A year’s harvest since the launch of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research
The issue of developing the educational and research system received great attention from the political leadership in Egypt, and this came at the top of the work priorities of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research during the year 2023, as the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research was launched. With the aim of developing the educational and research system, creating an appropriate environment for investment, providing the necessary infrastructure, supporting the efforts of diversifying university education institutions, and linking scientific research to the needs and priorities of the state plan and the sustainable development goals.
Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, explained that the Ministry launched the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research during the month of March 2023, under the auspices of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, noting that this strategy was based on three main axes, which are: (Sustainable Development Strategy " “Egypt Vision 2030”, the shift towards fourth generation universities, and the relationship between the higher education system and scientific research and the comprehensive development plan for Egypt), pointing out that the seven principles that were settled upon to form a roadmap for the national strategy for higher education and scientific research are (integration, interdisciplinary , communication, effective participation, sustainability, international reference, innovation and entrepreneurship).
International reference is one of the most important principles of the national strategy for higher education and scientific research, as Egyptian universities have advanced in Various prestigious international classifications. Cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank has contributed to improving the classification of Egyptian universities, institutions and research centers internationally, by providing access to global knowledge sources, as the Egyptian Knowledge Bank provides access to more than 100 million knowledge materials from more than 1,000 international, regional and local publishing houses, giving Egyptian researchers and scholars an opportunity; To view the latest scientific research and studies in various fields.
The ranking of Egyptian universities in international classifications has witnessed significant progress, as 15 universities were present in the QS World Classification in the 2024 classification instead of 5 universities in the 2017 classification, and the number has increased. Universities in the QS classification for Arab countries became 36 universities in the 2024 classification instead of 15 universities in the 2016 classification. The British Times Classification for 2024 witnessed a boom in the number of universities after it reached 38 universities instead of 3 universities in the 2016 classification, and the number of universities reached… The US News classification for 2023 reached 19 universities compared to 14 universities in the 2019 classification, while the number of universities in the Shanghai classification for 2023 reached 7 universities compared to 5 universities in the 2016 classification, and the number of universities in the Leiden classification increased to 13 universities in the 2023 classification instead. Of 5 universities in the 2018 classification, 69 Egyptian universities and research centers were included in the Semago World Classification of Research and Academic Institutions for the year 2024 instead of including 60 academic and academic institutions in the 2023 classification.
The Knowledge Bank also presented Al-Masry conducted 594 training courses during the past 6 months, providing (120 training courses for the medical sector, 118 training courses for the engineering sector, and 176 training courses for the humanities sector), and 300,000 researchers benefited from these courses.
The Council approved The Executive Director of UNESCO unanimously approved the draft resolution presented by the Egyptian delegation to the organization to the Council, which was entitled: “The Egyptian Knowledge Bank,” which included highlighting the Egyptian Knowledge Bank initiative; It aims to serve the educational sector and scientific research in Egyptian universities and research centers, and the Executive Council called in its decision to study this important initiative carefully in order to extract the most important lessons learned, operating mechanisms, and how to overcome challenges, and transfer them to the member states of the organization in order to benefit from them in establishing its platforms. National digital learning, making knowledge available and exchanging experiences.
Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting with Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Janosz Czak, Hungarian Minister of Culture and Innovation, and the delegation accompanying him, which included heads of 10 Hungarian universities and government officials; To discuss possible ways of cooperation between Egyptian universities and their Hungarian counterparts in the fields of technology and joint scientific research.
Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Dr. Janosz Czak, Hungarian Minister of Culture and Innovation, also opened the opening session of the Academic and Scientific Forum between Egypt and Hungary. ; To discuss many files of common interest between the two sides.
Dr. Ayman Ashour met with many delegations and representatives of prestigious international academic, educational and research institutions, where ways to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest were discussed, in a way that contributes to improving The higher education and scientific research system works to increase investment in university education, implement scientific research of common interest, and exchange experiences in developing modern study programs to keep pace with the requirements of the contemporary and future labor market.
An event was held, organized in cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Fulbright Commission in Egypt, under the title “Excellence in Scientific Research is the Future of Knowledge Production in Egypt.” The conference dealt with presenting the Ministry’s plan towards knowledge production and emphasizing the vital role of scientists and researchers and the importance of increasing their research production. Emphasis on entering into funded research projects, establishing research partnerships with many universities in different regions, in addition to conducting joint research with researchers at foreign universities, and developing plans to publish their scientific production to increase citations.
For her part, Dr. Abeer Al-Shater, Assistant Minister for Technical Affairs and Supervisor of the Knowledge Bank, stressed the importance of the role of the Egyptian Knowledge Bank in promoting scientific research in Egypt, and enabling research institutions to become internationally known, as well as contributing to improving the classification of universities, institutions, and research centers internationally in terms of During the effort made by the Egyptian Universities Classification Committee team to track the various standards in this classification, this comes in line with achieving Egypt’s vision for sustainable development 2030, which aims to be an international reference in order to create a generation of graduates of Egyptian universities who will be able to make a breakthrough in all fields.
Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s media advisor and official spokesman, stated that the Ministry supports transforming educational institutions into innovative institutions, and creating an attractive and stimulating environment for cooperation between educational and research institutions and the industrial community, with the aim of raising the level of graduates. To be qualified to compete in the local, regional and international labor market, in addition to paying attention to improving the quality of the educational process in a way that helps in obtaining graduates capable of supporting the state’s efforts in improving the national economy and developing society.
The official spokesman stressed the importance of the efforts undertaken by the Egyptian Knowledge Bank to serve Egyptian researchers by providing the huge amount of knowledge it makes available in all fields, pointing out that the Knowledge Bank is not only a repository of books and electronic resources, but rather a service institution that is compatible with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and provides solutions in Education, adding that it cooperates with many partners to enrich scientific research, advance development in Egypt, and contribute to achieving the principle of “international reference.” Which is one of the most important principles of the national strategy for higher education and scientific research.
