Ain Shams University, headed by Dr. Mahmoud El-Meteini, organized the Egyptian National Dialogue for Digital Education and Learning, hosted by Al-Galala National University, headed by Dr. Mohamed El-Shennawy, in the presence of Dr. Hisham Farouk, Assistant Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Digital Transformation.

This meeting is one of the activities of the project "Empowering Egyptian Higher Education Institutions in the Field of Digital Teaching and Learning", the first project of the Egyptian National Center for the International Institute for Distance Learning (IIOE EGYPT National Center) of the International Center for Innovation in Higher Education via the Internet under the auspices of UNESCO-ICHEI. It is located at Ain Shams University.

The opening speech was delivered by Dr. Mohamed El-Shennawy, Acting President of Galala University, where he welcomed the attendees, and presented the university's capabilities and international partnerships, to open new horizons for cooperation with all international universities and institutions.

Al-Shennawy stressed the importance of this event to participate in the national dialogue for digital education and learning, pointing to the linkage of all fields and programs of Galala University with the rapid practical developments, to meet the needs of the local and global labor market.

Dr. Mona Abdel-Aal, Executive Director of the Education Development Department at Ain Shams University, Assistant Secretary-General of the International Institute for Distance Learning IIOE, and Director of the Egyptian National Center for the International Institute for Distance Learning presented the vision and mission of the center and the goals of the project, and also praised the role of the Egyptian partner universities of the center.

For his part, Dr. Hisham Farouk, Assistant Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Digital Transformation, expressed his happiness at attending this event and explained the importance of discussion in the field of education and digital learning in Egyptian universities, which numbered 90 public and private universities.

This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Sana Radi, Vice President of the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation for Higher Education Affairs, through which she explained the standards of quality assurance in the field of e-learning, and the importance of developing the skills of faculty staff in the production of electronic courses.

This was followed by an intervention by Prof. Paul Prinsloo Research Professor in Open Distance Learning, at the University of South Africa, who presented an overview of international policies for digital learning and best practices in this field at the international and African levels.

Then Dr. Dalia Youssef, Director of the Central Unit for E-Learning at Ain Shams University, managed a dialogue session on the impact of applying digital learning strategies in higher education institutions and the challenges and opportunities facing Egyptian universities in implementing digital learning and education policies with a group of experts from Egyptian universities and the Supreme Council of Universities.

At the end of the event, Dr. Mona Abdel-Al announced the issuance of a report containing an analysis of the most prominent recommendations and future proposals to support and sustain digital teaching and learning in Egyptian higher education institutions.

The event was attended by Dr. Ibrahim Fathi Moawad, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at New Mansoura University, Dr. Hossam Fahim, Consultant of Information and Communication Systems and Professor at Ain Shams University, Dr. John Fayez, Deputy Director of the Center for Electronic and Knowledge Services at the Supreme Council of Universities, and Dr. Ghada Al-Khayyat, Director of the Innovation Center Education and distance learning at Alexandria University, Dr. Hani El-Nashar, Director of the Digital Transformation Unit at Beni Suef University, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Director of the Digital Transformation Unit at Galala University, and Dr. Walaa Sarhan, Director of the E-Learning and Electronic Tests Unit at Zagazig University.

In addition to the attendance of the work team of the Egyptian National Center for the International Institute for Distance Learning IIOE Egypt and the central unit for e-learning at Ain Shams University, they are Prof. Dr. Hani Nadi and Prof. Dr. Doaa Anas and Dr. Heba Shawky and Dr. Aya Mustafa and Dr. Muhammad Yosry.

This dialogue was also broadcast live through the Zoom application, in the presence of a large number of faculty staff in Egyptian universities, and a number of officials at the Innovation Center in Higher Education under the auspices of UNESCO-ICHEI.