Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem affirmed that the Egyptian government recognizes that human capital development and industrial upgrading go hand in hand, as education builds capabilities while industry provides productive jobs and opportunities for positive social participation.
He said Egypt’s future vision aims to strengthen the integration of Egyptian industry into global supply chains through smart localization, deeper domestic manufacturing, increased value added, and the development of future-oriented skills and capabilities, making industry a key driver of economic growth and sustainable development.
Hashem made the remarks during his participation in the IE University Middle East and Africa Alumni Summit, hosted in Cairo on Saturday, in the presence of Spanish Ambassador to Egypt Sergio Román Carranza Forster, IE University Board Member and Vice President for Global Marketing and Recruitment Mar Hurtado de Mendoza, and a number of university leaders, faculty members and alumni.
The Minister thanked IE University, its global alumni relations team and the university’s alumni club in Egypt for choosing Cairo to host the gathering, which brought together prominent professionals and leaders. He called on the university to strengthen its presence in Egypt and expand its programmes in innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in the industrial sector, to better align education with industry needs and develop the capabilities required to keep pace with technological and economic changes.
Drawing on his personal experience as an IE University alumnus, Hashem said he had become convinced that the true value of education extends beyond acquiring knowledge or earning an academic qualification. It also lies in developing critical-thinking skills, questioning established assumptions, accepting differing viewpoints and translating ideas into tangible results.
The Minister stressed that continuous learning and skills development have become essential amid accelerating technological change and transformation across the industrial sector. This, he said, requires stronger cooperation between academic institutions and industry to prepare professionals capable of innovation and responding to changing labour-market needs.
He added that IE University’s values of innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity and the humanities as a means of driving positive change are aligned with Egypt’s vision to develop its industrial sector and enhance its competitiveness. Achieving this vision, he said, requires coordinated efforts among the government, industry, academic institutions and a skilled, innovative workforce.
Hashem emphasized that such integration would create new opportunities, improve living standards, strengthen the national economy’s capacity for growth and help build a more sustainable future for generations to come. He expressed his aspiration to further strengthen cooperation between Egypt and IE University and develop new partnerships that promote innovation and entrepreneurship while preparing qualified professionals to lead industrial development and advance sustainable economic growth.
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