Dr. Ayman Ashour: The Ministry seeks to support students and graduates to improve their personal skills and keep abreast of the labor market.

Minister of Higher Education: Establishment of vocational development centers in every Egyptian university

On Thursday morning, Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, inaugurated the University Center for Professional Development at Suez University, which was implemented in cooperation with the American University in Cairo, and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Egypt. It was in the presence of Major General staff of war Abdelmajid Saqr, Governor of Suez, Prof. Dr. Al-Sharqawi, SU President, Mr. Mark Driver, Officer-in-Charge of Deputy Director of the USAID Mission in Egypt, Dr. Ahmed Dallal, the president of the American University of Cairo, Dr. Mohamed Hamza, Chancellor of the American University of Cairo, Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister for Strategic Planning, Training and Qualification for the Labor Market, and Dr. Maha Fakhry, Executive Director of the University Centers for Professional Development Project.

During the inauguration, the Minister explained that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was seeking to have a university center for professional development for each university; Emphasizing the role of the Ministry in supporting students and graduates and improving their personal skills to meet the requirements of the labor market, which underscores the importance of the project of university centers for professional development.

Dr. Ayman Ashour states that these centers are an integrated model to guide students and graduates by developing entrepreneurial skills, connecting them to the community and industry, as well as refining their recruitment, leadership, English, and technical skills, valuing their role in helping students find jobs through recruitment forums or entrepreneurship training.

Moreover, The Minister affirmed the Ministry's desire to meet the needs of the State in accordance with its vision for sustainable development in 2030, and the requirements of the new Republic by paying attention to the academic, professional, and creative path of students. He stressed on the establishment of vocational development centers in every Egyptian university, and that the Ministry has established an entity to pursue and support this in the belief in the importance of linking education to the needs of the labor market locally and internationally.

In his speech, Prof. Dr. Al-Sharqawi said that Suez University seeks to pioneer, advance, and provide an integrated educational service. The opening of the University's Professional Development Centre in cooperation with USAID and the American University in Cairo is the latest addition to this goal. It is also a service for students to prepare them for the market requirements and competitiveness through vocational guidance and training in employment skills. This is an effective contribution to serving the local community in the governorate and Egypt.

Furthermore, Al-Sharkawi added that the University Centers for Professional Development project at Suez University aims to offer a variety of training programs that meet the needs of the labor market and contribute to building the professional capacity of students in the final years, especially regarding soft skills, specialized technical skills, English language, entrepreneurship. He also clarified that during the coming period, the University's centers aim at focusing on students with special needs, communicating with representatives of the labor market, holding institutional awareness sessions, providing training and employment opportunities, and conducting labor market studies.

In addition, Dr. Ahmed Dallal is pleased with the participation of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the SU President in the opening of the University Center for Professional Development at Suez University, commending the cooperation and partnership with Egyptian universities in this project, which will cover all parts of Egypt, enhance the recruitment capabilities of university graduates, and enhance communication between universities and the labor market. He added that this project is an achievement added to the history of the American University of Cairo in the service of Egypt, thanking the American Agency for International Development (USAID), which contributed to this project, and its confidence in the experience and competence of the American University to implement the project.

For her part, Dr. Maha Fakhry pointed to the role of the University Vocational Development Centers in supporting students to plan their careers, to learn about the skills needed to develop their abilities to obtain jobs in the surrounding labor market in the light of the needs of this market, as well as to link what the student learns in academic life with the requirements of the labor market.

Dr. Adel Abdelghaffar, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education, said that the university centers for professional development in Egyptian universities are working to enable students to take practical steps to continue the career they want and pass from the university to the labor market, in cooperation with distinguished training partners. The centers also offer students a comprehensive range of courses and training in the fields of professional management, recruitment skills, and entrepreneurship, noting that a team from American University trains and qualifies the staff of these centers in providing professional guidance services to the university's students, thereby contributing to the sustainability of the centers and professional services.

Finally, the spokesperson added that a memorandum of understanding was signed in January 2023 to establish the new university centers after the extension of the project to include nine Egyptian government universities, three Technological Universities in its new phase (Beni Suef Technological University, Delta Technological University and New Cairo Technological University) and four International Universities (King Salman International University, New Mansoura University, and Alamein International University) For a total of 46 centers in 34 Egyptian partner universities by 2026.