Inspired by the noble directives of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said — may Allah rest his soul — the idea to establish the National Defence College was initiated in 2007. A committee was formed to oversee the construction of the college building, study the curricula, and develop the college’s basic system. After completing the construction and related studies, Royal Decree No. (2/2013) was issued on January 8, 2013. Article One of this decree declared the establishment of a college for strategic studies in the fields of security and defence, named the National Defense College, under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense and located in Bait Al Falaj Camp in the Muscat Governorate. The college was founded with the aim of enhancing the scientific and intellectual level of leaders at various ranks, and to ensure integration among the efforts of various sectors and institutions of the state. Its purpose is to equip senior military and civilian leaders with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to assume high-level leadership positions, contribute to the formulation of public policies and strategy development, coordinate and unify state efforts across sectors, and provide effective advice to the government on national security and defense matters. The National Defense College plays a significant and positive role in reinforcing the achievements and successes of the Sultan’s Armed Forces and other military and security bodies in particular, and the rest of the state institutions in general, as part of Oman’s comprehensive renaissance. The college also serves to lay down military and civilian intellectual foundations built on harmony and integration, in pursuit of supreme national interests. It aims to broaden strategic knowledge and deepen understanding of local, regional, and global issues related to national security and defense. Previously, the Sultan’s Armed Forces and other security and military institutions used to send their leaders to attend National Defense Colleges and War Colleges in friendly and allied countries, following curricula tailored to those nations' national objectives. It was a wise decision to establish a dedicated National Defense College in the Sultanate of Oman to qualify selected leadership elements from various state sectors based on purely Omani national visions, needs, and goals — forming qualified leaders capable of sound planning at the strategic level, fully aware of the challenges and issues Oman may face. Simultaneously, the continued participation of some officers in international National Defense Courses is emphasized to benefit from the experiences and expertise of allied and friendly nations. The National Defense Course is an integrated academic program in strategic studies designed to prepare national decision-makers at the strategic level through a scientific methodology that covers strategic planning, policy formulation, and development of state strategies. Although conducted under the umbrella and sponsorship of the Ministry of Defense and the Sultan’s Armed Forces, the program is not strictly military in nature. Rather, it is a national program that addresses all dimensions of national power — political, economic, military, security, social, media, technological, and more. The course aims for deep research, rigorous analysis, and objective evaluation of all elements and dimensions of national security, striving to integrate them into a comprehensive national security and defense framework that contributes to achieving national interests, goals, and aspirations. It also takes into account the challenges of the national, regional, and global environment and their impact on national security.