer rooms for male and female students, located on each floor of all DU building, to pray and indulge in religious activity. Also, there is adequate provision of washrooms nearby these prayer rooms for the abolution.

Student Employment Program

DU provides its students with an opportunity to gain vital work experience and earn some income as well while studying at the University. All students who are interested in joining “Student Employment Program” are required to apply for that to the Student Affairs Department. According to this program, a student can work for a maximum of ten hours per week and earns money on an hourly basis.

Reading Rooms

DU library has separate reading rooms for male and female, which can accommodate more than 500 students at a time. Individual reading cabins for quite study are also available for Master program students and research dedicated scholars. The library also has rooms with audiovisual facilities to hold meetings, workshops and training sessions.

The library also houses two computer labs, one for male students and the other for female students, with 25 computers each having internet access. There is one e-library lab with 40 computers. Students can access the internet, as well as the e-library, using their personal ID, to expand their learning horizon.

Campus Security

DU takes adequate care of the security aspects on the University campus. There is provision for security services within the campus. These services are outsourced and there are 24 security guards who are on duty 24/7. Security is made available in the Ladies Hostel also on a 24X7 basis and for that, there are 12 security guards, who work in three shifts.

DU Campus security system is one of the best and the entire campus is covered by CCTV cameras. The security control room monitors the CCTV cameras and give instruction to the department of security to check on any outward traffic movement or incident.

The campus security is dealt by a team of security personnel who are stationed at the main entrance to the campus and anybody entering has to have the campus entry pass to enter. All employees are issued car entry pass and all students are issued Id card which help them gain entry to the campus. A University security patrol car keeps on patrolling the entire campus to ensure security and safety of all.

Campus Health and Safety

Health and safety of students, staff and visitors on the campus is of paramount importance and is taken well care of by the Department of Technical Affairs. The Health and Safety Officer is in charge for the overall safety of the campus.

Health Safety: DU has a well-equipped “Clinic” to deal with any health related emergencies 24×7. Paramedic staff is available round the clock and on call medical doctor too in available to deal with any emergency on campus. First Aid kits and box are available in all college buildings and other buildings all around the campus. Wheel Chairs too are available in each building for any emergency usage.

Fire safety: DU campus is well equipped to deal with any emergency due to fire. Fire alarms are installed on all DU buildings and fire extinguishers are placed in strategic location for easy access and usage. Regular fire drills are done to make the staff as well as the students aware how to participate and react in case of emergency evacuation.

Assembly Points: Assembly points are well earmarked and the staff and students are made aware of them and their locations. Fire evacuation plans are placed in each building and each college has a Health and safety committee chaired by faculty members with many volunteers to deal with safety issues. Emergency telephone numbers like hospitals, fire brigade, ROP, are prominently displayed in all workplaces at the University.

Food Quality: The health and safety officer has an approved schedule to continuously check on the food quality in cafeterias and coffee shops on campus. Cleaning and checking of the water storage facilities is done at regular interval by certified labs approved by the city municipality.

Art Exhibition Hall

Students can display their artwork in the art exhibition room equipped with displaying pieces of artwork in the form of exhibitions. This hall is extensively used for displaying diffident work of art both modern and Omani. The painting club and the photography club organize several exhibitions for their members works throughout the academic year. Traditional Omani handicraft exhibition is also an annual feature wherein piece of handmade traditional Omani products made by the students are displayed.
The hall is available also for female students celebrating their end-of-their-study period before the end of their last semester given the fact that their gathering outside the university is not easy due to the conservative kind of culture.

Common Rooms

In order to have social interaction and meetings several common rooms/social rooms big and small are available in the building. The big common room is accessible to all students anytime during the working hours and small common /meeting rooms are meant for groups dedicated meetings, playwriting, etc. on pre booking terms. Commons rooms are equipped with large size television to watch sporting events and films. A mini corner for latest periodicals are also available.
All college buildings have social rooms for females to gather, relax, and take advantage of the recreation facilities. Males usually gather outside the buildings area in especially made “Khimahs’ or hut with seating capacity of around 10 students each.

Book Store

The Dhofar University (DU) Bookstore has been operational since February 2017. Its aim is to provide printed and electronic textbooks for University students. The facility is providing convenient and easy access to textbooks and reading material at an affordable price exclusively for DU students and instructors.

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