Under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the activities of the second edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS) are held from 8th to 10th December 2021, at the New Administrative Capital.

This year’s edition of the forum is held under the theme “The Future in Action”.

The forum is attended by a number of prestigious international universities as well as international agencies and organizations, the most important of which are: George Washington, Harvard, Arizona, Virginia, Chapman, the Boston Global Institute in the United States of America, Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, the Royal College of Surgeons in the United Kingdom, Lincoln University in England, Sibiu University in Romania, the Universities of Quebec and Windsor in Canada, and the University of Potsdam in Germany. This is in addition to a number of international organizations and bodies, namely: UNESCO, ICESCO, the World Bank, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Magna Charta, and Coursera for Skills and Capacity Building, as well as the international publisher Elsevier, Knowledge.

The forum addresses a number of topics, salient of which are: Jobs of the Future, preparing and qualifying students and young researchers for future jobs, the needs of local and international labor markets in light of the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, rapid changes in employment skills, Implications of the 4th & 5th Industrial Revolutions, the demand on labor market imposed by the fourth and fifth industrial revolution, the compatibility of institutions of higher education and scientific research for the Fifth Industrial Revolution.

The forum, also, includes holding a number of meetings, seminars, workshops, panel discussions and scientific lectures.

The forum holds an exhibition hosting more than 60 exhibitors representing private, public, and international universities; in addition to international institutions specialized in providing technological and innovative solutions for education, employability, and other related fields.

The forum, also, witnesses the inauguration of the new universities established by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, namely: Galala University (GU), Al Alamein International University (AIU), and King Salman International University (KSIU) with its three campuses in Ras Sedr, El Tor and Sharm El Sheikh.

The First Edition of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS)

The first edition of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research was held in 2019. It was attended by 2,300 Egyptian and foreign figures including senior officials, scholars, experts and those interested in university education, scientific research and innovation, presidents of international universities, deputy ministers of education and education experts from 55 countries.

The forum concluded a number of recommendations, the most important of which were:

Activities of the Second Edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS) and the fourteenth session of the General Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO)

Wednesday: 8/12/2021

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived on Wednesday morning 8/12/2021 at the New Administrative Capital to attend the inauguration of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research and the ISESCO general conference.
The president was received upon arrival by Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and other senior State officials. 

The president posed for a photo with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, a number of ministers and A number of Arab and African guests participating in the forum.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, afterwards, inspected the exhibition held on the sidelines of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research in the New Administrative Capital.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar presented a detailed explanation about four new universities including King Salman International University, New Mansoura University, Galala University and Al Alamein International University.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar explained that King Salman International University, New Mansoura University, Galala University and Al Alamien International University have established partnership with top world universities.

The minister said that as for Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, they are working round the clock to be completed as scheduled.

Abdel Ghaffar added that the second and third phases of Zewail University were completed.

He said six technological universities will be established across the country. These are: These include the Technological University of Samanoud in Gharbiya, the Technological University in New Assiut, the Technological University in New Taiba in Luxor, the Technological University in 6th of October City, the Technological University in Burj Al Arab, and the Technological University in East Port Said, noting that three of them are now under construction.

Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that about six international universities are already operating in the New Administrative Capital.

 

The minister highlighted the remarkable decrease in number of students seeking to travel abroad for education.

Abdel Ghaffar also noted that there is a great development at the level of Egyptian public universities, where more than (500) projects are being carried out, whether adding new colleges or developing facilities or adding health and student services with investments of more than 150 billion pounds.

In his speech, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said: ““We are witnessing together the launch of the activities of the activities of the fourteenth session of the General Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), as well as the activities of the Second Edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS) , under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with the participation of a number of ministers, ambassadors, public figures, professors, scientists, experts and researchers in various scientific, educational and cultural disciplines from Egypt as well as brotherly and friendly countries to discuss a number of issues of education, technology and innovation in a serious attempt to link the present with the future and cross challenges to the horizons of joint work aimed at contributing to the march of human progress.”

