The Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC) of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) held a roundtable discussion at CREATIVA Innovation Hub in Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace in Cairo, one of Egypt's historic landmarks. The session aimed to explore and discuss the best global practices for enhancing the capabilities and competitiveness of Egyptian IT and software companies, with a focus on using Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) to improve business performance and create a sustainable competitive edge. The roundtable was led by ITIDA's CEO, Engineer Ahmed El-Zaher, and involved prominent IT and software companies that have been appraised by CMMI. The participants included Engineer Khalid Ibrahim, CIT's Chairperson; Haitham Hamza, Acting Chairperson of SECC; executives from local software companies, and CIOs from various organizations that benefit from SECC. The discussion covered the advantages of adopting CMMI and its impact on improving the business efficiency of IT companies. El-Zaher emphasized ITIDA's commitment to promote open and inclusive dialogue among the IT community and software companies, aiming to support their growth, increase competitiveness, and enhance capabilities for international market penetration. The CEO highlighted the increased demand for professional skills in software engineering, which attracts the Egyptian market, contributing to increasing exports regionally and globally. He stressed the role of ITIDA in strengthening Egypt's position in the IT services offshoring industry. ITIDA is strategically developing innovative capacity-building programs and providing international accreditations, positioning local IT and software companies at the forefront of global excellence. SECC plays a pivotal role as the driving force behind ITIDA's efforts to boost the competitiveness of the local IT industry and software enterprises while expanding their global footprint. ITIDA CEO praised the positive role of SECC experts in offering consultation on a unique blend of quality standards and frameworks and coaching their implementation in addition to assessment and appraisal services. The meeting also reviewed the role of ITIDA in increasing the accredited and certified local companies, highlighting the recent collaboration between SECC and CIT where the latter will provide 50% of the cost for 20 of its member companies to obtain the CMMI certifications (CMMI-DEV/SVC) in the areas of development or services. SECC has provided consultation, assessment, appraisal, and training services for CMMI for both Development and Services since 2007 with 200 appraised companies locally in Egypt and internationally in Bangladesh, China, KSA, Kuwait, Syria, and UAE. The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a globally recognized method and process and behavioral model that helps organizations streamline process improvement and encourage productive, efficient behaviors that decrease risks in software, product, and service development. SECC is a leading organization in cutting-edge technology services and consultancy, reinforcing technical competence and improving the internal capacities of ICT companies. In June 2001, SECC was inaugurated as part of the efforts supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to boost the Information Technology Industry in Egypt. In 2005, SECC merged into the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA).
