Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, moderated two sessions within the activities of the eighth exhibition of higher education. The first was titled “Higher Education… A Look at the Present and the Future” and the second was titled “How the Technology of the Future Looks”.

In his speech, Prof. Mahmoud El-Metini said that the rapid changes in education coincided with the global pandemic; It imposed a new reality on the whole world, and he asked, "Are we ready for this challenge?", Saying that everything has become going to the Internet, and he opened a discussion about the form of the university student who is sitting behind the computer screen.

He reviewed Ain Shams University's efforts in the field of e-learning and distance education, saying, "We have done a great job in the distance education system and were ready even before the outbreak of the pandemic," praising the efforts of the University's Education Development Department under the supervision of Prof. Mona Abdel Aal.

He added that education institutions around the world used to view distance education as a complementary education, and then overnight it became an urgent necessity.

He added that despite the challenges the world faces, especially in the field of education, opportunities appear; Where we have a generation that assures that it is able to meet the challenge.

The session witnessed a discussion of a number of topics presented by a group of speakers, namely: “Professor Phineas Emery, President of the University of Hertfordshire in Egypt, Professor Nadia El Aref, President of the University of Alaska in Egypt, Prof. Dr. Abdel-Rahman Zekry, Vice President of Cairo University for Postgraduate Studies and Research, Dr. Mahmoud El-Deeb, CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Innovera Middle East, Egypt and Africa, Dr. Hossam Othman, Vice President of ATIDA, Mr. Ihab Salama, Director of the Swedish Foundation for Education, Dr. Kim A., Critchley, Dean of Prince Edward Island University-UPEI Cairo, Mr. Majed Aref, Director Executive and co-founder of Farines, Prof. Dr. Leslie Croxford, Vice President of the British University in Egypt.