He added that "Egypt's efforts in the fields of education, science and culture are characterized by its keenness to coordinate and cooperate with the countries of the whole world to achieve what Egypt aspires to in terms of integration and exchange of experiences and to benefit from all successful experiences worldwide in these fields. In this respect, the Egyptian state, through the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, seeks to endorse the principle of multilateral cooperation as a means to reach the goals contained in the national strategies and implementation plans for the development and modernization of these areas, whether through bilateral cooperation or through the activities of regional and international organizations specialized in various fields.”

Abdel Ghaffar stated that the organization of the second session of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research, after the positive effects of the first session, which was held in April 2019, came within the framework of Egypt's efforts to prepare the younger generations for the future of the new republic and maximize their competitive capabilities in the regional and international labor market, especially in light of the changes the world is witnessing in the nature of the jobs required in the present and the future, in addition to the decline in demand for some jobs and its increase on others to keep pace with the scientific, technical and economic changes that the world is experiencing.

He pointed out that President Sisi announced, in April 2019, the launch of the forum in its first edition, which contributed to placing it on the international map among the leading forums specialized in the field of education and scientific research.

Abdul Ghaffar added that the world witnessed amazing developments in the fields of industrial revolutions, which represented major stages of development and transformation, not only at the industrial level, but at all other levels, and that the development of industry and its associated science and technology was reflected in all aspects of life, creating new patterns of culture, politics, and economics, in addition to the skills and competencies of employment and the demand for the labor market.

The Minister of Higher Education pointed out that the development of the industrial revolutions has become rapid, as the first industrial revolution began in the eighteenth century, while the second at the end of the nineteenth century, and the third in the seventies of the twentieth century. With the beginning of the new millennium, the fourth industrial revolution began, which was called the digital revolution. It included artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, big data analysis, robotics, cloud computing, and human-machine competition.

He added saying: "The Fifth Industrial Revolution came to focus on the return of human hands and minds to the industrial framework, which enhanced the contribution of industry to societies in terms of increasing job opportunities, and the using of new technology to provide growth, reduce pollution, and take care of harmful phenomena such as global warming, desertification and lack of water reserves, in addition to material recycling and utilization.”

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar stated that the agenda includes many scientific panel discussions to find out the latest developments and discuss a number of axes that focus on issues and topics that impose themselves on the scene, including, for example: The compatibility of higher education institutions and scientific research for the fourth and fifth industrial revolution, the needs of the local and international labor markets in light of the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, the rapid changes in employment skills, the demand on labor market, compatibility of academic disciplines with the future needs of the labor market, and the qualification of students and young researchers.

He affirmed that these goals are capable of pushing the education and technology system forward with the unlimited support of the political leadership.

At the conclusion of his speech, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research expressed his thanks and appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his sponsorship of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research and the General Conference of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “ICESCO”, in addition to sponsoring the system of higher education and scientific research in general, as well as for attending and participating in the launch of these important events.

Following the speech of the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) delivered a speech, in which he underlined the importance of building sustainable partnerships with major economic, industrial and technological institutions as a condition for universities in member states to cope with world developments and changes, adding that this is one of four conditions which are; Independent action, sustainable financing resources and graduates with a vision about future jobs.

He pointed out that universities are the most related entities to the labor market, creativity and production, stressing, however, that a platform of future sciences is key to on-campus success.

He, also, said that investing in human capital is one of the major challenges to development nowadays, and its most important indicator.

He noted that unfortunately, the share of scientific research in ICESCO member states does not exceed 0.5 percent of the volume of expenditures of the national GDP, while it rises in some countries to 3 percent.

Al-Malik expressed his happiness for addressing the attendees at the forum, describing it as a luminous moment in the age of time and place.

Al-Malik, also, noted that the beauty of the forum’s venue in the new administrative capital dazzled its visitors to become a shining metropolis with the launch of the new republic in Egypt, which is the gift of the Nile and the cradle of science and writing.

Afterwards, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received the shield of "Tahya Misr .. The New Republic" from Director General of the Islamic World Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Salim bin Mohamed al-Malik.

