Enhancing Educational Curricula with SAP Solutions
Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) has entered into a strategic partnership with SAP Egypt to integrate SAP’s solutions and applications into educational and training programs for both students and faculty. This agreement, signed during SAP’s “AI Innovation for Business Day,” aims to equip students with the digital skills required for a modern job market and enhance their capabilities in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
The collaboration provides students with practical training and access to various SAP applications, delivering a well-rounded learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on expertise.
AI Innovation and National Strategy
Speaking at the event, Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), highlighted the growing significance of AI innovations across sectors. He noted that Egypt launched the first phase of its National AI Strategy (NAIS) in 2019, with the second phase set to begin soon. The strategy, overseen by the National Council for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) under MCIT, aims to leverage AI for economic and social development by driving productivity and innovation.
According to the OECD Artificial Intelligence Review of Egypt, NAIS involves collaboration among government, business, academic, and technical stakeholders. The establishment of the Applied Innovation Centre in 2019 has furthered these goals by developing AI-driven solutions for societal challenges in agriculture, healthcare, environmental management, and water resource optimization. These initiatives have propelled Egypt’s ranking by 49 positions in the AI Government Readiness Index.
AI’s Broader Potential and Challenges
Talaat emphasized the transformative potential of AI in sectors such as personalized medicine, disease prediction, industrial design, and agriculture, where it can detect pests and forecast crop diseases. However, he also addressed challenges associated with AI, including ethical considerations, data neutrality, and labour market disruptions. While AI may render some jobs obsolete, it is expected to create new roles requiring advanced skills.
To overcome these challenges, Talaat stressed the importance of fostering an environment that promotes data exchange, research, and development, as well as building a robust talent pool and providing the necessary infrastructure for AI applications.
Egypt’s Commitment to AI and Data Protection
Egypt has taken significant steps to promote responsible AI, including launching the Egyptian Responsible AI Charter and enacting a Personal Data Protection Law to establish a legislative framework for secure data sharing. A dedicated centre is being established to oversee data protection in collaboration with relevant authorities, ensuring privacy and security in data exchanges.
Introducing AI Education at the School Level
Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif announced plans to make AI and programming mandatory subjects for grade 10 students starting next year. Students will study programming languages like Python and work on projects applying AI to fields such as healthcare and finance, building a generation proficient in advanced technologies.
ICT Sector’s Contribution to GDP
Talaat revealed that the ICT sector’s contribution to Egypt’s GDP rose to 5.8 percent in FY2023/2024, up from 3.2 percent in FY2017/2018. With a target of eight percent by 2030, the sector continues to drive economic growth and digital transformation.
Regional AI Development Initiatives
In December 2019, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced the establishment of a regional centre to leverage AI for sustainable development. The centre aims to empower youth and foster international partnerships to promote progress in AI and achieve development goals. This initiative, announced during the World Youth Forum, underscores Egypt’s commitment to advancing AI for global development.
