MEMPHIS REISEN

Strategic investment in higher education: Pathway to national development, global competitiveness – Dailynewsegypt

Hala El-Said, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, convened with Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to strategize on the Ministry’s investment plan for the fiscal year 2024/2025.

El-Said highlighted that this meeting is a continuation of the investment planning process, emphasizing the government’s commitment to prioritizing human development, healthcare, and education. She reassured that, despite fiscal constraints, higher education funding remains robust, reflecting its pivotal role in human capital development, societal advancement, and economic competitiveness.

The Minister underscored the strategic importance of education in national development agendas, focusing on enhancing the educational framework, quality, and output competitiveness to forge a strong Egyptian identity.

The 2024/2025 plan aims to incentivize private investments in new private universities, bolster quality assurance in existing institutions, and expand technological universities across various governorates through public-private partnerships.

Ayman Ashour elaborated on the Ministry’s investment priorities, particularly the “Development and Alliance” initiative, which garnered significant political support for its contribution to social engagement, industry-academia collaboration, and the fulfillment of sustainable development goals aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030. He also emphasized the Knowledge Bank project’s role in bolstering educational initiatives.

Ashour provided an overview of the Ministry’s national projects, detailing their implementation status and alignment with the state’s broader strategic needs, underscoring higher education’s role as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

He explained that the ministry’s project plan includes completing the establishment of the planned technological universities, following up on the state’s plan to expand technical education, completing the facilities of private universities, implementing the Egyptian missions plan, the Egyptian Genome project, projects to automate university hospitals, and enhancing the efficiency of several health sector colleges, indicating that the ministry is preparing to develop a comprehensive strategic plan encompassing all university hospitals to unify their work efforts.

During the meeting, the ministry’s plan for scientific research and ongoing projects were presented, including the establishment of the African Space Agency headquarters and completing the plans of research institutes.

The meeting also witnessed a review of the projects implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the previous fiscal year 2023/2024.