Then, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi watched a documentary entitled "Education and Work", which tackled the untoward impact of the coronavirus pandemic that took its toll on world economies, shedding light on the Egyptian leadership's wise management of the crisis, along with its persistence and determination to proceed ahead with developmental efforts amidst prevailing difficulties.

The film, also, highlighted that the Egyptian leadership has paid due attention to details that would render the State qualified for the New Republic through introducing radical scientific and economic reform measures, the documentary said, highlighting how outstanding international institutions have attested to the tangible progress realized all across the country despite the challenges caused by the pandemic.

The film stressed that Egypt has a great civilization, which has long contributed to human development and is now endeavouring to pursue the journey of the ancestors, through hard work and scientific research, as stated in the documentary. 

Afterwards, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi attended a panel discussion themed " Jobs of the Future: Challenges from a Global Perspective".

The panel discussion was presented by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar who said that the world's return to refocus on industry and technological innovation has played an important role in achieving the fourth industrial revolution.

The minister pointed out that there is a conflict between human intelligence and industrial intelligence however the world will indeed benefit a lot from the new technologies that have so far been introduced as result of human intelligence.

He said technological development would help scientists in their work, for example, well-known cardiologist Magdy Yakoub would be able in the future to perform heart operations at his Aswan heart center using state-of-the-art robots.

For his part, Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) said, in response to a question about how to deal through the organization so that Islamic and Arab countries can return to their previous era in Islamic civilization and play a major role in building civilizations and establishing sciences, The organization seeks, with member states, to adopt a list of ambitions in this path, whether by constantly reminding the ancestral civilization, or by paying attention to emerging curricula and youth in science and mathematics, and everything related to the applications of artificial intelligence.

Al-Malik, also, called for building partnerships to adopt new academic and scientific policies coping with the industrial intelligence and investments in space sciences.

Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, said during the panel discussion the world interest in education, science and culture would give a chance for more smart, talented and motivated people to surface and show their skills, which is necessary in the development process.

She called for drawing up a study to enable all people to get a fair opportunity to receive higher education, pointing out that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the education process worldwide.

Minister of Planning and economic Development Hala El Said noted that the labor market problems and challenges have been getting more of the world's attention since the disease's spread.

She said future jobs need particular skills especially in the areas of industrial intelligence, calling for narrowing the gap between the needs and expectations of the labor market and the quality of graduates leaving higher education institutions.

Addressing audience at the panel discussion Sisi said that receiving good education is a fundamental human right for everyone.

He asserted the importance of providing quality education in all member states of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

He highlighted Egypt's efforts over the past few years to establish universities in partnership with major international universities and higher educational institutions.

President Sisi further pointed out that bad education can deprive persons of the right to get better chances in life. While, good education and better learning help individuals to have good job opportunities and ensure their genuine participation in serving their communities.

Sisi described genuine and quality knowledge as a "hidden treasure and wealth."

President Sisi said Egypt has genuine determination to face challenges, including ways of providing real education and real quality, which are the cornerstone of building countries.

Sisi called on major universities worldwide to help Egypt provide true learning and knowledge as per global criteria, saying: "We will fight for knowledge and genuinely good education in Egypt."

He noted that Islamic countries should beware of destructive and nonsensical extremist thought, stressing that Islam has nothing to do with the nonsensical extremist thought, which aims at destroying the future of peoples, according to him.

Sisi voiced hope for a joint action to establish a fund for education with a big portfolio that can amount to billions of dollars for the education of talented persons.

The President, congratulated Professor Mike McKirdy, president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Scotland, on his presidency, and thanked him for the warm welcome at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow "and the discussion from which I learned a lot".

Then, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, witnessed a discussion panel entitled “Implications of the 4th & 5th Industrial Revolutions: time to act business to purpose”, with the presence of Minister of Saudi Education Dr. Hamad Bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh, Dr. Hani Mustafa from the University of Quebec in Canada, Dr. Ayman El-Baz, Professor and Chair of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Louisville, Mr. Bradley Pitt, Leader of Business Strategy and Higher Education Research at Microsoft Education, Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Dr. Hossam Osman the ICT Minister Advisor  for Technology Innovation, Electronics Industry and Training.

