Planning and Higher Education Ministers Discuss Investment Plan for Higher Education for FY 2024/2025

H.E. Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, convened with Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to deliberate on the new investment plan for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the upcoming fiscal year 2024/2025.

During the meeting, Dr. Hala El Said underscored the significance of this gathering, marking the second in a series of meetings aimed at formulating the investment plan for the fiscal year, following discussions with the Minister of Education and Technical Education. She reiterated the overarching focus of this year on investing in human capital, health, and education, reaffirming that despite constraints on public investments, allocations for higher education remain intact. There is a discernible shift towards augmenting investments in the education and scientific research sector compared to the previous year, underscoring the pivotal economic role of education as a primary conduit for fostering human resources and societies' development, aligning with contemporary trends, the imperatives of transitioning to a knowledge-based economy, and bolstering international competitiveness across various domains.

El Said further emphasized nations' commitment to spotlighting education's pivotal role in their developmental agendas, placing it at the forefront when allocating resources and executing programs and projects. She affirmed the steadfast belief in education's pivotal role in shaping individuals and uplifting society culturally, intellectually, and behaviorally, with successive development plans prioritizing enhancing the Egyptian persona by enhancing the educational system's quality, efficacy, competence, and competitiveness of its outcomes.

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development outlined the strategic directions of the 2024/2025 higher education plan, encompassing the implementation of a suite of investment incentives to stimulate private sector involvement in establishing additional private universities, heightened focus on initiatives aimed at enhancing Egyptian universities' quality and international competitiveness, and the continued expansion of technological universities to encompass more governorates through partnerships with the private sector.

Dr. Ayman Ashour elucidated on the paramountcy accorded to the "Alliance and Development" initiative within the investment plan for the Ministry of Higher Education, highlighting its endorsement and backing from the political leadership for its role in galvanizing universities' engagement in serving their societal milieu and fostering collaboration between academic and research institutions and the industrial sector to realize sustainable development objectives and Egypt's Vision 2030. He also underscored the significance of the Knowledge Bank project in bolstering educational endeavors.

Furthermore, the Minister delineated the national projects overseen by the Ministry, categorizing them based on their implementation priority and completion status into three axes: projects nearing or exceeding 75% completion, projects presently underway, and projects proposed for inclusion in the plan. He emphasized the Ministry's commitment to coordinating the expansion plan in higher education projects with the broader state needs and resource allocation, particularly given the enduring and evolving nature of higher education.

The Ministry's projects plan encompasses finalizing the establishment of planned technological universities, overseeing the state's expansion plans for technical education, enhancing the capabilities of private universities, implementing the Egyptian missions plan, instituting standardized testing for government universities, advancing the Egyptian genome project, hospital automation initiatives, and bolstering the efficacy of several health sector faculties. Additionally, the Ministry is formulating a comprehensive strategic plan encompassing all university hospitals to streamline efforts therein.

The meeting also featured presentations on the Ministry's plan for scientific research and ongoing projects, including the establishment of the African Space Agency headquarters and progress on research institute plans. Furthermore, a review of projects executed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research during the preceding fiscal year 2023/2024 was conducted.

Attendees from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development included Dr. Ahmed Kamali, Deputy Minister; Dr. Mohamed Fathi Saqr, Advisor to the Minister for Plan Preparation; Dr. Gamal Helmi, Assistant Minister for Sustainable Development Plan Monitoring Affairs; Kamal Nasr, Assistant Minister for Technical Office Affairs; Ismail Youssef, Supervisor of Plan Preparation and Monitoring Sector; Dr. Mohamed El Maghraby, Supervisor of Human and Social Development Sector; and Dr. Mohamed El Akabawi, Media Advisor to the Minister. Representing the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research were Brigadier Engineer/ Haitham Zaki, Assistant Minister for National Projects; Brigadier/ Amr Al-Alam, Ministry's Permanent Undersecretary and Assistant Minister for Institutional Development; Dr. Mohamed El Sharkawy, Assistant Minister for Policies and Economic Affairs; Dr. Sherif Keshk, Assistant Minister for Smart Governance; Dr. Walid El Zawawi, Secretary-General of the Council of Centers, Institutes, and Research Bodies; Dr. Ahmed El Sabagh, Minister's Advisor for Technological Education; and Dr. Walid Anwar, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of University Hospitals.