President El-Sisi Holds Meeting on State's Efforts to Develop Public Universities

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met today with Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Governor of Cairo Mr. Khaled Abdel Aal, Presidential Advisor for Urban Planning Major General Amir Sayed Ahmed, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Financial Affairs Major General Mohamed Amin, and President of Ain Shams University Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini.

The Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency stated that the meeting discussed the state's efforts to develop public universities.

The President directed that full support be provided to the public education system to achieve the targeted quality of education by pursuing further national projects for the public university system nationwide.

In this context, the President directed the government to develop and fully re-plan Ain Shams University Hospitals area, within the framework of establishing Ain Shams Medical City. The President also directed that the necessary financial allocations be made available for this vital project that will serve thousands of patients and that the main axes of Abbasiya Square and area be developed to end traffic congestion and facilitate the movement of university students and citizens.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar reviewed 427 current and future projects, totaling about 36 billion pounds, in public universities. These projects are distributed over 27 government universities nationwide and are divided into service, treatment and educational projects.

In this respect, the Minister of Higher Education presented the execution status quo of the project aimed to develop Ain Shams University Hospitals, extending over an area of 57 feddans. The aim is to upgrade and expand the services provided to patients; works in this area include developing El-Demerdash Pasha Palace, raising the efficiency of the current medical facilities, and establishing new hospitals for emergency and pediatric and oncology surgeries.

Additionally, the plan includes establishing modern medical facilities, developing outpatient and specialized clinics, and providing waiting areas.

Moreover, the Minister showed the plan to establish a number of new public universities nationwide, including the city of Abu Rudeis in South Sinai Governorate and the City of Hurghada in the Red Sea Governorate.

The progress on the project aimed to establish 16 new private universities affiliated to public universities was also demonstrated.