In his speech, the Saudi Minister of Education reviewed the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in keeping pace with the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions, stressing the state's adoption of technological progress based on science by providing high-quality training and education, noting that the technological transformation helped the Ministry of Higher Education to provide digital education and electronic platforms, which contributed to making education available to all and in various circumstances, especially in light of the Corona pandemic, adding that there must be integration between man and technology.

The Egyptian scientist Dr. Hani Mustafa, who is considered the leading designer of aeronautical engines in the world and a professor at the University of Quebec in Canada, made a presentation explaining the importance of the Fourth Industrial Revolution during the period from 2000 to 2021, explaining that contemporary societies in the past two decades witnessed rapid developments in various areas of life, and these developments have resulted in many new concepts such as: the knowledge society, the industrial revolution, the technological revolution, the smart digital society, and the concept of the Internet of behaviour. He added that with the advent of digital technology the world has changed dramatically and great changes have occurred in professional life. Also, the digital revolution has resulted in an evolution in life Humanity, and a social change for the lives of individuals, instilling many new ideas in them about digital education. He stressed that this type of education has a role in social employment and solving individual problems in society by relying on information and data, which confirms the contribution of digital education to promoting an open societal culture.

Dr. Hani Mustafa, also, reviewed the developments of innovation technology and academic alliances, digital manufacturing technology and training platforms, the role of research centers for the circular economy and sustainable development, as well as digital twinning platforms, in which the Collaborative Innovation Lab (decision-making theater) was presented, in addition to the empowerment of smart and digital green technologies in the development of societies.

For his part, Dr. Ayman El-Baz referred to the role of the two industrial revolutions in developing medical education, and the mechanisms for benefiting from the tremendous technological development in advancing the medical system and solving many medical problems, reviewing some models of benefiting from the new industrial revolution, including: 3D bioprinting to print and produce tissues, digital diagnosis, and cloud computing, which provides the opportunity to store visual data. He explained the importance of cooperation between the academic community and industry, as well as the need for marketing for scientific research. For his part, Mr. Bradley Pitt addressed the importance of benefiting from the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions and the resulting new technologies that contribute to the provision of many services, which contributed to making systems more democratic, stressing the need to pay attention to raising societal awareness.

Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar stressed the role of universities in preparing graduates who are able to keep pace with the needs of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions through international accreditation of academic programs, as well as dual degrees, which contribute to giving students the opportunity to face various challenges globally.

For his part, Dr. Hossam Osman stressed the fruitful cooperation between the Ministries of Higher Education and Communications to take advantage of all modern technologies and the different capabilities of universities, in line with the requirements of the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions, pointing to the emergence of the concept of the Internet of behavior, linking technology and behavioral development for youth, which contributes to building students' skills, enhancing privacy, and using augmented reality.

The session presented by Samantha Miles, Head of Training & Consulting at Knowledge E, addressed the current and future proactive methods implemented by higher education institutions to mitigate negative impacts, and provide students, as the future workforce, with the skills and knowledge necessary to counter these impacts.

On the sidelines of the session, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the four private universities: Al Alamein International University (AIU), Galala University (GU), New Mansoura, and King Salman International University (KSIU) with the aim of launching an alliance of smart private universities (eSUN) to conduct joint research activities and academic programs, as well as to provide professional and training development for students of those Universities, provide professional and training development for students of those Universities, organize activities in the field of digital transformation, and maximize the outputs of basic and applied research by facilitating the movement of students and academics within the alliance.

