Ashour Appreciates the Program's Role in Developing Human Resources

The Workshop Reviewed the Achievements of the First Phase and the Criteria for Applying to the Second Cohort

Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, inaugurated the workshop on "Achievements and Launch of the Second Phase of the Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists Program" as part of the launch of the second cohort of the program offered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The program is implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in cooperation with the American University in Cairo (AUC). The event was attended by Ms. Evyenia Sidereas, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, Dr. Ahmed Dallal, President of AUC, Dr. Sean Jones, USAID Mission Director in Egypt, Dr. Ehab Abdel-Rahman, AUC Provost, Dr. Jonah Lai, Deputy Director of the Office of Education and Partnerships at USAID, Dr. Dina Wafa, Acting Director of the Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists Program, and several governors, university presidents, research center directors, government sector officials, along with ministry leaders and experts in higher education and scientific research.

In his speech, the minister emphasized that the workshop is part of several steps taken by the ministry to achieve educational and developmental goals aligned with the national strategies and Egypt's Vision 2030. It also extends the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research and reflects the ministry's efforts in fostering productive partnerships with international institutions.

The minister praised the role of the "Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists" program, which focuses on developing the skills of human resources in both the public and private sectors, thereby enhancing the efficiency of various sectors and contributing to Egypt's sustainable development goals. He thanked USAID and AUC for their collaboration in successfully implementing this program, highlighting the achievements of the program's first cohort.

Dr. Ayman Ashour stressed the ministry's commitment to aligning higher education goals with labor market demands, focusing on the training and academic needs of public and private institutions to strengthen the Egyptian economy. He also linked the program to the "Alliance and Development" initiative, ensuring that the grants offered benefit the seven regions. He pointed out the necessity of diversifying the topics presented in the program based on the current development needs, ensuring integration in work, and following up with participants post-training to apply their results practically.

Ms. Evyenia Sidereas, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, expressed her country's interest in education, viewing it as the key to achieving dreams, supporting innovation, and building lasting partnerships with friendly countries to foster sustainable prosperity. She expressed her happiness in celebrating the first cohort of the "Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists" program and the achievements it has made. She emphasized her country's commitment to strengthening ties with Egypt in the fields of education and training, and investing in enhancing human resources, which has a significant impact on investment and accelerating the development process.

Ms. Sidereas also thanked the minister for his support of this program and AUC for its role in managing the program in the best possible way.

Dr. Ahmed Dallal, President of AUC, expressed the university's pride in implementing the "Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists" program in collaboration with the Egyptian government under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and with the support of USAID. He noted that the program aims to enhance the capabilities of government employees and mid-career professionals to work effectively with both the private and public sectors, aligning with the state's vision for national development. This vision is consistent with AUC's priorities as an educational institution committed to academic and research excellence, community service, and building workforce capacities to meet labor market demands and contribute effectively to sustainable development efforts. He commended the constructive cooperation between the ministry and AUC in this program.

Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister for Strategic Planning and Training for Labor Market Preparation, highlighted the importance of the workshop in the context of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research, which supports training, qualification, and scholarships. He emphasized that the importance of this program lies in its offering to multiple sectors, with its plan being developed annually to align with the country's developmental needs and challenges. He thanked USAID and AUC, noting the role of such programs in reinforcing the state's commitment to international cooperation and communication, among other strategic principles.

The workshop included an introduction to the program, the application stages, the admission criteria, and the expression of interest form for joining the second cohort. It also encouraged interested entities to have their employees benefit from the program's available opportunities by completing the expression of interest form for enrollment. The workshop also reviewed the key results of the first cohort and shared the lessons learned from it.

The event featured several panel discussions between program nominees and communication officials, the "Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists" program team, and participants from the first cohort, discussing their experiences, future success strategies, and innovative insights they have developed, and ways to apply them to bring about change in government institutions, ensuring sustainable success. Additionally, a presentation was given to explain how to fill out the application form and the program's application stages.

It is worth noting that the "Egyptian Pioneers and Scientists" program, funded by USAID with $86 million, aims to build the capacities of mid-career Egyptian professionals working in both the public and private sectors by providing scholarships for master's and post-doctoral studies, as well as a series of short-term training programs in Egypt and the United States. These programs focus on areas aligned with the state's developmental vision, with an emphasis on empowering women and including persons with disabilities, covering fields such as (tourism, culture, and heritage, industry, trade and logistics, supply chains, public health with a focus on hospital management), in addition to two enabling sectors (climate change and technology). The application for the second phase is open until September 7th