The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat and the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour have witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Arish University, via videoconference, in the presence of President of Arish University Hassan Al-Demerdash.
The protocol aims to establish the Creativa Innovation Hub at Arish University to upskill and qualify the university’s students, graduates, and youth in North Sinai in line with the requirements of the local and global ICT labor market.
The ICT Minister stressed that the establishment of Creativa Innovation Hubs is part of the constructive cooperation between MCIT and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He highlighted the importance of the Creativa Innovation Hubs project, which aims to develop digital skills and qualify youth to join the local and global labor markets. Additionally, the ICT Minister is closely monitoring the training programs, initiatives, and activities offered by MCIT at Creativa Innovation Hubs in different governorates across Egypt.
Talaat added that MCIT is establishing Creativa Innovation Hubs in various governorates, following an integrated plan to establish these Hubs nationwide. He explained that, so far, 13 Hubs have been established in different governorates; eight Hubs were opened in Aswan, Qena, Sohag, Minya, Mansoura, Menoufia, Ismailia, and Cairo; and five new Creativa Innovation Hubs were soft-launched in the first half of 2023 in Alexandria, Giza, New Valley, North Sinai, and Beni Suef.
The ICT Minister announced that 20 Creativa Innovation Hubs will be established by early next year, as part of a plan to establish one Creativa Innovation Hub in each governorate of Egypt.
Ashour highlighted that the cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and MCIT is a model of integrated government work in digital services. It has effectively contributed to training, qualifying, and providing undergraduates with the skills they need to succeed in the local and international labor market. This is in addition to the fruitful cooperation between the two ministries in developing the digital infrastructure in Egyptian universities and enhancing the role of universities in serving their surrounding communities.
The Higher Education Minister commended the signing of the protocol, which will provide practical training for students in North Sinai to build experience and develop technological skills. The protocol will also support innovation and entrepreneurship among undergraduates, and provide the governorate with the digital services it needs, thus serving the people of Sinai. Ashour emphasized that implementing the plan to establish Creativa Hubs in all governorates, especially the border governorates, is in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 to achieve sustainable development.
The establishment of Creativa Innovation Hubs within universities has been a successful and constructive experience, with a clear and tangible impact on developing the digital capabilities of undergraduates and providing professional and technical consulting to students and graduates, Ashour added.
Ashour Thanked Talaat and MCIT team for their collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education through many previous protocols and projects.
For his part, Al-Demerdash expressed his happiness to host the Creativa Innovation Hub at the university. He pointed out that an area of 2,000 square meters has been allocated to establish a permanent hub at Arish University. He also pointed to the signing of a previous protocol between the university and MCIT, represented by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), to provide distinguished and high-quality training in language and IT skills to the students and graduates of this university and other universities in Sinai.
Al-Demerdash praised the results of the cooperation in supporting the university’s transformation into a smart one, achieving comprehensive development in North Sinai, indigenizing technology in the university, and supporting the people of Sinai in information technology and digitization.
The protocol stipulates that MCIT will establish and manage the Creativa Innovation Hub at Arish University. The hub will be a center for training and developing innovation and entrepreneurship for young people in North Sinai Governorate. It will provide training services to students and graduates of the university and its surrounding area, with the aim of creating a talent pool that contributes to supporting and developing the ICT industry, and promoting technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
In addition to providing training services, Creativa Innovation Hub will also prepare instructors from relevant faculty staff with specialized training; hold and organize conferences, hackathons, and competitions in the latest technologies that support knowledge sharing and innovation; and foster the transformation of ICT-based innovative ideas of youth into products or services. This is in addition to raising awareness and sharing knowledge of the latest developments in ICTs, its specializations, and required skills, as well as developing learning and training mechanisms through early ICT use.
The protocol was signed by the Deputy ICT Minister for Infrastructure Raafat Hindy, and Al-Demerdash, in the presence of the Chairwoman of Information Technology Institute (ITI) Heba Saleh, and Assistant of the Minister of Higher Education for Smart Governance Sherif Kishk.
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وزارة الاتصالات وتكنولوجيا المعلومات-مصر
