Al Mashat:

• The Agreement Enhances Integration between National Entities to Promote Sustainable Development through Institutional Development and Human Capacity Building.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD), and H.E. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Samy AbdelSadek, President of Cairo University, witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between NIGSD and Cairo University. The aim is to strengthen joint cooperation in the fields of governance, administrative development, sustainable development, building and developing human capacities, research studies, supporting and promoting entrepreneurship, and scientific events.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Sherifa Sherif, NIGSD Executive Director, and Dr. Mohamed Refaat El Serky, Vice President of Cairo University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs.

The signing of the agreement comes within the framework of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation's keenness to support institutional and scientific partnerships that contribute to achieving sustainable development and strengthening the principles of governance and good administration within educational and research institutions.

Dr. Rania Al Mashat pointed out that the agreement represents a model for integration between state institutions in implementing the sustainable development strategy, through building and developing human capacities, supporting research studies, and enabling youth, academic, and administrative cadres to manage resources efficiently and effectively.

Dr. Al Mashat explained that the agreement reflects the trend towards enhancing partnerships in the fields of governance, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship, which supports the state's efforts to achieve comprehensive economic and social development and localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. Al Mashat added that the agreement aims to strengthen joint cooperation in the fields of governance, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship, among other areas, including the implementation of a package of professional training programs for university students and administrative staff, and holding a number of seminars and workshops in topics and specializations relevant to the nature of their work, in addition to the Institute providing training programs for university students to practically qualify them to enter the labor market.

Minister Al Mashat clarified that the agreement works to establish the frameworks and policies for an administrative governance system for the university and effective ways to apply them to contribute to achieving the sustainable development strategy, coordinate to develop an action plan for restructuring administrative operations and automating all processes for university services, contribute to developing and improving the quality of governmental services, and support institutional competitiveness to achieve a qualitative leap in university performance, as well as contribute to updating and developing the university's information infrastructure and implementing e-university programs.

In the same context, Dr. Mohamed Samy AbdelSadek, President of Cairo University, affirmed that the signing of the cooperation protocol with the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development is part of the University's keenness to strengthen national partnerships aimed at supporting administrative reform and capacity building in the fields of governance and sustainable development. He noted that cooperation with the Institute represents an important step towards exchanging expertise and knowledge and integrating roles between academic institutions and specialized national centers, which contributes to preparing cadres capable of applying the principles of good governance and promoting a culture of sustainability in state institutions.

For her part, Dr. Sherifa Sherif, Executive Director of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, explained that the coming period will witness more coordination from both sides to implement the terms of the agreement, through the exchange of visits to learn about experiences and expertise in the fields of training and research and identify ways to benefit from them, the exchange of trainers, experts, and researchers to implement training and research activities, the utilization of the infrastructure of the two institutions, as well as electronic linkage to exchange information and establish remote training programs.

For his part, Dr. Mohamed Hussein Refaat, Vice President of Cairo University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, said that cooperation with the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development will contribute to implementing joint training and research projects and programs, aimed at building the capacities of youth, researchers, and university leaders, and supporting the application of sustainable development principles inside and outside the university. It also embodies the university's direction towards openness to effective national institutions in the fields of administrative development and institutional development. He reaffirmed that the university attaches great importance to integrating sustainable development concepts into its academic and research programs, in realization of Egypt's Vision 2030 and in support of the transformation towards more efficient and sustainable educational institutions.

For his part, Dr. Mohamed Hussein Refaat, Vice President of Cairo University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, said that cooperation with the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development will contribute to implementing joint training and research projects and programs, aimed at building the capacities of youth, researchers, and university leaders, and supporting the application of sustainable development principles inside and outside the university. It also embodies the university's direction towards openness to effective national institutions in the fields of administrative development and institutional development. He reaffirmed that the university attaches great importance to integrating sustainable development concepts into its academic and research programs, in realization of Egypt's Vision 2030 and in support of the transformation towards more efficient and sustainable educational institutions.