The Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS)
The two editions of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2019 and 2021 (GFHS) was hosted by The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research under the auspices of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.
The forum gathered more than a thousand leaders, influencers, and practitioners from all over the world in the fields of scientific research, innovation, government, higher education, and philanthropy with the intention of conducting insightful action-oriented discussions and obtaining wide-ranging perspectives for the purpose of envisioning the future of higher education and scientific research in a global, interconnected, borderless world context.
Al Alfi Foundation played a key role in the event, assisting the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research with forum organization and logistics in addition to establishing and managing Al Alfi Youth Dome.
During GFHS 2019, Al Alfi Fellows were honored to meet H.E. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Al Alfi Foundation booth in the presence of Mr. Moataz Al Alfi. The Fellows expressed their willingness to help in building Egypt and shared their enthusiasm for giving back to Egyptian society and contributing to its sustainable development.
In both editions, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research hosted a Youth Dome powered by Al Alfi Foundation. The one-of-a-kind youth event attracted a group of highly esteemed experts and human development specialists as speakers in the fields of career planning, entrepreneurship, innovation, academia, and scientific research. Thousands of university students flocked to the event from governorates across Egypt. They listened to and interacted with over 60 speakers who shared their experience in parallel sessions during the three-day event.
In the 2019 edition, the Dome also hosted an exhibition of some of Egypt’s most exciting startups. Twenty booths were erected to allow them to showcase their projects to inspire and motivate student attendees. They also had the opportunity to explore funding opportunities with venture capitalists and investors and to network with academics and other successful entrepreneurs, comparing experiences and receiving valuable advice. The exhibition also allowed them to meet with ministers and government officials to voice their problems and understand more about government opportunities and plans for different sectors.
In the 2021 edition, Al Alfi Youth Dome hosted a competition for teams with entrepreneurial ideas from different Egyptian national and private universities. The competition promoted creativity, idea generation, and entrepreneurship by recognizing innovative ideas for new products, services, and technology. Twenty teams participated in an exhibition-style showcase where they interacted with different event attendees interested in learning more about their ideas. Each team was provided with a booth in the Youth Talks Dome branded with its logo. Teams were encouraged to use the designated space wisely and effectively to help judges and dome visitors learn about their entrepreneurial idea and engage with them. They also had access to a dynamic, and diverse platform of young entrepreneurs and were able to build connections and become part of a community of young entrepreneurs and business professionals where ideas, information, and support could be exchanged.
The renowned judges were entrepreneurs, experts, university professors, and visionaries who studied all ideas and projects and assessed them according to specific criteria including consistency with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), entrepreneurial vision, feasibility, innovation, communal benefit, and sustainability, among other factors. When the experienced judges voted on their favorite ideas, two teams from Ain Shams University and Mansoura University received equal votes. Each one of the top-ranked ideas received an award of EGP 30,000 in prize money from Al Alfi Foundation.
Overall, the Youth Dome at the GFHS was a resounding success. It not only aligned with the forum’s themes of research, innovation, human development, and education but also furthered Al Alfi Foundation’s vision of nurturing innovation, supporting excellence, and investing in the potential of youth and entrepreneurship.
EJADA Portal
EJADA, an Arabic online educational portal, is the culmination of a collaboration between Al Alfi Foundation, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities, alongside key partners in education, training, entrepreneurship, and women empowerment.
Launched on June 12, 2022, at Cairo’s Gezirah Marriott Hotel, the inauguration was attended by prominent figures, including Prof. Dr. Khaled Abd El Ghaffar, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research at the time and in the presence of various deputy ministers, the University Supreme Council presidency, NGO partners, private sector representatives, and many Al Alfi Foundation’s partners.
The portal is aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030, a strategic national agenda for sustainable development, and is designed to propel Egypt into the forefront of the upcoming industrial revolution by empowering its youth.
Key objectives of EJADA include:
- Empowering Egyptian Youth: Preparing them to be productive global citizens, bridging the gap between academic skills and market needs.
- Professional Development: Encouraging ongoing personal and professional growth.
- Fostering Entrepreneurship: Aiming to reduce unemployment through business creation and innovation.
- Cultural Preservation: Promoting traditional Egyptian handicrafts.
EJADA’s initiatives are organized into six main pillars:
- SANAY’ET MISR: Collaborating with EKSC to provide market-relevant technical and vocational training.
- Digital Transformation: Courses to promote Egypt’s digital economy transformation.
- Entrepreneurship: Enhancing skills in business development and management.
- Women Empowerment: Training in mobile technology use for business enhancement.
- Skills for Life and Work: Covering various aspects like STEM empowerment for women, the Youth Talks Dome, personal skills development, and a virtual business incubator.
- Investing in the Exchange: Educating small businesses about leveraging the stock market.
Through these initiatives, EJADA aims to significantly contribute to the skill development and economic empowerment of Egypt’s youth, aligning with global development goals.
Research and Advocacy
Al Alfi Foundation collaborates with the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, focusing on improving education policies and aligning them with job market needs. Its activities include producing influential research and advocacy papers, which help shape the Ministry’s strategies and policies.
Key focus areas are enhancing university education to support a knowledge-based economy and involving the Egyptian diaspora in the development of medical education. These efforts aim to reform and improve Egypt’s higher education and medical fields, ensuring they meet global standards and contribute effectively to the country’s economic growth.
Recovery Pan
As key research and advocacy partner for the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Al Alfi Foundation was ideally placed to provide support for the publication of the Ministry’s pandemic recovery blueprint.
The collaboration between Al Alfi Foundation and the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in creating and publishing “Leading out of Adversity: Policies of Higher Education for Post-COVID-19 Pandemic” marks a significant milestone in addressing the challenges faced by the higher education sector in Egypt due to the pandemic. This blueprint serves as an extensive guide to revitalize and adapt higher education in response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19.
The plan proposes actionable strategies for Post-COVID-19 action plans, aiming to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the educational system. It ensures a smooth transition back to normalcy while retaining the beneficial adaptations made during the pandemic. Additionally, the blueprint introduces a long-term educational strategy that incorporates the lessons learned during the pandemic. This strategy includes the integration of digital tools and platforms and the adaptation of teaching methods to be more flexible and resilient to future challenges.
A significant focus of the plan is on enhancing communication between students and educators, acknowledging the importance of transparent and effective communication for the success of any educational system, especially in times of crisis. It also suggests ways to optimize educational and research processes in universities and institutions, leveraging technology to facilitate better learning outcomes and research advancements.
Another fundamental aspect of the plan is ensuring students’ access to crucial scientific content. This is planned to be achieved through university networks and national and international platforms like the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), which plays a key role in knowledge dissemination.
The role of Al Alfi Foundation was to provide essential support in the editing, reviewing, and proofreading stages of the publication and have also handled the design and printing processes. This indicates their deep commitment to advancing higher education in Egypt, particularly in a post-pandemic world where global education systems are striving to adapt and evolve.
Science Shows at COP27
Al Alfi Foundation collaborated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology to bring the Baseet Climate Science Show to COP27, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022. Their multilingual English, Arabic, and Chinese presentations, tailored to reach a diverse international audience of participants from 194 countries, underscore the importance of inclusive communication in global environmental discussions and signifies a meaningful step towards more engaging and comprehensive climate education.
Baseet creates shows that integrate STEM disciplines with business, arts, and humanities through project-based activities, such as the human learning journey on earth presented at COP27, which illustrated how energy use evolved from using fire, then discovering oil and fuel and finally developing clean and renewable energy to protect our planet.
