Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi directed efforts to strengthen the global standing of Egyptian universities during a meeting on higher education strategy.
The meeting, held with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Higher Education Minister Abdel Aziz Konsowa, reviewed plans to turn Egypt into a regional centre for higher education and research. Egypt currently has 129 universities of various types.
Al-Sisi stressed reforms in education and research as key to sustainable development. Officials discussed digitising university systems, an enterprise resource management project, and new faculty development centres.
The president also called for more branches of foreign universities in Egypt and joint programmes with top international institutions. Plans include a Cairo University branch in Eritrea and a new financing body with the Central Bank of Egypt to support scholarships and dual degrees.
Additional topics covered links between research and industry, support for innovation, and upgrades at university hospitals in Alexandria.