Thursday 9/12/2021

On the sidelines of the activities of the Global Forum on Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, met with Mr. Mohamed El Aisati, Vice President of Product Management, Funding and Content Analytics at Elsevier to discuss ways of joint cooperation , in the presence of Dr. Mohamed El-Shennawy, Minister Advisor for International Relations and Agreements, and Dr. Anwar Ismail, Assistant Minister for National Projects, and Dr. Muhammad Al-Sharqawi, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

At the beginning of the meeting, the minister stressed the ministry's keenness to support and develop scientific research in Egypt, including not only international publication of scientific research, but also effective implementation of such researches on the ground to serve the community through a comprehensive database.

For his part, El Aisati reviewed Elsevier’s efforts in the areas of digital transformation and recent trends in the management of scientific research and data analysis to support decision makers, explaining the results of the partnership with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), which resulted in achieving the ministry’s strategic goals.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, also met with the delegation of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow headed by Mr. Mike McKirdy, President of the College, to discuss mechanisms of joint cooperation, and the establishment of a branch of the College in Egypt, in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Latif, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Universities, Dr. Mohamed El-Shennawy, Minister Advisor for International Relations and Agreements, and Dr. Anwar Ismail, Assistant Minister for National Projects.

In this respect, the minister emphasized the development witnessed by higher education institutions, especially in the medical field.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the possibility of establishing a branch in Egypt for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, within the framework of the state’s interest in attracting major international universities with prestigious ranking to establish branches in Egypt. This comes within the objectives of Egypt’s 2030 strategy for sustainable development, aiming to provide global education in Egypt.

Also witnessed by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Thursday morning, a discussion session entitled” Employability in the Era of Pandemics and beyond”. The session main objective is to provide the audience with a global perspective about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on jobs and incomes and how higher education and scientific research institutions are addressing the situation in a proactive.

The session was moderated by Mr.Yasser Fathy Founder & CEO of Goldmines Training & Consulting, Dr. Khaled El-Anany, Minister of Antiquities and Tourism, Ambassador Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Ms. Shelli Brunswick, Chief Operating Officer for the Space Foundation, Brunswick, and Dr. Ashraf El-Fiky, Director of the Division of Drug Safety, Medical Monitoring and Clinical Risk Mitigation Pfizer International.

In his speech, Dr. Khaled El-Anany said that tourism in Egypt is the cornerstone for foreign currency, pointing out that the tourism sector witnessed a growth at the beginning of 2020, but starting from March, tourism activities stopped not only in Egypt but in the whole world due to the Corona pandemic. He added that the number of employees in the tourism sector in Egypt is about 3 million, stressing the ministry’s keenness to implement the directives of the political leadership concerning the need to protect and support the employees of this sector.

El-Anany highlighted that the Egyptian Mummies parade and the opening of the Sphinx Avenue contributed to providing a large number of jobs, pointing out that the ministry’s strategy includes raising awareness, especially for university students, developing a comprehensive database for all employees in the tourism and antiquities sector, whether directly or indirectly, increasing partnership with donor organizations as well as the private sector in order to secure tourist facilities in Egypt, and maintain equality among all groups working in this sector all over the various governorates of the Republic.

For his part, Ambassador Nasser Kamel stressed the importance of having an electronic platform to search for job opportunities, explaining that there is a great development in a number of leading platforms in Egypt, pointing to the importance of cooperation in order to develop partnerships, especially that includes designing and developing school curricula in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, pointing out that nearly 25% of today's jobs will disappear over the next 20 years.

Shelli Brunswick also reviewed the personal skills that determine employment possibilities, such as special skills, teamwork, communication and cooperation, noting that space has become for the whole world and is not restricted to specific countries.

On his part, Dr. Ashraf El-Fiky referred to the three main axes of employment: graduates, employers, and universities. He, also, thanked Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar for his leadership in the renaissance of higher education and scientific research during the past years.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, received Ms. Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education , in the presence of Dr. Muhammad Al-Shennawi, Minister Advisor for International Relations and Agreements, Dr. Anwar Ismail, Assistant Minister for National Projects, and Dr. Muhammad Al-Sharqawi, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

During the meeting, the minister stressed the development witnessed by higher education and scientific research in Egypt in recent years as well as the attention, support and follow-up it received from the political leadership, pointing to the leap that Egypt is witnessing in the field of education internationalization through the expansion of establishing branches of prestigious foreign universities in Egypt, besides the diversity in establishing private universities as well as technological universities.

