Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of Ain Shams University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, on behalf of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, received a delegation of African Ministers of Education including Ms. Ingeli Makombo Nutumba, Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Ms. Luisa Maria Grillo, Minister of Education of Angola, Mr. Ntwi Rababa, Minister of Education of Lesotho, Ms. Esther Anna Ngibonduka, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture of Namibia, Ms. Noriana Moniko, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education of Zambia, Minister’s Delegate.

The visit comes within the framework of coordination between the Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of International Cooperation with the United Nations World Food Programme, represented by the World Food Program for the Southern African Region of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The visit aims to learn about the Egyptian experience in the field of digital education, which contributes to the exchange of knowledge and support of peer learning, with the aim of SADC countries developing their digital educational systems similar to the distinguished Egyptian experience in this field.

The meeting was attended by Prof. Shahira Samir, Executive Director of the International Relations and Academic Collaboration Sector, Prof. Mona Abdel-Al Al-Zahri, Director of the Center for Educational Strategies and Research, Prof. Islam Hegazy, Director of the Networks and Information Technology Center, Prof. Rasha Ismail, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences for Graduate Studies and Research, Dr. Dalia Youssef, Director of the Central Unit for E-Learning, Dr. Weam Mahmoud, Executive Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, Director of the Center of Excellence for Sustainability.

In her speech during the meeting, Prof. Ghada Farouk referred to the ancient history of Ain Shams University and its being one of the leading higher education institutions in Egypt, reviewing the university’s global rankings, as the university ranked 592nd in the world, 16th in Africa, and third in the Egyptian universities, according to the recent announcement by QS, emphasizing Ain Shams University’s commitment to striving to achieve excellence in education, research, and community engagement thanks to its rich history that extends for more than seven decades, as the university has constantly sought to create an environment that fosters intellectual growth, innovation, and global understanding.

Prof. Ghada Farouk stressed the importance of educational exchange to collectively address the challenges facing educational systems and explore innovative solutions, through the exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices, to cooperate together and lay the foundation for a brighter future for our students and countries and to create a comprehensive and fair educational system that works to empower every learner, and work together to create a brighter future for education in our region.

Prof. Mona Abdel-Al Al-Zahri, Director of the Center for Education Strategies and Research, presented a presentation during which she discussed the university and its faculties, the number of Egyptian and expatriate students, and the university’s position in international rankings. The university is considered among the top 2% in the world, and has internationally accredited faculties such as Pharmacy and Dentistry, in addition to internationally accredited programs in the faculties of Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, Law and Business. It also shed light on the university’s international partnerships and the dual degrees that the university grants in cooperation with major international universities.

Prof. Mona Abdel-Al Al-Zahri presented an overview of Ain Shams University’s efforts in digital transformation and the university’s educational platforms, including the Ain Shams University platform for e-learning ASU2Learn, and the Ain Shams University platform for electronic assessment ASU2Test, pointing to the role of these platforms in providing a distinct and integrated educational experience for all students at various levels, from the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as blended education students.

She also stressed that Ain Shams University has been keen for years to develop curricula and learning methods, which was reflected in the development of future skills among university students, based on methods of integrating virtual applications and educational tools that help in the distance learning process, which was clearly evident during the Corona pandemic, which helped in developing distance learning methods and using modern technology and technical means to better continue the educational process.

She also touched on the university’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, the Networks and Information Technology Center, the Center of Excellence for Sustainability and the development witnessed by the university’s hospitals and Ain Shams Virtual Hospital and its pioneering role during the Corona pandemic.

She concluded her speech by emphasizing that Ain Shams University’s efforts in digital transformation were appreciated locally and internationally, as the university was able to win many internal and external awards in this context.

Following the meeting, the delegation visited the Networks and Information Technology Center and the Center for Educational Strategies and Research, accompanied by Prof. Mona Abdel-Al Al-Zahri, Prof. Islam Hegazy, Dr. Dalia Youssef.

This was followed by an inspection tour of the Faculty of Medicine, where they were received by Prof. Ali Al-Anwar, Dean of the Faculty and Chairman of the Board of Directors of University Hospitals, Prof. Hala Sweid, Vice Dean of the Faculty for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, and the delegation visited the electronic testing laboratories and the e-learning studio, accompanied by Prof. Mona Abdel-Al Al-Zahri, Dr. Dalia Youssef, Dr. Weam Mahmoud, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi.