(Quoting the official page of Egypt's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research)

The Minister of Higher Education chairs the meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities at Al-Minya University

The Supreme Council of Universities congratulates the Egyptian President for winning a new presidential term

Minister of Higher Education directs:

- Universities' readiness for first semester exams.

- Attendance of faculty staff, associated staff, and administrative apparatus throughout the examination period.

- Intensification of university students' visits to the International Book Fair during the mid-year school vacation

- Maximize the use of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank

- Proclaiming the criteria for the competition of the best environmentally friendly university.

The Supreme Council of Universities held its periodic meeting, chaired by Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Saturday, in the presence of Dr. Mustafa Rafat, Secretary of the Council, and members of the Council at the headquarters of Minya University.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council congratulated President Abdelfattah El-Sisi on winning a new presidential term, reflecting the belief of the people in his wise leadership, his ability to meet the challenges facing the homeland and move forward towards achieving sustainable development goals and building the new republic.

The Council thanked the Al-Minya University family under the chairmanship of Dr. Issam Farhat, the President of Al-Minya University, for hosting the meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities.

The Council also congratulated Dr. Abdulwahab Izzat for appointing him as Acting Secretary of the Council of Private Universities. The Council also thanked Dr. Mohamed Hilmi Al-Ghar, former Secretary of the Council of Private Universities, for his work during his tenure of responsibility.

The Minister of Higher Education directed the readiness of universities for the first semester examinations for the current university year.

The Minister also regularly directed teaching staff, associated staff, and administrative staff throughout the examination period to ensure the regularity and proper functioning of the examinations at universities and institutes.

The Minister also directed university presidents to make use of the Cairo International Book Fair in its 55th edition during the mid-year academic vacation period and provide all facilitations for students and easy transfers to participate in the exhibition and to attend the various events organized by the exhibition to maximize the benefit of the Cairo International Book Fair, which is a cultural wedding that contributes to raising young people's awareness and culture.

The Minister directed the importance of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank to maximize its unique and enormous possibilities for learning and training and to make available various kinds of science and knowledge, as well as to benefit from it in developing skills and preparing graduates capable of meeting the requirements of the local, regional, and international labor market.

The Minister praised the progress of Egyptian universities' ranking in the prestigious international rankings and the inclusion of 28 Egyptian universities in the first edition of the Arab classification of Arab universities out of 115 Arab universities. Egyptian universities become the most represented in the Arab classification of Arab universities, as well as the Egyptian scientific research centers and institutes in the second edition of the Scimago classification of research centers in the Middle East and North Africa for 2023. There are 5 research centers from various ministries in the top 10 at the classification level, which includes 378 centers and bodies in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Council heard a report on the main activities of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in December meeting with Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister. The Minister reviewed the Ministry's efforts to attract students to study in Egypt and activate the role of cultural centers and the position of Egypt's scholarship and educational tourism initiative as well as the increasing rates in the number of international students, the rates of enrolment in higher education institutions in Egypt, and the presentation of the most important needs of the regions from technological universities and the types of programs required therein. In addition, the Minister met with the Prime Minister to follow up on efforts to provide medicines and medical supplies in hospitals, through cooperation and coordination between ministries and stakeholders, as well as to provide university hospitals with such vital supplies and medicines.

Dr. Ayman Ashour also met with the Great Imam Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb Sheikh Al-Azhar to explore ways of strengthening cooperation and complementarity between higher education and Al-Azhar University. It was also agreed to establish double and permanent committees to coordinate work and cooperation between the two sides in the areas of digital transformation, the education system of international students, enrolling students in faculties and institutes, and upgrading the international equity of Egyptian universities, to upgrade the education system in various Egyptian universities.

The report noted that the Minister discussed the Strategic Plan for Higher Education and Scientific Research before the Senate, the mechanisms for activating and achieving its objectives and activating the digital transformation for the promotion of university education. The report also noted the selection of several national symbols to preside over boards of trustees 5 non-governmental universities (Assiut, East Port Said, Ismailia, Mansoura, Minya), in addition to meeting with several researchers from the Stanford list to present their research projects and study how to benefit from them.

The report added that the Minister inspected the international branch of Cairo University on the 6^th of October City. The Minister also witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Ministry of Culture and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology to develop and support the child content industry through animation and children's programs. As well, the Minister also witnessed the 18th Science Day celebration at Cairo University in honor of several ministers and 60 personalities from its scientists, intellectuals, and scholars who received state and university awards in various scientific fields for the years 2022 and 2023. Then, it witnessed the final event of the programs and competitions of the Innovators' Care Fund 2023, as well as the announcement of the names of the winners of the Hajj Lottery for employees of the General Office of the Ministry and its affiliated institutes and public, private, and technological universities for 2024.

Furthermore, the report referred to the holding of numerous meetings with ministers, ambassadors, foreign officials, delegations of foreign universities, and several Egyptian researchers abroad; To explore mechanisms to promote joint scientific and research cooperation.

Dr. Adel Abdul Ghaffar, the Media Adviser and Spokesperson of the Ministry, stated that the Council launched the competition for the Best Environmentally Friendly University of 2024 to begin on Saturday, 30 December, with universities being evaluated according to seven main criteria: (University Infrastructure and Risk Management Standard, Energy and Climate Change Standard, Waste Management Standard, Water Management Standard, Transportation Standard within University, Educational Systems Standard, Learning and Scientific Research, University and Society Standard), noting that the competition aims to reach Egyptian universities to become green environmentally friendly universities.

The Council followed the position of the integrated feasibility study by preparing to establish a partnership project between universities; to effectively start the reclamation of 200 acres per university in the New Valley governorate.

The Council approved the proposal for the development and restructuring of units of a special character for Egyptian universities and the establishment of university companies.

General Directorate of the Information Office and Spokesperson