The Central Department of Digital Community Development at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Research at Ain Shams University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on promoting e-learning to raise awareness about environmental and climate change issues and develop green skills. This comes in an effort to protect the environment and promote a green recovery using ICT.

The MoU is in line with MCIT strategy for contributing to the national human development and digital transformation plans. It will help meet the current demand of raising environmental awareness as part of the efforts exerted to build people’s IT skills.

In addition, the MoU is within MCIT role in preparing for and participating in the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), which will be held in Sharm El Sheikh.

The partnership will help enhance cooperation between academia and civil society organizations (CSOs), especially in the environment and ICT sectors, to raise awareness of environmental sustainability, foster the use of IT tools in protecting the environment, and introduce green recovery.

The MoU involves promoting e-learning by creating an online platform to fully convert the training courses provided by the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Research into digital content. This is in addition to upskilling and building the capacity of the academic personnel and staff members at the Faculty’s technology unit in e-learning to help them create the unit’s own e-content in environmental research and climate change.

The platform, in addition, will develop young people’s skills and capabilities, qualifying them to act as ambassadors that advocate green recovery. It will also contribute to the creation of a responsible society capable of facing and responding to environmental challenges and mitigating their risks.

The signing of the MoU is within the activities and role of the Central Department for Digital Community Development in raising awareness through community development portals “Kenanaonline” and the e-learning project.

It is worth mentioning that the Department launched an initiative titled “Digital Path to Green Sustainable Development.” The aim is to harness ICT to raise awareness on climate change and environmental sustainability issues, share best practices of responsible use, and control environmental degradation, especially in underprivileged communities. The initiative is implemented in cooperation with several entities concerned with environmental integration.