Dr Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, held a meeting with the delegation of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), headed by Mr. Wick Powers, Director of the Agency`s Education and Health Office in Egypt, at the Ministry`s headquarters.
At the beginning of the meeting, the minister praised the results of the fruitful cooperation over the past years between the ministry and the US Agency for International Development in many educational and research projects, stressing the ministry`s keenness to activate more aspects of cooperation between the two sides.
The two sides discussed the latest developments in the project to establish professional development centers in Egyptian universities, with the aim of building the professional capabilities of students and graduates and enhancing their skills in line with the needs of the local, regional and international labor market, by providing training programs that meet the needs of the labor market, and linking educational programs with modern and future jobs.
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Dr. Ayman Ashour confirmed that the Ministry is keen to provide all the necessary facilities to ensure that these centers play their role in building the professional capabilities of students in Egyptian universities, qualifying them for the labor market, and overcoming all the difficulties they face, pointing to the establishment of 22 professional development centers in Egyptian universities so far, adding that it is scheduled to open A number of other centers during the next stage, stressing the importance of establishing a central unit for professional development in the Ministry of Higher Education that is responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the professional development centers in Egyptian universities playing their role towards preparing students to face changes in the labor market.
From his side, Wake Powers affirmed the agency`s keenness to support cooperation relations with Egypt in various fields, especially educational, research and projects of common interest, stressing that the agency provides all means of support for the project of professional development centers in Egyptian universities, to provide students and graduates with the necessary skills for the labor market, and to support training programs, pointing out that the US Agency for International Development aims to establish 46 centers for professional development in Egyptian universities during the next stage.
The two sides also discussed the "Pioneers" scholarship program offered by the agency in a number of specializations, as the program provides scholarships and training courses for Egyptian students and ministries` employees, with a focus on sectors that serve the fields of development in Egypt and promote the goals of Egypt`s Vision 2030.
For its part, the USAID delegation confirmed that among the objectives of the Pioneers scholarship program is to provide university education opportunities based on the foundations of knowledge, innovation and scientific research, characterized by excellence, experiential education and good preparation for the labor market.
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In this context, the minister explained that the Pioneers scholarship program is fully funded by the United States Agency for International Development in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, adding that the program reflects the importance of fruitful and continuous cooperation between the Egyptian and American governments. To implement Egypt`s economic, social and environmental development priorities in areas such as water, energy and agriculture.
The meeting discussed a project to develop the faculties of education in Egyptian universities, and train graduates of those faculties in the latest teaching methods in line with the successive developments in education methods in the world, developing Faculties of Education laboratories and equipping them with the latest capabilities. USAID will support educational technology and prepare partnerships between Egyptian and American universities, to exchange experiences between the two sides.
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