Benha University Hosted Third Roundtable for Business Owners on "Aligning University Education Outcomes with Industry and Labor Market Needs"

Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy, President of Benha University, attended the third roundtable for business owners organized by the university's Career Development Center. The event focused on "The Professional Future of University Graduates in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation," featuring participation from industry leaders and representatives from the academic community. The goal was to enhance collaboration between the university and industry institutions and to connect educational outcomes with labor market requirements.
The event was attended by:
• Prof. Ahmed Hassan Youssef, President of Elswedy University of Technology
• Prof. Gehan Abdel-Hady, Vice President for postgraduate Studies and Research
• Prof. Taha Ashour, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development
• Prof. Hazem Aliwa, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs
• Eng. Mahmoud El-Sayed, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Salam International Agricultural Investment Company
• Prof. Ayman Samir, Consultant to the President of the University for Innovation
• Prof. Sahar Abdel-Rahman, Executive Director of the University Career Development Center
• Mrs. Sherin Shawky, University Secretary General
• Mrs. Rania Moataz, Assistant Secretary of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development
• Various representatives from participating companies and institutions.
Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy emphasized that the roundtable aims to promote integration between university education and the needs of industry and the labor market. This is achieved by listening to the insights of business owners, identifying gaps between graduates' skills and actual employment requirements, and proposing practical mechanisms to develop educational and training programs while increasing job opportunities for graduates.
The discussions covered several main topics, including:
• Required skills and competencies for university graduates, both technical and personal, with a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and digital skills. This aims to achieve a balance between academic knowledge and practical application.
• Aligning programs, majors, and curricula with the needs of industrial, productive, and service sectors, involving industry representatives in reviewing and developing academic curricula.
• Expanding opportunities for field training, summer internships, and cooperative training within companies and factories, and enhancing partnerships between the university and industry institutions in innovation, digital transformation, and applied research.
The roundtable also discussed mechanisms for achieving sustainable cooperation between the university and business owners by forming sectoral advisory councils that include representatives from both sides. They will monitor indicators measuring the alignment of educational outcomes with labor market requirements and launch initiatives and practical agreements to enhance the employability of Benha University graduates.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants recommended:
• Regularly updating programs and curricula in collaboration with industry representatives and business owners.
• Activating their participation in developing academic programs and expanding partnerships with companies and factories to provide field and cooperative training opportunities for students.
• Developing professional and personal skills for students and graduates, directing graduation projects towards addressing real challenges in industry and the labor market, and encouraging collaborative applied projects between students, faculty members, and industry institutions.
• Enhancing the role of the Career Development Center in organizing employment and professional meetings and providing training and job qualification programs.
Participants emphasized the importance of preparing specialized training programs in collaboration with industry institutions, involving business owners in assessing graduates' readiness for employment, supporting partnerships in applied research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and establishing a periodic mechanism for monitoring and analyzing labor market needs. They also highlighted the need for organizing job fairs, professional interviews, and field visits to companies.
Memoranda of Understanding
Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding between Benha University and various industrial and community institutions. These agreements aim to provide training opportunities for students and facilitate job placements for graduates, thereby enhancing the partnership between the university and community institutions and supporting the qualification of young talents for labor market requirements.