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Innovation management plays a crucial role in harnessing innovations for economic development. Higher education institutions are considered one of the fundamental stages for embracing and supporting student innovations, especially in the early stages of ideation, selection and experimentation. Within this context, the current study aimed to understand the reality of innovation management in Omani higher education institutions at the pre-innovation stage. The study employed a descriptive methodology using a qualitative phenomenological research design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of 30 participants from two government universities and three private universities. The study utilised thematic analysis for data interpretation. In its findings, the study discusses the current reality of the management of the pre-innovation stage in Omani higher education institutions through five themes: announcing competitions, team formation, supervisory role, exploration of innovative ideas, and policies and regulations. The findings revealed that, despite efforts made by universities, there is a lack of planning or a defined roadmap for the innovation process. The study recommends implementing supportive policies and regulations for innovation, placing more emphasis on planning in the pre-innovation stage and adjusting supervision for students according to their innovative areas. KEYWORDS Innovation management, higher education, pre-innovation stage, innovation stage, innovation policies, Sultanate of Oman.
Al-Moqbali et al. (Sun,) studied this question.