Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, has received Chris Bunio, Senior Director of Education Device at Microsoft; Khaled Abdel-Qader, General Manager of Microsoft Egypt; and an accompanying Microsoft delegation. Muhammad al-Shenawi, the Minister’s advisor on international affairs and Muhammad al-Tayeb, the Minister’s assistant for technical affairs attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed an agreement that would see Microsoft apply the digital transformation of systems in Egyptian Universities. The Supreme Council of Universities is expected to sign the agreement with Microsoft once it is finalised.
The Ministry of Higher Education has a long standing relation with Microsoft, during which numerous projects have been carried out to benefit Egyptian students and teachers, the Minister said during the meeting. These projects included organising training courses for students and researchers, providing teachers with training on various means of modern technology that assist them in their work.
As a result of a recent agreement between Microsoft and the Ministry, 487 students from the Universities of Ain Shams, Mansoura, Assiut, 6th October and the Armed Forces’ Medical School sat to automated electronic tests. Bunio commended the successful initiative and confirmed that Egypt is making firm steps towards developing and modernising its Higher Education and technology. For his part, Abdel-Ghaffar said that his aim is to spread this experience to all Egyptian universities.
General Manager of Microsoft Egypt pointed out that a plan of action should be drawn to establish standard examination centres, in order to ensure that the quality of the tests matches international standard.
The Minister stressed the importance of qualifying students for the work market through providing them with the necessary technological skills and encouraging innovation programmes.
Watani International
29 September 2018