Minister of Higher Education Affirms:
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Developing academic programs to align with labor market needs and enhance practical training.
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Forming a higher committee to review academic programs and improve graduate employability in implementation of the political leadership’s directives.
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Supporting applied and technological education to strengthen links between universities and industry.
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Cooperating with the Ministry of Labor to establish several professional qualifications in occupational health and safety.
Minister of Labor Affirms:
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Cooperation with higher education is a fundamental pillar for developing the training system and linking education to labor market needs.
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Launching a national initiative to prepare occupational safety and health professionals in partnership with higher education institutions.
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Labor representation offices serve as an effective tool for promoting Egyptian talents abroad.
Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, received Mr. Hassan Raddad, Minister of Labor, at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation and coordination between 
the two ministries in order to strengthen the integration between higher education outputs and labor market requirements, and to prepare qualified cadres capable of competing locally and internationally, in the presence of senior officials from both ministries.
The Minister of Higher Education emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to developing academic and training programs in line with the evolving demands of the labor market, highlighting the importance of expanding practical training opportunities, linking students with real work environments, and integrating occupational safety and health concepts into academic curricula as one of the vital disciplines that enhance graduates’ competence and readiness for employment. He also highlighted cooperation with the Ministry of Labor in developing professional qualifications in occupational health and safety.
Minister Konsowa also pointed to the formation of a higher committee comprising distinguished experts, in line with directives from the political leadership, tasked with reviewing and developing academic programs, analyzing graduate employment indicators, introducing modern specializations, and strengthening partnerships with business sectors. These efforts aim to improve the quality of educational outcomes. He also expressed the Ministry’s willingness to cooperate with the Ministry of Labor, especially in implementing specialized initiatives to prepare youth in accordance with labor market needs and benefit from the Ministry’s studies on labor market indicators locally, regionally, and internationally.
He further stressed the importance of expanding applied and technological education pathways and enhancing integration between universities, institutes, and training institutions to enable students to acquire advanced practical skills aligned with the needs of productive and service sectors. He underlined the need for continuous monitoring mechanisms to measure the impact of educational programs on graduate employment opportunities and to update them dynamically to ensure effective alignment between education outcomes and labor market needs both locally and internationally.
For his part, Mr. Hassan Raddad stated that cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education is a key pillar in the Ministry of Labor’s strategy, especially with regard to promoting the culture of occupational safety and health and preparing human resources in accordance with modern standards. He explained that the ministry seeks to bridge the gap between education outcomes and labor market requirements by developing vocational training systems and enhancing partnerships with the private sector.
The Minister of Labor highlighted the importance of launching a national initiative to prepare specialized occupational safety and health professionals in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, noting that this falls within the framework of strengthening cooperation between the two ministries and linking education outputs to labor market needs. He added that the initiative aims to bridge the skills gap through the development of vocational training systems and the expansion of private-sector partnerships to qualify personnel capable of adapting to changing labor market demands.
Mr. Raddad also stated that the ministry’s efforts include organizing specialized employment fairs, preparing to launch the National Employment Strategy and the Labor Platform, and updating the occupational classification guide, all of which enhance the ability to understand labor market changes and respond efficiently. He also stressed the importance of strengthening links between employers and job seekers and making use of labor representation offices abroad to promote Egyptian talent, thereby supporting cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education in preparing qualified graduates capable of competing internationally.
The meeting reviewed the features of the national initiative for preparing specialized occupational safety and health professionals, a joint initiative between the Ministries of Labor and Higher Education aimed at building qualified human capacities capable of managing occupational safety systems in accordance with international standards. The initiative aims to qualify specialists and technicians through advanced educational and training programs, including a professional diploma and professional master’s degree, in addition to training programs and certifications for students in occupational safety and health, particularly in the use of personal protective equipment, within a model combining academic accreditation with practical application.
The meeting also reviewed the institutional capabilities supporting this initiative, most notably the National Center for Occupational Safety and Health Studies and Work Environment Security, with its expertise and advanced training infrastructure across several governorates. The participants emphasized activating partnerships with public universities to ensure geographical outreach and integration between academic and practical components. They agreed to form a joint committee to study implementation mechanisms in preparation for signing a cooperation protocol between the two ministries.
The meeting also discussed activating the “Mahani 2030” project launched by the Ministry of Labor to develop the vocational training system in cooperation with the private sector, aiming to meet labor market needs locally and internationally and provide real job opportunities through accredited training centers.
The discussion also addressed supporting initiatives aimed at preparing labor for employment abroad according to international standards and cooperation between the two sides through the Ministry of Labor’s provision of a comprehensive integrated electronic platform serving as a unified channel for displaying job opportunities locally and internationally. This platform would be directly linked to graduate data provided by the Ministry of Higher Education, creating an updated database of qualified personnel to facilitate matching skills with labor market needs inside and outside Egypt.
During the meeting, emphasis was placed on strengthening the role of labor representation offices in promoting Egyptian talents, especially university graduates, in addition to organizing specialized employment fairs and updating the occupational classification guide, thereby supporting the state’s efforts in human development and employment. It was also agreed to improve graduate nomination and guidance mechanisms according to labor market needs and to provide periodic analytical data on labor market trends to enhance employment efficiency and strengthen the link between education and labor market requirements.
The meeting also discussed cooperation in training assistant health service personnel through the “Health Services Assistant” program, an accredited vocational training program launched by the Ministry of Labor aimed at preparing personnel to work in hospitals and medical centers under the supervision of medical teams. Their supporting duties include monitoring vital signs, sterilization, and patient care. This cooperation is coordinated between the Ministries of Labor and Health to ensure training quality and its alignment with healthcare labor market needs, while mechanisms for cooperation with university hospitals will be explored through a joint committee.
The meeting further discussed including representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education in the Supreme Council for Human Resources Skills Development التابعة لوزارة العمل, which is responsible for setting general policies for human resource skills development as well as training and qualification policies, thereby strengthening institutional integration and supporting alignment between education outputs and labor market needs.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to maintain coordination and integration in the coming phase and to strengthen joint mechanisms in areas of common concern to ensure integration between education, training, and the labor market, while supporting the state’s plans for human capacity building and development in line with the objectives of Egypt Vision 2030.
The meeting was attended from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research by Dr. Mostafa Refaat, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, Dr. Ahmed El-Geyoushi, Secretary of the Supreme Council for Technological Education and Supervisor of the Education Sector at the Ministry, Dr. El-Sayed El-Sharkawy, Chair of the Basic Sciences Sector Committee, Dr. Hassan Mohamed, Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, Media Adviser and Official Spokesperson, and Dr. Hanan El-Sersi.
From the Ministry of Labor, attendees included Counselor Ihab Abdel Aaty, Eng. Yasmine Mamdouh, Eng. Mohamed Kamal, Mr. Yasser El-Sherbiny, Ms. Hend Mohamed, Mr. Reda El-Araby, Mr. Hossam Mohamed, Dr. Ahmed Farouk, and Mr. Abdel Wahab Khodr.
