The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is overseeing a wide range of reforms intended to improve the quality and diversify the offering of university education in Egypt and covering public national and private universities as well as monitoring branches of foreign universities in the country.
It is currently working on plans to help qualify the graduates of Egyptian universities for the needs of the labour market by introducing new interdisciplinary courses as well as establishing new faculties focusing on new disciplines.
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Mohamed Ayman Ashour, in office since August 2022, shed light on the developments in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly.
What are the Ministry of Higher Education’s plans for 2025?
This year, we aim to develop the study abroad system to open greater opportunities for students, junior faculty members, and researchers in different sciences in Egypt. The idea is to send students on short-term study missions to internationally reputed universities in all scientific disciplines, especially those that directly support the developmental sectors in Egypt.
Our new policy seeks to improve the scientific diversity of study abroad missions by providing support for those disciplines that are in demand in the local market. The most important of these are modern technologies, engineering sciences, health research, and other fields crucial to economic and social growth and development.
The initiative will also foster knowledge and skills acquisition among faculty members, which will be reflected in the higher quality of higher education in Egypt. The reputations of Egyptian universities will also benefit from academics being given more opportunities to keep abreast with the latest developments in their fields of specialisation and then to transfer the knowledge and expertise they acquire abroad to educational and research institutions at home.
What are the main objectives of the National Council for Education, Research, and Innovation (NCERI)?
The council, established by a law passed by the House of Representatives in December, is a major step in the development of education and scientific research in Egypt. It reports to the president and is chaired by the prime minister and consists of the relevant ministers, the heads of related agencies, experts, and businesspeople who are selected by presidential decree based on the prime minister’s nominations.
The NCERI’s objectives are to develop comprehensive strategies and plans for education, research, and innovation, to periodically review national priorities in these fields, and to make recommendations related to technical and administrative development. One of its main tasks is to link the outcomes of educational and research institutions with demand in the local and international job markets. It also aims to develop the infrastructure of schools and universities and to coordinate training and qualification programmes at the various educational stages.
The NCERI has not replaced existing government councils relevant to these fields. Instead, it is there to guide them and to help them to improve their work within the broader national strategy. Coordination between the NCERI and the existing councils will ensure the integration of policies and programmes to more efficiently advance our national educational development goals.
Interdisciplinary programmes in university education are a growing trend to develop educational content. How are Egyptian universities benefiting from this new approach?
Interdisciplinary studies consist of educational programmes resulting from the integration of two or more specialisations to prepare the new generations to meet labour-market requirements. Egypt is the first country in the Arab region to implement a National Network for Interdisciplinary Programmes among its universities and faculties in order to promote the design of interdisciplinary courses.
Both public and private universities now offer diverse interdisciplinary programmes created in line with job-market demands. our universities are in the forefront in international rankings. In the first international ranking of interdisciplinary programmes by the UK-based Times Higher Education, four out of Egypt’s 25 universities are among the top 100 universities in the world, for example. They include Cairo University, which is ranked 35th in interdisciplinary programming.
How does the ministry plan to benefit from Egyptian cultural offices abroad in implementing these reforms?
We have developed a new and comprehensive vision for student missions abroad, foreign students in Egypt, and the cultural offices of Egyptian embassies abroad. The role of these offices goes beyond attracting foreign students. They are a component of Egypt’s soft power, reaffirming its pioneering role in education, scientific research, and culture. Our vision includes plans to expand these cultural offices, especially in Africa. Approval has already been granted for the reopening of several Egyptian cultural offices and centres, including the Egyptian Cultural Office in Nouakchott, Mauritania, and the Egyptian Cultural Centre in Kano, Nigeria.
There are currently 23 Egyptian cultural offices and centres operating abroad. In addition to looking after Egyptian students, they serve to promote cultural and academic cooperation between Egypt and other countries. A recent example of this is the UN cultural and educational agency UNESCO’s invitation to the Ministry to present the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) experience in Kenya. The EKB is a major tool with which we can assist African countries in scientific research, publishing in scientific journals, and even designing training courses.
We are currently preparing the EKB to play a larger role beyond serving as a repository for journals from the world’s largest publishers. We now have our own publication in the shape of The Egyptian Journal.
This is an unprecedented step. It signifies that Egypt is no longer just an importer or consumer of knowledge, but it is also a producer and exporter of it. We will work on developing this role within Africa.
Are the numbers of foreign students in Egypt growing?
There are around 124,000 foreign students studying in Egypt at present. In 2024, we developed the “Study in Egypt” electronic platform, which facilitates enrolment procedures for foreign students at Egyptian universities. The platform also provides unique services for visiting students, including social and psychological support, guidance, and information about education in Egypt.
We have also launched many activities in which foreign students can participate, such as the competition “Egypt: An Enjoyable Educational Experience,” which has helped promote Egyptian universities internationally. There have been athletic and artistic activities, as well as activities designed to raise awareness of the rights and duties of foreign students.
Saudi Arabia, India, Sudan, Syria and Palestine have shown the greatest interest in educational opportunities in Egypt, and many other Arab and African countries are set to follow. To attract more students from abroad, the Ministry of Higher Education intends to continue to collaborate with Egyptian cultural offices abroad to strengthen the international ratings of Egyptian educational institutions and to further develop the Study in Egypt platform. The aim is to make Egypt a leading educational destination in the region.
What are the latest developments regarding the preparatory foundation year in Egypt’s universities?
Some provisions of the Private and National Universities Law 12/2009 have been amended, adding a new article which allows high school graduates from 2024 to apply for the preparatory year system. Under this amendment, foreign students can also apply for this foundational year, which aims to improve standards and guide students towards the colleges and faculties that best suit their future aspirations and specialisations.
To be accepted in the foundation year, applicants’ scores must be no more than five per cent less than the minimal level required by national and private universities in Egypt. The geographical distribution rules that apply to admissions in Egyptian state universities will also apply to Egyptian students accepted into the preparatory year programme. Foreign students accepted into the programme will study at the university closest to their place of residence.
Foreign students can take the preparatory year programme regardless of whether they wish to continue their studies in Egypt or elsewhere. The programme is divided into two semesters, with a set curriculum for the first semester and options open in the second semester in areas where students wish to improve their grades.
What is the ministry’s vision for developing the university hospitals?
The government is very keen to develop the medical sector, with a focus on university hospitals. It envisions hospitals conforming with the latest international research, scientific, and therapeutic standards created through international partnerships. One of these will be the New National Cancer Institute, established under British and German partnerships. Others include the Ain Shams University Medical City and the Qasr Al-Aini Development Project.
The university hospital sector has seen a quantum leap in the quality of medical services provided to the public in recent years. The ministry is striving to develop and upgrade the hospitals through intensive educational and training programmes for medical and nursing staff and through equipping them with the latest technologies. In addition, there has been a growing focus on interdisciplinary specialisations and digitalising hospital services to facilitate procedures and improve efficiency.
The national budgetary allocations for university hospitals have increased significantly, from LE10 billion in 2014 to LE28 billion in 2023. We now have 125 hospitals, offering a range of services from multidisciplinary medical hospitals to specialised hospitals in oncology, addiction treatment, mental health, geriatrics, intensive care, and many other fields. These hospitals together serve more than 25 million patients a year and conduct over 620,000 surgeries, including some sophisticated robot-assisted surgeries.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: