Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem met on Sunday, June 14, 2026, with Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AAST), and his accompanying delegation to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in scientific research, support for start-ups, and vocational education and training.
The meeting was attended by Laila Shehata, Assistant Minister for Industrial Research and Development, along with a number of senior ministry officials. The discussions reviewed the Academy's educational and research activities, as well as the role of its Entrepreneurship Center, which houses several incubators and industrial innovation accelerators.
The center provides training programs and technical support and helps connect innovators with funding institutions and investors. Hashem emphasized the Ministry of Industry's commitment to restoring the pivotal role of the Industrial Modernization Centre in developing the industrial sector and linking scientific research to the needs of factories.
He noted that the center is working to strengthen communication channels with universities and research institutions to help transform research outcomes into practical industrial applications. The Minister praised the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AAST) for its role in advancing the educational system and addressing gaps in several scientific and technological fields.
He stressed the ministry's commitment to expanding cooperation with the academy in training and qualifying human resources, including both factory workers and Ministry of Industry employees. Hashem added that an agreement had been reached with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to establish a framework linking research outputs to industrial requirements, ensuring that research efforts address genuine industrial needs and generate tangible economic returns.
He explained that the cooperation also includes the establishment of technology parks at Egyptian universities and research centers. These parks will serve as platforms for transforming innovative ideas and research outcomes into industrial and commercial applications by supporting start-ups, facilitating technology transfer and localization, and strengthening partnerships with the business community.
He noted that the first technology park will be established at Alexandria University.