Dr. Abdel Ghaffar pointed out to the diversity in the disciplines studied in Egyptian universities, which keep pace with the local and global labor market, stressing the keenness of Egyptian universities to establish partnerships and cooperation protocols with international foreign universities.

A discussion panel entitled “Embracing Differences and the Future of Work: Scenarios and impact” was also held, in the presence of Dr. Salah S. Hassan, Professor of Economics at George Washington University, USA, Mr.Les Morgan from QFOUR in the United Kingdom, and Mr.Quentin Zhang, Vice President of Major Governmental Projects at Huawei Egypt.

The session dealt with several axes, including presenting views related to the proactive measures taken by higher education institutions and business leaders to maximize the benefit from the multigenerational workforce and the measures that have been implemented to raise the level of skills of these generations to enhance the competitiveness of organizations.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, also received Mr. Shafqat Mahmood, Minister of Pakistani Education and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of Dr. Muhammad Al-Sharqawi, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

The two ministers discussed ways to support joint cooperation in the fields of higher education and scientific research, and to benefit from the Egyptian experience in expanding new and modern universities, as well as exchanging experiences in transferring technology to educational institutions, providing training programs for students, and increasing cooperation between the two countries in providing scholarships.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, received Dr. Ibrahim Hassan, Minister of Education of the Maldives, in the presence of Dr. Mohammed Al-Sharqawi, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

The two sides discussed a number of issues that focused on Egypt's assistance in the development of higher education institutions in the Maldives, in light of the good reputation of the Egyptian higher education and scientific research system and the quality of education at the African and international levels.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, received Mr. Hussein bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of Dr. Ayman Ashour, Deputy Minister for University Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Latif, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, Media Adviser and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry, and Dr. Mohammed Al-Sharqawi, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

The meeting witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two countries in the field of higher education and scientific research.

The terms of the protocol stipulate on the terms of the protocol stipulate on the exchange of information in academic fields, the accreditation of university and higher academic degrees, and the exchange of a number of study seats in undergraduate programs, in accordance with the the rules in force in both countries.

In this respect, the Egyptian party offers (5) undergraduate scholarships in Egyptian public universities for Emirati students, and the UAE party offers (5) undergraduate scholarships for Egyptian students in UAE universities.

The protocol, also, stipulates on encouraging the exchange of experiences and the means to support the initiatives (Study in Egypt, Study in UAE). This is in addition to organizing joint exhibitions and forums for higher education institutions, benefiting from training and academic competencies, exchanging visits of faculty members, benefiting from the graduate projects of the two countries to achieve the greatest benefit from them, and opening new horizons for cooperation between the two countries.

The two parties also held a joint meeting headed by the two ministers, which included a group of Egyptian and Emirati university presidents to discuss the implementation of the terms of the agreement.

The activities of the second day of the forum also included a discussion panel entitled “Shaping the Future: skilling, reskilling and upskilling”. The session focused on the skills gap, which represents a global challenge facing governments, in addition to the practices, support and partnerships needed to overcome this challenge.

During the session, the speakers exchanged their experiences and views regarding the inevitable quest of skilling, reskilling and upskilling to keep up with the pace of Technology and digital transformation (minding the digital skills gap) and to support a culture of innovation and continuous learning.

The session was moderated by Dr. Dalia Badawi, Consultant of Innovation & Development at the National Training Academy, Mr. Scott Shireman, Skills Transformation Director at Courser, USA, Prof.Paul Van Gardingen, Strategic leadership in Global Higher Global Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Professor of International Development (Honorary) at University of Leicester, UK, and Mr. Salah Khalil, social entrepreneur.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, also witnessed the activities of a discussion panel entitled “Investing in People: Investing in the Future”, moderated by EBI’s Executive Durector, Mr. AbdelAziz Nossier. The session was attended by the speakers Dr. Tariq Shawqi, Minister of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education, and Dr. Ayman Ashour, Deputy Minister for University Affairs, Mr. Tom Zelibor, CEO of the Space Foundation, Mr. Mike Damiano, Director of National Education at Coursera Foundation, and Dr. Sue Henderson, President of New Jersey City University.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, also received Aibek Artykbaev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, Media Adviser and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Mohamed El Sharkawy, Assistant Minister for Finance and Investment.

