التعليم العالى بحصاد 2024.. اهتمام بملف التعاون الدولى والشراكات الأجنبية

The file of supporting and strengthening relations between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and prestigious international institutions in the educational and research fields received great attention from the Ministry throughout the year 2024.

Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, stressed that strengthening international partnerships contributes to supporting more than one principle within the national strategy for higher education and scientific research, including achieving part of the principle of communication, by strengthening ties between national institutions and their international counterparts, and supporting the principle of international reference, through exchanging Academic and research experiences with countries of the world and achieving the required international standards in the level of educational service provided in universities, pointing to the great effort made by all universities during this year to strengthen their international partnerships, as well as opening horizons of cooperation with various countries of the world with experience in the field of higher education, especially education. Technology, and building bridges of cooperation with brothers from Arab and African countries to maximize Egypt’s regional and international role.

The minister pointed out that the year 2024 witnessed the opening of the activities of the first academic and scientific forum between Egypt and Hungary, in the presence of Dr. Janosz Czak, Hungarian Minister of Culture and Innovation, and a large number of university leaders from the two countries, to establish mechanisms for cooperation between the two sides in academic disciplines of common interest, and to implement scientific and research partnerships between them. Egyptian universities and their Hungarian counterparts. On the sidelines of the forum, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Mansoura University, represented by the Faculty of Agriculture, and the Hungarian University of Debrecen, represented by the Nergyháza Institute for Agricultural Research.

Dr. Ashour pointed out the signing of the largest framework agreement this year for international partnership between Egyptian and French universities. To grant double academic degrees, during the activities of the “Preparatory Meeting for Egyptian Universities to Discuss Means of Egyptian-French Cooperation,” with the aim of granting double scientific degrees in 15 scientific specializations that vary between academic and technological specializations.

The Minister also appreciated the Egyptian-Turkish cooperation during this year, which came through the expanded meeting with the President of the Turkish Higher Education Council and a number of Egyptian and Turkish university presidents, following the signing of the memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of higher education that was signed on the sidelines of the visit of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, to Ankara; Pointing out the role of this meeting in activating and implementing the agreement, as they discussed increasing academic exchange of faculty members between the two sides, implementing joint study programs in bachelor’s and postgraduate studies, enhancing joint scientific research in priority areas, and opening a department to teach Egyptology in one of the prestigious Turkish universities was discussed. ; To introduce the Egyptian civilization in Turkey, and teach the Turkish language and Turkish history in Egyptian universities, in addition to discussing support for the ongoing consultations related to Zagazig University’s endeavor to establish the Egyptian Turkish College of Technology in the Tenth of Ramadan City in cooperation with the University of Ankara, and to establish a forum for academic exchange.

Dr. Ayman Ashour noted the contracts that were signed with a number of British qualification and classification bodies, including the British Royal College of Surgeons, the Society of Chartered Accountants, and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Engineering Technology, stressing their importance in providing accredited training programs to provide the necessary skills for graduates of Egyptian universities in accordance with market requirements. International work, and working to develop and characterize Egyptian university curricula to suit international classification requirements, as well as cooperation in training accredited lecturers, qualifying Egyptian examiners, and providing Consultations for Egyptian universities in the field of curriculum development and implementation of several joint programs in continuing education and postgraduate studies with Egyptian universities

The Minister explained that the international cooperation file focused during this year on benefiting from the experiences of distinguished countries in the field of technological education, noting that many fruitful meetings were held and international partnerships were signed in the field of technological education, including:

Signing memorandums of understanding on the sidelines of the Egyptian-European Investment Conference, which was hosted in Cairo under the patronage and honor of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, and Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, where a joint four-way memorandum of understanding was signed between the New Cairo Technological University and the Higher Technical Institute for New Technologies for Manufacturing. Italy, Danieli Italiano, Don Bosco Institute; For cooperation in the field of mechatronics technology, as well as the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the 6th of October Technological University, the Higher Technical Institute for New Technologies Made in Italy, the Italian company Polygon Solutions, and the Don Bosco Institute in the Biomedical Technology Program.

Delta University of Science and Technology also signed a cooperation protocol with the British University of Plymouth, in joint academic programs in the fields of engineering and computing, design, health sciences, tourism and hospitality, and others.

A delegation from the leadership of the Ministry and Egyptian universities visited German technological universities, to learn about the nature and environment of the industry there. With the aim of enhancing the exchange of knowledge and experiences between vocational education institutions in Egypt and Germany, and discussing the issue of employment and connection to the labor market, in addition to the delegation’s participation in the Conference of German Presidents of Universities, and the Permanent Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.

In this year’s international cooperation file, the Ministry also focused on discussing cooperation in the field of university hospitals with a number of prominent international bodies, and this included holding a meeting with Siemens Healthineers for the Middle East and Africa. To discuss ways of joint cooperation in operating the new oncology hospital project in Sheikh Zayed (Hospital 500 500), as part of the Minister’s visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied by a delegation of leaders from the oncology sector in university hospitals, and his visit to major German companies in the field of health care, and the leading German university centers in Diagnosis and treatment of tumors, in order to agree on activating joint Egyptian-German scientific cooperation, in order to advance oncology services in university hospitals.

An “Egyptian-Swedish” meeting was also organized in the presence of the Swedish ambassador and a number of Swedish companies in the field of health care to cooperate in the field of oncology and develop the skills of young doctors in university hospitals.

The Minister held a meeting with a delegation from Nanjing Medical University of China. With the aim of joint scientific and research cooperation between Egyptian and Chinese universities, in the medical field and university hospitals, as well as increasing the exchange of distinguished human resources, and encouraging increased implementation of scientific research that achieves mutual benefits between the two sides.

Dr. Ashour held a meeting with the International Labor Organization delegation in Cairo. To discuss benefiting from international expertise in the field of graduate qualification, enhancing the capabilities of the workforce to keep pace with labor market requirements, and supporting employment.

For his part, Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister for Strategic Planning, Training and Qualification for the Labor Market and Acting Head of the Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector, pointed out the Ministry’s participation in a number of important international events in the field of higher education and scientific research, including the Minister’s participation in the work of the World Education Forum, which was held in The British capital, London; With the aim of setting priorities and developing the necessary procedures to make education stronger and improve its contribution to building a better world, which is one of the largest forums for ministers of higher education in the world, and an important platform for exchanging ideas and experiences in the field of education.

The Minister also held a meeting with Ms. Lin Chen, Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China; To strengthen the strategic partnership between Egypt and China in various fields of modern scientific specializations, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and agriculture, and discuss enhancing innovation, and integrating the Belt and Road Initiative and the “Alliance and Development” initiative.

The Assistant Minister pointed out the interest in supporting entrepreneurship, as the Minister conducted an inspection tour of “Station F”, which is the largest center for incubators of startup companies globally in France, and which aims to provide an ideal environment for entrepreneurs, with the aim of benefiting from global experiences and applying them in Egypt, to enhance competitiveness. The Egyptian economy, in addition to the minister’s meeting with representatives of many foreign universities to support the principle of international reference within the national strategy for higher education and scientific research, as well as to discuss establishing branches in Egypt, including; The Portuguese University of Aveiro, the British University of Essex, the British University of Aberdeen, the British University of Lancashire, and the British University of Exeter.

For his part, Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the media advisor and official spokesman for the Ministry, explained that Dr. Ashour witnessed during this year the signing of cooperation protocols between many Egyptian universities and their international counterparts within the framework of strengthening international partnerships, including; Signing a memorandum of understanding to establish an international branch of Alexandria University in South Sudan, signing a cooperation agreement between Cairo University (the international branch) and the University of East London, signing a cooperation agreement between New Mansoura University and the French University of Evansity for cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence, and signing a cooperation protocol between Alamein International University and the University of East London. American Louisville to expand existing cooperation between the two universities; To offer dual degrees in the fields of bioengineering, computer science, and a number of engineering specializations, and to sign the first framework agreement between Egypt and Slovenia in the field of heritage sciences.

The official spokesman added that this year also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with MCS in the field of training and cybersecurity, to cooperate in the field of information and communications technology solutions, and to provide specialized qualification programs in the field of data protection technology and cybersecurity for university students and those affiliated with higher education institutions.

Dr. Abdel Ghaffar pointed out the participation of the Ministry of Higher Education, represented by the Arab Republic of Egypt, in many prominent international events, including the eleventh meeting of ministers of higher education in the BRICS member states, which was held in the Russian city of Kazan. During the meeting, Dr. Ayman Ashour discussed ways of establishing branches. For Russian technological universities, and cooperation with Borg El Arab Technological University in Egypt; To qualify specialized cadres in the field of nuclear energy to serve national projects in this field, as well as to cooperate with the Rosatom Foundation in the field of joint scientific research, discuss the possibility of opening branches of Russian universities and scientific institutes in Egypt, and establish an alliance of Russian universities in Egypt.

The Minister also participated in the ministerial conference organized by the University Agency for Francophonie (AUF) within the activities of the International Week of Scientific Francophonie in the city of Toulouse, France, and held many meetings. With the aim of expanding partnerships between Egyptian and French universities by offering joint study programmes, increasing student exchange, developing joint research, examining the possibility of opening branches of French universities in Egypt, and discussing cooperation in the field of technological education; To qualify Egyptian students to keep pace with technological developments and the modern labor market.

This is in addition to meeting with many ambassadors of friendly countries to discuss joint cooperation, including the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ambassador of the State of Djibouti, the Ambassador of Switzerland, the Ambassador of Colombia, the Ambassador of Bahrain, the Ambassador of Yemen, the Ambassador of Senegal, the Minister of State for Science, Culture and Technology, and the Ambassador Estonia, the Ambassador of the European Union, the Ambassador of Rwanda, the Ambassador of Lithuania, the Ambassador of Greece, the Ambassador of Kuwait, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan, the Ambassador of Morocco, and the Ambassador Sudan, the Ambassador of Qatar, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, the Ambassador of Jordan, and international bodies concerned with higher education, including the Francophonie University Agency, the Fulbright Commission, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).