Youth Dome Empowers Young Minds in The Second Edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in partnership with Al Alfi Foundation, under the auspices of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, hosted the second edition of the Global Forum for Higher Education and Scientific Research (GFHS) in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. This follows the successful inaugural event held in 2019.
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 Plays Pivotal Role
Al Alfi Foundation played a significant role in both editions of the GFHS. They partnered with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to assist with event organization, logistics, and the establishment and management of the Al Alfi Youth Dome.
Al Alfi Fellows Meet President El-Sisi
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.
Youth Dome Empowers Young Minds
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.
Encouraging Innovation Through Entrepreneurship Competition
Building upon the success of the 2019 edition, 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.
A Celebration of Young Talent
A distinguished panel of judges, comprised of entrepreneurs, experts, university professors, and visionaries, meticulously reviewed all submissions based on pre-established criteria. These criteria included alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), entrepreneurial vision, feasibility, innovation, community impact, and sustainability, amongst other factors.
The judges’ votes resulted in a tie between two teams, one from Ain Shams University and the other from Mansoura University. Each of these top-ranked teams received a well-deserved prize of EGP 30,000 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.
About the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Egypt is the government ministry responsible for overseeing and regulating higher education, research and innovation in Egypt, established in 1961. Its mission is to develop and promote high-quality tertiary education and research, foster innovation and entrepreneurship and enhance the skills and capabilities of the Egyptian workforce.
About Al Alfi Foundation:
An independent philanthropic foundation established in 2008 focuses on human and social development through education and capacity building for Egyptian scientists, educators and gifted students in STEM education in Egypt.
We aim to build a knowledge-based economy and empower Egyptian youth for a sustainable future.