Egypt and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed an agreement on Wednesday to enhance the educational capacity of Beni-Suef Technological University (BST). The $8m project aims to supply the Egyptian labor market with a skilled workforce qualified to carry out jobs as technologists and high-level technicians. The agreement was signed by KOICA Country Director KIM Jinyoung, Ahmed Elsabbagh, Minister Advisor for Technological Education, and Mohamed Mahmoud Khedr, BST President, in the presence of Waleed Al Haddad, Deputy Head of the Asian Cooperation Sector, the Ministry of International Cooperation for Asian Affairs. The project will involve establishing a mid-to-long-term master plan to ensure the sustainability of the University operation and developing an innovative industry-customized curriculum for ICT, Mechatronics, Autotronics, and the newly established Railway Technologies departments. The project duration is six years from 2023 to 2028. The project is considered a continuation of KOICA's successful project to establish the Egyptian-Korean Technological College in Beni Suef in 2022, which provided the necessary equipment and developed the curriculum for the ICT and Mechatronics Departments. KOICA also supported the University to obtain accreditation for its Mechatronics and Information Technology (ICT) programs. The new project highlights KOICA's dedication to fostering inclusive employment skills and youth involvement in social and economic development. KOICA is a Korean government's bilateral International Cooperation Agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dedicated to implementing grant aid programs aiming to combat poverty and support sustainable socio-economic growth in developing countries around the world. KOICA Egypt office, established in 1998, provides technical education for youths in Egypt, supports the digitalization of government services and systems, and carries out programs to address gender-based violence, strengthen women's empowerment, and support vulnerable groups.
