Working with Seoul for more scientific, higher education co-operation

Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour met with South Korean Ambassador in Cairo Kim Yonghyon for education co-operation talks.

The minister referred to the Egyptian-Korean Faculty of Technological Industry and Energy at Beni Sueif Technological University as symbolic of the strength of Egyptian-Korean ties.

“It is one of the models of co-operation between Cairo and Seoul, providing the Egyptian labour market with qualified technical workers at the highest level,” the minister said.

The minister also voiced appreciation of the existing partnership between Beni Sueif Technological University, the Korea University of Technology and Education (Koreatek) and the Korean Samsung Company.

“The first phase of the co-operation project between KOICA and Beni Sueif University of Technology was completed last year, and the second phase of the $8 million project will be implemented next year,” Ashour said.

Ashour went on to say that his ministry has drawn up a strategy to internationalise higher education and to benefit fully from the partnership between Egyptian universities and international educational institutions in engineering and technology.

“This will link graduates with the needs of the labour market, thus contributing to the development of the national industry in order to achieve the sustainable development goals (Egypt Vision 2030),” Ashour said.

Both sides exchanged views on furthering developing technical education and Korean language education.

Ambassador Kim said that he is glad that Egypt, as a priority ODA partner country of South Korea, is implementing a number of co-operation projects in education.

Discussions also focused on scientific co-operation by benefiting from the experiences of the Korean side in developing Egyptian technological education, and the possibility of co-operation between the two sides in engineering, developing new specialisations and training programmes.

The two sides also discussed the possibility of setting up branches of Korean universities in Egypt, and co-operation in granting academic degrees in various specialisations in partnership between Egyptian and Korean universities.