The Supreme Council of Universities held its regular meeting, headed by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, in the presence of Dr. Tarek Shawky, Minister of Education and Technical Education, and Dr. Muhammad Latif, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, and members of the Council.

Dr. Muhammed Al-Mahrasawi, President of Al-Azhar University, held the meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities at the university’s headquarters. His Excellency conveyed the greetings and welcome of the Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar to the council and its members, explaining the development that the university has witnessed at the level of educational curricula and digital transformation, the university’s progress in local and international classifications, and the participation of Al-Azhar University with all Egyptian universities in community service and environmental development, and all initiatives aimed at providing a decent life under the new republic.

The Council thanked the Grand Imam, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, the President of Al-Azhar University, and the Al-Azhar University family, for hosting the meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities.

The Council thanked Dr. Ahmed Aziz, President of Sohag University, and Dr. Ahmed Gaber Shedid, President of Fayoum University, for their role in leading the two universities during the last period, and their outstanding contribution to serving development issues in the governorates of Sohag and Fayoum.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research stressed the speedy completion of colleges from announcing the results of the end of the academic year, and the start of preparations for the new school year, and that universities, during the summer vacation, implement comprehensive maintenance of buildings, facilities, educational halls and university cities, taking into account the elements of safety and security for all university facilities.

The Minister stressed the need for colleges to be prepared to conduct aptitude tests for high school students, which is scheduled to be held during the period from 7-19 August, stressing taking all precautionary measures to protect faculty members and students, and conducting capacity tests under the direct supervision of university presidents and vice presidents for education and student affairs to ensure complete discipline in conducting the tests.

The Minister directed the necessity of the readiness of computer laboratories in all public universities to assist high school students in electronic coordination of enrollment in universities, which will start after the announcement of the high school results, with the provision of counselors to assist students throughout the coordination period.

The minister also directed the activation of the amendment of Article 79 of the executive regulations of the Universities Organizing Law, and the speedy amendment of the study regulations to the credit hour system before the beginning of the next academic year.

The Council approved the schedule for the next academic year 2021/2022, which begins on Saturday, October 9, and studies in the first semester continue for 14 weeks to end on January 13, 2022, and the end-of-semester exams begin on Saturday, January 15, and end on February 3, 2022. The mid-year vacation begins on Saturday, February 5, and ends on Thursday, February 17, 2022, and the second semester begins on February 19, 2022, and the study continues for 16 weeks, ending on Thursday, June 9, 2022, and exams for the second semester are held during the months of June and July 2022, according to the nature of Study and exams in each faculty.

The Council reviewed the amendment recently approved by the House of Representatives to Law No. 10 of 1972 regarding dismissal by other than disciplinary means and the Civil Service Law, which provides for adding the case of listing an employee on terrorist lists in accordance with Law No. 8 of 2015 regulating lists of terrorist entities to the cases in which it is permissible Dismissal of the employee in a manner other than disciplinary, and the Council decided to instruct the university presidents to take the necessary measures to prepare lists of these workers to submit them as soon as the law comes into force after its issuance, with the aim of getting rid of universities who belong to terrorist groups and who try in various ways to impede universities from delivering their educational mission.

The council listened to a detailed presentation on the projects of private universities and all the projects being implemented in public universities according to the pre-set schedules.

The Council approved the measures taken by universities to enhance bilateral relations with brotherly Sudan, by providing universities with all facilities needed by the Sudanese side.

The Council stressed the need to take into account the construction of all new buildings, as well as the modification of existing facilities in Egyptian universities to meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

The Council was informed of the request of Alexandria University to establish Alexandria National University, with the aim of providing new study programs that take into account the needs of the local and international labor market in new disciplines that are in line with future jobs.

The Council approved the start of studies in a number of faculties during the academic year 2021/2022:

Faculty of Al-Alsun, South Valley University branch in Hurghada.

Faculty of Dentistry, Menoufia University.

Faculty of Physiotherapy, Suez University.

Faculty of Al-Alsun, Fayoum University.

Higher Institute of Heritage, Arts and Folk Literature, Beni Suef University.

The Council approved the establishment of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Aswan University, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, Sohag University, and the Faculty of Early Childhood Education, South Valley University.

The Council approved the formation of the Higher Coordination Committee for the academic year 2021/2022, headed by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the membership of each of the presidents of (Cairo, Helwan, Ain Shams, Menoufia, Minya), the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, the head of the education sector in the ministry, and the electronic coordination official The Director General of the General Administration of Technical Affairs of the Supreme Council of Universities, and the Director of the General Administration of Education and Student Affairs of the Supreme Council of Universities.

The Council approved the formation of the Higher Committee to supervise the work of the central and unified competition exams for students who obtained diplomas from technical and commercial institutes and their counterparts, as well as students who obtained a diploma from commercial technical schools (3-year system) after preparatory school to enroll in one of the faculties of commerce in Egyptian public universities for the academic year 2021/2022.

The Council approved the formation of the Higher Committee to supervise the work of the central and unified competition exams for students who obtained diplomas from industrial technical institutes and their counterparts, as well as students who obtained a diploma for industrial technical schools (3-year system) after preparatory school. To enroll in engineering faculties in Egyptian public universities for the academic year 2021/2022.

The Council approved the formation of the Higher Committee to supervise capacity tests in colleges and institutes whose admission requires passing capacity tests, which are faculties (media, physical education, fine arts, music education, technological universities, and specific education) “Educational Theater Division – Art Education – Music Education Division.” Nursing, Technical Colleges and Institutes of Nursing, Tourism and Hotels, Applied Arts), for the academic year 2021/2022.

The Council agreed to allocate a number of scholarships at public universities to graduates of schools of excellence in science and technology (STEM), in faculties (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, engineering, science, computers and information), in accordance with the internal controls of colleges and universities.

The Council agreed to take the necessary measures to amend Article No. (93 bis 2) of the executive regulations of the Universities Organizing Law, which includes the conditions for obtaining academic degrees granted by the faculties of specific education and kindergartens.

The Council approved the proposals of the Dental Sector Committee, to develop the education and training system in dental colleges, which numbered about 40 public, private and private universities.

On the sidelines of the council meeting, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, accompanied by Dr. Muhammad Al-Mahrasawi, President of the University and Vice-Presidents of the University, the control and monitoring unit at the university, which aims to follow up the progress of the regularity of the study in all faculties, as well as the opening of the data unit through which the university will be able to provide lectures to students online and hold meetings via video conference technology, within the framework of the university’s plan towards digital transformation.