ILO and Ministry of Higher Education discuss ways to enhance cooperation

Cairo, Egypt (ILO News)- Dr Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), held a meeting with Michael Mwasikakata, Head of the Labour Market Services for Transitions Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, and a delegation from the ILO Cairo Office, to explore ways of strengthening joint cooperation. The meeting took place at the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU).

Dr. Ayman Ashour emphasized that preparing students and graduates to meet the demands of the labour market is a top priority for the Ministry of Higher Education and Egyptian universities. He highlighted the importance of keeping abreast of modern trends in employment patterns and technological advancements, and their impact on higher education and scientific research.

The Minister underscored the significance of benefiting from international expertise in this field, and noted the measures already taken to enhance students’ skills and graduates’ qualifications to contribute effectively to Egypt’s development goals. He stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with international organizations in line with the directives of the country’s political leadership.

Dr. Ashour also explained that the ministry supports the transformation of educational institutions into innovation hubs. These institutions aim to create an attractive and stimulating environment for collaboration between educational and research institutions and the industrial sector, thereby equipping graduates to compete in local, regional, and international labour markets. He further emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to improving the quality of education so that graduates can contribute to national economic growth and social development.

Dr. Mostafa Refaat, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, outlined the objectives of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research, which was launched in March 2023. He highlighted that sustainability is one of its seven core principles, which focus on preparing students and graduates to meet labour market needs. This includes introducing modern interdisciplinary academic programmes, organizing activities to develop students’ skills, and diversifying Egypt’s educational institutions, which include public, private, community and technical universities, as well as branches of foreign universities and technical institutes, all of which contribute to improving the quality of the country's education and research ecosystem.

Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister for Strategic Planning, Training, and Labour Market Qualification, highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation with the ILO, which plays a vital role in improving employment and workforce skills. He noted that the role of universities goes beyond academic education and includes preparing and training students for future labour markets.

Dr. Farid also reviewed the Ministry’s labour market skills strategy, highlighting the ‘Be Ready’ initiative, which aims to equip students with the skills needed to meet labour market requirements, enhance career guidance services, and provide professional and vocational development opportunities. The initiative aims to support inclusive economic growth by linking educational outcomes to labour market needs.

The ILO delegation presented the objectives and expected results of a project implemented in collaboration with the World Food Programme and the Egyptian Ministry of Labour. The project aims to enhance public employment services, support the national employment strategy, and formalize the informal economy. The delegation highlighted the project’s role in improving coordination between employment services and labour market programmes, thereby enabling young people to better meet the needs of the labour market.

The delegation also noted that several consultations and discussions are underway to develop a strategy to improve employment services and active labour market programmes in Egypt. These efforts focus on the legal and institutional framework for the policy and governance of public employment services, in cooperation with various relevant institutions. The delegation praised the key role played by the MoHESR in preparing graduates, both male and female, to enter and compete in the labour market.

The meeting also addressed the current challenges faced by recent graduates and reviewed the efforts of the Ministry of Higher Education and Egyptian universities to enhance students’ skills to meet the demands of local, regional, and international labour markets.

Discussions included mechanisms to enhance joint cooperation between the ministry and the ILO, in particular through the use of the ministry’s central platform for linking education with the labour market, and the career services management platform for employment centres.