Education & Training in Egypt are Focus of AMIDEAST/Egypt's 50th Anniversary Celebration

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How well is Egypt's education system preparing its people and businesses to meet the challenges of the 21st century? As Egypt's economy expands, are its schools and universities turning out graduates with the right kinds of technical and business skills to keep pace with job creation? What are the roles of international educational linkages and distance learning?

To answer these and other questions, AMIDEAST turned the spotlight on education and training in Egypt during its two-day celebration of its golden anniversary of its office in Egypt, held December 5-6, 2006 in Cairo. H.E. Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, Egypt's first lady, devoted her keynote speech at the 50th anniversary gala to an assessment of Egypt's education needs.

At a symposium entitled Egyptian Education and Training for the Global Economy, Egyptian and American leaders in business and education continued the discussion of these timely issues. Egypt's Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Hany Helal, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina Habib Powell opened the session with keynote addresses. They were followed by two panels of experts.

For AMIDEAST, a leader in education and training in the Middle East and North Africa for over half a century, it was fitting to devote its 50th anniversary celebration in Egypt to an engaging discussion of education and training in Egypt. It is pleased to make the remarks of many of the participants available on its website.

Symposium
Egyptian Education and Training for the Global Economy

Keynote Speakers

• Dr. Hany Helal, Minister of Higher Education, Egypt
• The Hon. Dina Habib Powell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State

Panel One
Education, Training, and Job Creation

• Dr. Taher Helmy, Senior Partner, Helmy, Hamza & Partners, Chair
• Dr. Ahmed Galal, Adviser, The World Bank, Cairo
• Mr. Helmy Abouleish, Executive Director, Industrial Modernization Center and Managing Director and Co-Founder, SEKEM Group
• Mr. Moataz Al-Alfi, Chairmand & CEO, Americana, and Vice Chairman, Future Generation Foundation

Panel Two
International Educational Exchanges and Linkages

• Dr. Hossam Bedrawi, Founder & Chairman, Nile Badrawi Group, Chair
• Dr. Dell Felder, RAND Corporation
• Mr. David Arnold, President, American University in Cairo
• Dr. Sherif Kamel, Professor of MIS, American University in Cairo

Summation

• Dr. Ibrahim Serageldin, Director, Biblioteca Alexandria