News

Dr. Ayman Ashour Affirms:

• Egypt has become a producer and exporter of knowledge.
• We focus on transforming scientific research outputs into economically valuable products that support the national economy.

The Council Reviews:

• A vision to transform Egypt into an innovative, sustainable knowledge society.
• Mechanisms for implementing a strategy to enhance the higher education and scientific research system through artificial intelligence.

Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, chaired the first session of the 2025 meeting of the Council of Research Centers, Institutes, and Authorities. The session was attended by Dr. Hossam Osman, Deputy Minister for Innovation and Scientific Research Affairs; Dr. Walid Al-Zawawi, Secretary of the Council of Research Centers, Institutes, and Authorities; Dr. Mostafa Refaat, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities; and the esteemed council members. The meeting was held at the Ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.

The Minister opened the session by extending his best wishes to the attendees on the New Year and Christmas, expressing hope for progress and prosperity for Egypt in all fields. He also congratulated Dr. Mamdouh Moawad on his appointment as President of the National Research Center, following a decision by the Prime Minister.

The Minister emphasized that the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research aims to promote research and academic excellence while fostering innovation as a key element for achieving sustainable development goals and Egypt’s Vision 2030. He highlighted the Ministry's focus on transforming research outputs into economically valuable products that contribute to the national economy, spreading the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, and linking scientific research with developmental plans and societal needs. This is achieved by activating the role of the seven geographical regions and implementing the targets of the presidential initiative "Alliance and Development."

He also pointed to the significant contributions of Egyptian researchers in improving knowledge indices, noting that Egypt now produces and exports knowledge through more than 1,000 scientific journals listed on the Egyptian Knowledge Bank platform in both Arabic and English across various disciplines. He highlighted the increase in knowledge production and the expansion of cooperation with major scientific publishing houses worldwide, which enhances international confidence in Egyptian scientific research and elevates Egypt’s global standing in various fields of research.

During the session, Dr. Hossam Osman, Deputy Minister, reviewed the performance indicators of research center strategies, the plans for linking these centers with the industrial sector and entrepreneurs, and the mechanisms for establishing centers that leverage artificial intelligence applications.

The Council discussed a vision to transform Egypt into an innovative and sustainable knowledge society by employing innovation to create value, enhance sustainability across all productive and service sectors, improve quality of life, and boost Egypt's competitiveness regionally and globally. The Council also explored the creation of regional alliances to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

The strategy for advancing the higher education and research system through artificial intelligence was also discussed. This includes capacity building, training researchers and leaders in AI applications, and establishing research centers for AI applications in priority areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy, health, environment, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, in collaboration with the private sector and development partners. Additionally, efforts to ensure AI safety and security within higher education and research sectors were highlighted.

The Council reviewed a proposal to establish the Egyptian Research Network to support startups less than seven years old, facilitating their transition to growth and expansion stages.

Dr. Walid Al-Zawawi reported that the Council heard presentations by Dr. Mamdouh Moawad, President of the National Research Center, and Dr. Mahmoud Ramzy, Director of the Petroleum Research Institute, on research outputs being economically utilized in collaboration with the industrial sector to serve sustainable development goals.

Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, Media Advisor and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry, stated that the Ministry's priorities for 2025 focus on fostering innovation and strengthening collaboration between its research entities, such as the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF), the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, and the Fund for Innovators and Talents. These entities serve as technical arms dedicated to leveraging scientific research for the benefit of the national economy and achieving Egypt’s Vision 2030.