Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat have met to discuss the ongoing project overseeing digital transformation in universities. During the ministerial video conference, Abdel Ghaffar said the digital transformation in education trend has been ongoing for over 18 months. The implementation in education follows an initial pilot phase that was conducted in the health sector. He noted that his ministry is looking to implement a system of distance education at all universities and institutes in Egypt to reduce congestion and environmental pollution. This will come in addition to improved electronic communication between faculty and students, which is considered preferable to a physical presence at universities. Talaat emphasised the importance of speeding up the implementation of digital learning at universities whilst also taking advantage of the current interruption in student attendance. This would see a transformation from traditional learning to distance learning, which will see students, who already see the benefits of e-learning, becoming more accustomed to this type of study. Talaat added that there is currently greater communication and cooperation between the two ministries in support of distance learning, and taking advantage of the opportunities in this area. He indicated that the joint project between the two ministries is the result of several years work based on directives from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. It comes on the back of the president's interest in and acknowledgement of the importance of digital transformation in education. The ministers also discussed the importance of quicker completion of technological infrastructures at universities, for electronic tests to start at the beginning of the next academic year. The ministerial meeting also touched on the joint cooperation that resulted in six technology innovation parks being created. The parks include branches of training institutes affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology , within regional universities in Mansoura, Menoufia, Minya, Sohag, Aswan and Qena
