(((Quoted from the official page of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research)))

Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, attended the closing ceremony of the second edition of the presidential initiative "Tamkeen," held under the auspices of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, to support and empower Egyptian university students with disabilities. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Ahmed Fouad Heno, Minister of Culture, Engineer Abdul Muttalib Amara, Governor of Luxor, and a group of university presidents, ministry and governorate leaders, and students, at the Luxor Temple.

The minister explained that the second version of the presidential initiative "Tamkeen" represents a true translation of the political leadership's vision and its firm belief that empowering persons with disabilities is a national issue, a shared responsibility, and one of the fundamental indicators of the state's progress. He expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his constant support for issues related to empowering persons with disabilities and his deep belief in their full right to participate and contribute. He also thanked Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, for his continuous follow-up and constant keenness to translate this national vision into concrete policies and programs.

Dr. Ayman Ashour added that the presidential initiative "Empowerment" came within the framework of a comprehensive strategic approach adopted by the Egyptian state to build human capital, considering it the true wealth of this country, and in line with the goals of the new republic, which are based on the principles of justice, human dignity and equal opportunities. He explained that students from Egypt, the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China participated in this edition, reflecting the international aspect of the initiative and confirming the role of Egyptian universities as a platform for academic dialogue, cultural exchange, and capacity building at the regional and international levels.

The minister pointed out that the initiative resulted in three main outcomes that reflect the integration between theory and practice, and capacity building. These were the organization of a scientific symposium with the participation of a select group of local and international experts and academics to discuss the latest international trends in the field of universal design, including dealing with invisible disabilities such as neurodiversity, and the role of scientific research in supporting inclusive educational environments; the implementation of Step Zero, an educational and interactive program that aims to link the educational experience to practical reality and promote self-awareness, teamwork and cultural interaction through workshops, practical activities and field trips in Luxor, ensuring a learning experience with a lasting impact; It also launched a specialized training program for youth welfare departments and support centers for students with disabilities, with the aim of building institutional capacities, standardizing concepts, and training administrative staff on best practices and professional protocols for dealing with different types of disabilities, in an effort to build an inclusive university environment for all.

Dr. Ayman Ashour emphasized that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research attaches great importance to supporting students with disabilities, not only by providing accessibility within universities, but also by adopting a philosophy of comprehensive integration into the academic community, ensuring active participation, equal opportunities, and recognition of diverse abilities as an added value. He pointed out that the initiative aims to make the university a safe, enabling and nurturing space for creativity, expressing his sincere thanks and appreciation to the participating universities, supervisors and staff of youth welfare departments, and partners from sponsoring and supporting entities who believed in the mission of the initiative and embodied the highest values of social responsibility. He also praised the great organizational effort that went into producing this event in a manner befitting Egypt's name, the initiative's status, and the value of its participants.

For her part, Dr. Shereen Yahya, Minister's Advisor for Students with Disabilities, affirmed that the second edition of the Tamkeen initiative witnessed a qualitative shift in terms of institutional building and strategic planning, through the establishment of the central unit "Tamkeen" at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, which aims primarily to supervise and support service centers for students with disabilities, unify policies and apply international best practices, in addition to monitoring compliance with laws and regulations, building central databases and measuring students' academic progress.

The Minister's Advisor noted that the initiative has seen the implementation of periodic training and qualification programs for leaders and coordinators of service centers for students with disabilities, and focused on strategic planning, impact measurement, standardization of performance reporting models, project management and financing, and thinking methodology, in addition to holding coordination meetings to analyze the situation of the centers, exchange experiences and standardize working mechanisms.

Dr. Shereen Yahya highlighted the various events and activities organised by universities following the official launch of the initiative, with universities in the seven geographical regions organising intensive awareness seminars to promote awareness of the initiative's objectives and effectively integrate students with disabilities with their peers.

During the events, Dr. Ayman Ashour presented awards to the best student service centers for students with disabilities at universities in terms of performance. The Zagazig University Centre came in first place, followed by Ain Shams University in second place and Matruh University in third place. Dr. Mahmoud Amara, assistant professor at Tanta University, received the award for outstanding performance.

On the sidelines of the events, the audience listened to a distinguished musical performance by artist Nesma Mahjoub, which won their admiration.

The attendees also watched distinguished national artistic performances presented by students with disabilities and expressed their admiration for the performances presented during the ceremony.