A statement issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research:

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research heads a delegation of university presidents to discuss supporting cooperation with Britain in the field of employment and professional development in higher education institutions.

- Minister of Higher Education briefed on British higher education experience to link graduates to the labor market

- Various visits to the British government and private institutions for the presidents of the seven Egyptian regional universities.

- General vocational guidance training for officials of vocational employment centers in Egyptian universities with the aim of conveying the British experience to Egyptian universities

Prof. Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, met the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Development of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, represented by the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Egypt, where the schedule of visits of the Egyptian delegation was discussed, as well as the latest achievements of universities, vocational development centers and working mechanisms within the project "Higher Education Program of Vocational Guidance for Employment". A cooperation protocol was also signed under a joint agreement between the Ministry of Higher Education and Egyptian Scientific Research, the Foreign Office for Development of the United Kingdom, represented by the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Egypt, the ILO Office in Cairo, and the HE Advance Foundation, which is responsible for training and qualification in British higher education institutions.

As part of the visit, the delegation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was headed by Dr. Ayman Ashour, participating in a series of joint dialogue sessions with several parties and institutions involved in the development of higher education in the United Kingdom with a view to exploring ways of strengthening joint cooperation, activating international partnerships with those parties, and formulating joint working mechanisms. The sessions tackled the experience of vocational development centers in British higher education institutions and mechanisms for linking graduates to the labor market.

During the sessions, the Minister spoke about the main themes of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research which The Ministry of Economic Affairs launched last March, emphasized maximizing the role of the Ministry's various institutions in achieving the active role of supporting development in various economic fields like social, urban, and environmental, by defining the sustainable development goals and concepts of Egypt's fourth generation of universities and economic activities. The seven principles through which we reach the fourth generation of universities can be developed and thus achieve Egypt's Vision 2030.

The Minister drew attention to the importance of the integration of educational institutions through regional seminars and complementarity with the territories by meeting their needs, the labor market, and State institutions partners in the Strategy referring to the role of university vocational development centers and their role in graduate rehabilitation with the necessary skills for the requirements of the labor market. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research seeks to have a university center for professional development in each university. The role of the Ministry is no longer limited to academic education, but the Ministry and universities seek to support students and graduates to improve their personal skills to meet the requirements of the labor market, which underscores the importance of the University Centers for Professional Development project.

Prof. Dr. Ayman Ashour refers to the importance of establishing regional alliances between institutions of higher education and scientific research, industrial, agricultural, and productive partners with the aim of preparing graduates and young people for the labor market and supporting medium, small and micro enterprises in order to activate the role of the small economy in achieving growth rates, in order to achieve a development boom in the geographical region.

For its part, “HE Advance” presented an induction session on the public perception of Britain's higher education system and linked it to the labor market and policies that had been pursued over the past 10 years to develop performance in British higher education institutions. The Foundation also stressed the importance of cooperation with Egypt in the field of higher education appraising the role of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research regarding the development of Egypt's higher education system and linking it to the labor market.

The interactive sessions were attended by university presidents and representatives of the seven regions of the Arab Republic of Egypt: Mahmoud Al-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, Dr. Abdulaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, Dr. Al-Sayed Abdelazim Al-Sharqawi, President of Suez University, Dr. Mustafa Abdulkhaliq, President of Sohag University, Dr. Sherif Khater, President of Mansoura University, Dr. Ahmed Al-Manshawi, President of Assiut University, Dr. Issam al-Din Farhat, President of Minya University), as well as the presence of Dr. Mustafa Refaat, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Universities, Dr. Ayman Farid Assistant of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Strategic Planning, Training, and Qualification for the Labor Market, Consultant/Ahmed Ezzat Deputy Ambassador of Egypt in UK, and Dr. Rasha Kamal, Egyptian Cultural Attaché and Director of the Education Mission of the United Kingdom, Mr. Abdullah Husain Hamuda Mustafa Husain, Consultant to the Ministry for the Implementation of the Central Unit of Employment Centers.

Worth mentioned that the current visit program to the United Kingdom includes two consecutive programs: (Program for high-level officials of seven university presidents, including visits to government officials, representatives of the private sector, and various universities in the United Kingdom, and the other program for officials of vocational employment centers in Egyptian universities and includes general vocational guidance training with the aim of transferring the British experience to Egyptian universities and career guidance from 23 to 27 July 2023.