The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat witnessed, yesterday, via videoconference, the signing of a protocol of cooperation between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Zagazig University, in the presence of the President of Zagazig University Othman Shaalan.
The aim is to establish a Creativa Innovation Hub inside Zagazig University campus to upskill and qualify university students, graduates and young people in Sharqia Governorate in line with the requirements of the local and global job markets in IT and entrepreneurship.
Abdel Ghaffar commended the efforts of cooperation with MCIT to establish Creativa Innovation Hubs in Egyptian universities. MCIT seeks to establish new Hubs in all Egyptian universities nationwide to qualify students for the new technology required at the job market, promote digital literacy, build youth capacity, and provide educational and training opportunities, he added.
The Minister of Higher Education pointed out the role of Creativa Innovation Hubs in creating specialists in digital transformation, raising the efficiency of the technological infrastructure in universities, serving governorates, participating in community service efforts, and improving the environment. He added that the Hubs in universities help raise awareness of the latest developments in IT, its specializations and in-demand skills.
For his part, the ICT Minister underlined that there is productive cooperation between MCIT and the Ministry of Higher Education in a number of projects, which are being implemented at a rapid pace. The projects include establishing Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) in the Knowledge City in the New Administrative Capital, conducting digital exams, and automating university hospitals. This in addition to establishing Creativa Innovation Hubs according to a vision that targets establishing a Hub in every Egyptian university to provide technical training to young people nationwide, nurture their creative thinking, and qualify them for the job market.
Talaat praised the competencies that Zagazig University and Sharqia Governorate possess. He highlighted that establishing a Creativa Innovation Hub in Zagazig University marks the start of a concrete and productive cooperation with the University, given the availability of many areas for cooperation.
Shaalan said that establishing a Creativa Innovation Hub in Zagazig University is in line with the State effort to achieve digital transformation, qualify students and create job opportunities. The Hub’s location in the University was carefully determined to benefit the University’s students, young people, and other students and graduates in Sharqia Governorate, which has a population of 10 million. Shaalan added that the protocol aims to qualify students at Zagazig University and nearby universities for the local and international job markets.
The protocol aims to establish a Creativa Innovation Hub in Zagazig University to qualify students and graduates at the University and nearby universities for the local and global job markets; create specialists that contribute to supporting and developing the ICT industry; and provide specialized training services to qualify trainers from faculty members in relevant faculties. This is in addition to raising awareness and spreading knowledge of the latest developments in ICT, its specializations and in-demand skills; promoting technology innovation and entrepreneurship; and organizing specialized conferences, hackathons and competitions in the latest technologies to support knowledge transfer and innovation.
Moreover, the protocol targets supporting the transformation of young people’s ICT-based innovative ideas into commercial products or services, with priority given to beneficiaries from academia (students, graduates and faculty members) at Zagazig University, within the pillars of the Hub’s different action plans. Another objective of the protocol is to develop learning and training mechanisms through the innovative use of ICT.
Under the protocol, Zagazig University dedicates a 1,780 m² land inside the University campus, while MCIT provides mechanisms for establishing, managing and operating the permanent headquarters as a center for training and digital innovation.
It is noteworthy that there is an ongoing plan for establishing 15 Creativa Innovation Hubs in governorates, in three phases; the first involved running five pilot Hubs in Mansoura, Menoufia, Minya, Sohag, and South Valley Universities. The second phase includes establishing Hubs in Ismailia, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and the New Administrative Capital, while the third will include establishing Hubs in more governorates. In this regards, protocols of cooperation have been signed with Benha and Fayoum Universities to establish Hubs inside their campuses.
The protocol was signed by the Deputy ICT Minister for Infrastructure Raafat Hindy, and Zagazig University President Othman Shaalan. The signing ceremony was attended by the Assistant ICT Minister for Strategy and Implementation Sherine El-Guindy, the Advisor to the ICT Minister for Technology Innovation, Electronics Industry and Training Hossam Osman, the Chairwoman of the Information Technology Institute (ITI) Heba Saleh, the Director of the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) Iman Ashour, and Zagazig University Vice Dean for Academic Affairs Khalid Eldrandaly.
