Today, Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, and Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, attended the signing ceremony of a cooperation protocol between the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD)—the training arm of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development—and the Innovators Support Fund (ISF), affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The agreement aims to foster collaboration in human capacity building, governance, and sustainable development. The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in the New Administrative Capital.
The protocol was signed by Dr. Sherifa Sherif, Executive Director of NIGSD, and Dr. Diaa Khalil, Executive Director of ISF.
Dr. Hala El-Said emphasized that the protocol reflects the government's commitment to inter-institutional collaboration, praising the role of NIGSD in training and upskilling employees across various sectors to enhance service delivery and improve resource management efficiency in alignment with Egypt Vision 2030. She stressed the Ministry’s dedication to deepening partnerships with academic, scientific, and research institutions to integrate academic expertise with practical applications. This includes applying scientific approaches to human capital development programs, conducting research and policy studies, offering consultancy services, and managing projects related to governance, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
She further highlighted the importance of supporting young innovators and entrepreneurs in Egypt, aligning with the Ministry’s vision to restructure the entrepreneurship ecosystem under the Egypt Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The center aims to become a hub of excellence for best practices in sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation management at both the national and regional levels, contributing to Egypt’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
Dr. Ayman Ashour reaffirmed the Ministry of Higher Education’s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship under its new strategy launched in March. He noted that the strategy prioritizes promoting an innovation-driven culture, conducting applied research to address national challenges, and developing a globally competitive knowledge-based economy. He emphasized that these efforts have already led to notable achievements, reflected in Egypt’s advancement by three positions in the Global Innovation Index last year.
He also praised the Innovators Support Fund for its pivotal role in supporting researchers and entrepreneurs by transforming their innovative ideas into commercially viable products. He expressed confidence that this new partnership would strengthen the fund’s capabilities and help achieve its mission more effectively.
Both ministers emphasized that the agreement builds on the longstanding collaboration between the Ministries of Planning and Higher Education, aligning with the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2030 and the National Structural Reform Program. The goal is to enhance human capital development in higher education and research institutions and generate scientific solutions to drive social and economic development, ultimately contributing to Egypt Vision 2030.
The protocol outlines several areas of cooperation, including establishing a virtual incubator and accelerator program (Startup Egypt – the national program for incubating and accelerating startups), launching the Egypt Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Innovation Observatory- a digital platform for the National Innovation Network-, creating innovation support units within government and social institutions, developing a framework to accredit innovation and entrepreneurship centers that provide support services for startups, making entrepreneurship and innovation training content available to both entities, establishing a national innovation and entrepreneurship index to measure progress within government institutions, mapping sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the regional level, and building a network of experienced mentors to support incubators and entrepreneurs.
The signing ceremony was attended by key officials from both entities. From NIGSD: Dr. Heba Zaki, Director of the Egypt Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Dr. Maha Khalil, Director of the Sustainable Innovation Lab at the center. From the Innovators Support Fund: Dr. Mohamed El-Farran, Director of Partnerships and Marketing, Dr. Amal Nasr El-Din, Director of Projects, Dr. Laila Khodair, Director of Planning and Policies, and Dr. Ghada Khodary, Director of the Entrepreneurship Training Program for Researchers at Egyptian Universities and Institutes.