The two sides discussed transferring the Egyptian experience in the field of higher education to the Kyrgyz state, establishing a Ministry of Higher Education and university educational institutions, and benefiting from the Egyptian experience in this field.

A discussion panel entitled "Interdisciplinarity: A Future Must" was also held, moderated by Ms. Samantha Miles from Florida Atlantic University, and in the presence of the international surgeon, Dr. Magdi Yacoub, founder of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Center, Dr. Mahmoud El-Meteini, President of Ain Shams University, and Dr. Dena FAM, Associate Professor of University of Technology Sydney, Dr. Ahmed Elseragy, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering, University of Lincoln, UK, Dr. Anna Grichting Solder, doctor of design at of Harvard University, Dr. Hisham Al Askari Professor of remote sensing and earth systems science at Chapman University.

The session discussed interdisciplinarity in various fields and touched the impact of employers change of demand on Higher Education Institutions curricula designs as well as students learning preferences.

For his part, Dr. Magdi Yacoub affirmed his strong belief in the idea of multidisciplinary, and its importance, especially in the field of medicine. Yaqoub indicated that he worked on implementing the idea of multidisciplinary at the Heart Center in Aswan, pointing out that there is a department in which all cardiologists work, searching for everything new in order to serve this vital field. He stressed that we can only achieve progress in scientific research by adopting the idea of multidisciplinary, noting that there is a great movement in Egypt in the field of the human genome project, and this requires integration between all disciplines.

The activities of the second day of the forum concluded with a discussion panel entitled “Fostering Innovation driven Entrepreneurship” in the presence of Dr. Mahmoud M. Sakr, President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, and Eng. Ash Rofail, founder and general partner of Openner Venture Capital in the United Arab Emirates.

The session demonstrated good practices of fostering innovative enterprises and highlighted some actions that may be required to this end. It, also, tackled the direct and indirect impact of IDE on job creation and employability.

During the session, Dr. Mahmoud Sakr gave a presentation , noting that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research seeks, through the strategy it set for Science, Technology and Innovation 2030, to create a stimulating and supportive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. He added that the volume of the academy's investments to support the innovation and entrepreneurship system amounted to about 250 million pounds.

Dr. Mahmoud Saqr explained that this program contributed to the establishment of 28 emerging technology incubators to incubate innovators from entrepreneurs and youth

The President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology added that more than 40 entrepreneurship clubs are being established in Egyptian universities, from which 28 thousand entrepreneurs from Egyptian university students benefited.

Friday: 10/12/2021

Within the framework of the activities of the third day of the Second Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research, a discussion panel was held on vocational education and training entitled “Vocational Education and Training...The Future Towards Life Long Learning”.
The session discussed linking vocational training centers and technological universities to the constantly changing needs of the market, and the importance of including the concept of lifelong learning to ensure international best practices, challenges and recommendations.

The session was moderated by Mr. Emad E.Aziz, CEO of Brisk Business Inc., Dr. Stephen Morley, an international consultant in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the United Kingdom, and Dr. Fazal Malik, Vice Chancellor of Amity University in Dubai and Dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Applied Sciences, and Dr. Ahmed Elhewy, Secretary General of the Education Development Fund and Adviser to the Minister of Higher Education For technical education.

A discussion panel was held entitled "2050 and Beyond: Cross-borders cooperation for the preparation of the Next Generation Energy Leaders”. The participants discussed the mechanisms of preparing future energy leaders from the point of view of higher education, the role of higher education institutions in meeting the needs of the future, and qualifying graduates with skills that enable them to keep pace with global changes for 2050 and beyond.

