RITSEC launches regional initiative for knowledge, innovation: Finland's embassy

Initiative to play important role in boosting joint educational, technological cooperation, says ambassador

The Regional Information Technology and Software Engineering Center (RITSEC), in collaboration with the Finnish embassy to Egypt, will launch on Sunday a new initiative entitled "The regional initiative for knowledge and innovation."
The initiative aims to support development of Egypt's information technology community and share knowledge from the north countries to Africa and the Arab region, according to a statement from the Finnish embassy to Cairo on Friday.
The initiative will play an important role in boosting the educational and technological cooperation between Egypt and Finland, Laura Kansikas-Debraise, the Finnish ambassador to Egypt, told Daily News Egypt, noting that an educational forum is organised on 7-8 September, coinciding with the initiative's launch.
"I will be present at the forum accompanying Tarja Halonen, former president of Finland," the ambassador stated, noting that Egypt's Minister of Education, Tarek Shawky, attended the first day of the event on 7 September which focuses on basic education.
Moreover, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, is attending the second day of the forum on 8 September which will mainly discuss higher education issues, the ambassador shared.
"There are several Finnish experts participating at the forum to share their knowledge. Both parties are expected to reach concrete proposals of boosting cooperation in the field of technology and education at the end of the forum," the ambassador highlighted.
RITSEC along with the University of Helsinki agreed to establish the Regional-Finnish Center for Knowledge and Innovation headquartered in Cairo that aims to support all the African and Arab countries in sharing technological and scientific knowledge.
The Finnish educational system was ranked as one of the world's pioneers for decades, according to the Friday's statement of the Finnish embassy, adding that the University of Helsinki is ranked on the 59th position among the world's universities.
The newly established centre will contribute in supporting the regional initiatives to develop education from early childhood to the other different phases of education, the statement mentioned, affirming that the centre will also promote the higher educational and scientific research initiatives.
The centre will cooperate with educational institutions in all fields, and promote scientific exchange, the statement assured.
The center is set to support the efforts of building economies that depend on knowledge, digital transformation and social innovations that serve the development of Africa and the Arab countries, the statement said.
Since 1992, RITSEC has been a pioneer and regional leader in societal innovation. RITSEC's mission has been focusing on the Arab World, particularly on the challenges of socio-economic development and the use of ICT and knowledge base to support the process transformation of the Arab World, the statement noted.
RITSEC has been supporting the development of information technology and software aiming at the acceleration of socio-economic development in the region, ultimately enabling it to compete globally. A number of initiatives in high priority areas were implemented in the fields of education, and professional development, as well as e-commerce, cultural heritage documentation and preservation and intellectual property rights.