President Mohamed Morsi met on Wednesday with heads of Egypt's student unions during which, in a speech at the International Cairo Conference Centre, he gave assurances that the era of corruption, which robbed the country of its best resources, is over.

Morsi underlined the importance of human capital, adding that students will have a large role to play in raising their country's status internationally. He further explained that the "Renaissance" he wants to see happen in Egypt in practice means developing industries, science and research. 

Amid student chants demanding justice for the revolution's martyrs, the president further promised that those responsible for killing revolutionaries during the 2011 uprising would be held accountable, noting the important role the student movement played in the making of the revolution.

New student union elections are expected soon as the academic year is due to begin mid-September.

Several student groups refused to take part in the 2012 student union elections, protesting for a new charter to regulate student activity on campus.

The current charter, established in 1979, has been used by past regimes to restrict political activism and freedom of expression on campus.