The speakers consisted of Dr. Robin J Lerner, President and CEO of Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC), Dr. Jeff Sammons, Associate Executive Director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas.

At the end of the session, open discussions took place on the internationalization of education, and ways of cooperation between the TIEC Union of Texas and Egyptian universities, especially in the field of programs and scientific disciplines related to energy.

During the session, Dr. Shyamasunder, Adviser at NAAC, pointed out that the challenge facing higher education institutions is to define a new model for higher education and enhance quality, reviewing a model for the steps required from higher education institutions in the coming period, which are: (institutional restructuring and unification, supporting comprehensive multidisciplinary education, academic accreditation, skills development, results-based education, continuous development of the skills of faculty members, supporting innovation in scientific research, and providing a supportive environment for students).

A discussion panel was held entitled “Quality of Learning in the New Norm”. The session discussed the challenges faced the Higher education Institutions (as service providers) and regulators to maintain the quality of learning, exploring how the needs of our academics and learners changes in the new norm, what are the areas where the response was adequate, and the areas where there is still room for improvement.

The session speakers consisted of Dr. Mohamed Loutfi, President of the British University in Egypt, Dr. Ayman El-Baz, Professor and Head of the Chair of Bioengineering at University of Louisville, Dr. Mohamed Bassiouni, Professor of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Head of the Compulsory Egyptian Medical Training Authority (CEMTA).

A discussion panel was held entitled “Higher Education and Scientific Research Institutions Ranking for Employability”, directed by Cameron Mirza, MENA Director at Nottingham Trent University.

The session discussed the latest updates on university and research centers ranking in global and regional perspectives, and how the concept of ranking provides an indication of the rate of employment of these institutions and what is the impact of highly ranked institutions on the employability of their affiliates and the sustainable development in general.

The session speakers consisted of Dr. Yasser Refaat, Deputy Minister for Scientific Research Affairs, Ashwin Fernandes, Regional Director for QS Quacquarelli Symonds in Middle East, Africa & South Asia, and Mohamed El Aisati, Vice President of Product Management, Funding and Content Analytics at Elsevier.

The World Forum for Higher Education issued a declaration as a document to work on during the coming period, aiming to enhance creativity in education and scientific research:

Accordingly, the participants made the following recommendations:

1. Enhancing innovative and creative education capabilities by providing an appropriate environment with a dynamic platform that promotes creativity and innovation.

2. Ensuring an environment compatible with competitive education, innovation and creativity by strengthening institutions; collective management systems; increasing science and technology funding; and strengthening regional and international cooperation.

3. Promoting the development and use of new models of innovative and competitive education systems, which are likely to play a role as effective contributors to economic, social and cultural development.

4. Increase support for research and development by promoting cooperation between academia, industry, government and civil society organizations; aiming to improve and market research as well as to increase investments in science, technology and innovation.

5. Harnessing science, technology and innovation for sustainable development and opening the way for entrepreneurs.

6. Enhancing international and regional cooperation that guarantees the provision of high-quality, highly skilled education and attracting a community of regional students.

7. Enhancing cooperation between higher education institutions and research centers to overcome national and international challenges through creativity, innovation and knowledge exchange.

8. Encouraging research centers to obtain a higher ranking, and better performance, which plays an important role in marketing and societal impact on the knowledge economy.

9. Support the education of space science and technology, through the contribution of the space economy to global economic growth.

10. Emphasizing that education is the way to achieve global economic growth, and that it is a right for all ages, for both men and women, calling upon universities and international institutions to work on achieving this goal.

11. Integrating long-term learning from kindergarten to the end of secondary education through the valuable curriculum.

12. Changing the societal view of technical education and its needsو and highlighting the effective role of the media in building a society that accepts technical education.

13. Integrating man and machine to reach the best and most appropriate solutions to achieve a safer future, and to produce human-made technological products that adopt the policies of technological revolutions and benefit from human behavior.

14. The attendees agreed that the date of the third edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research GFHS 2022 will be held from 7-9 December 2022.