English 
Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding to establish an international branch of Alexandria University in Tonj and in Juba, South Sudan, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the Special Education Building in New Cairo.
Dr. Ayman Ashour stressed the importance of this memorandum in enhancing scientific and cultural cooperation between Egypt and South Sudan, noting that the establishment of an international branch of Alexandria University in South Sudan will open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries in the field of higher education.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, and Dr. Gabriel Changson Chang, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of South Sudan.
The memorandum of understanding aims to establish an international branch of Alexandria University in the city of Tonj and in the capital, Juba, in the Republic of South Sudan, within the framework of Egypt’s keenness to support development efforts in South Sudan, assist it in building its human capabilities, and enable it to achieve its development goals, by providing a set of cooperation programs in the fields of (agriculture, veterinary medicine, education, nursing, engineering, business, biotechnology), in addition to other programs according to the needs and requirements of development in the Republic of South Sudan.
The memorandum of understanding also stipulates that students will be accepted into any of the programs in accordance with the admission rules decided by Alexandria University, and if funding is available, some outstanding students may be allowed to spend an academic year at Alexandria University in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Alexandria University will develop courses that are compatible with the Egyptian National Qualifications Framework, so that the student studying at the university’s branch in South Sudan will obtain an educational experience similar to studying at the mother university within the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Alexandria University is also committed to providing faculty and administrative members to manage the programs provided by the branch, in addition to cooperating in organizing programs to develop and build the capabilities of leaders among citizens of the Republic of South Sudan.
During the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding, Dr. Ayman Ashour expressed his pleasure at signing this memorandum, stressing Egypt’s keenness to support education in South Sudan and provide higher education opportunities for students there, noting that establishing a branch of Alexandria University in South Sudan will play a major role in promoting relations between the two countries.
For his part, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of South Sudan expressed his thanks and appreciation to Egypt for its continued support for South Sudan in various fields, stressing the importance of this memorandum in developing higher education in his country.
Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa stressed that the establishment of a branch of Alexandria University in South Sudan will have a major positive impact on higher education there, as it will provide higher education opportunities for students there in various specializations, in addition to enhancing academic and research cooperation between Egyptian universities and universities in South Sudan.
On the sidelines of signing the memorandum of understanding, the two sides discussed the executive program signed between the two countries. The program includes providing scholarships to South Sudanese students, as well as scholarships offered annually to undergraduate and postgraduate students from South Sudan to study in Egypt.
Dr. Ayman Ashour indicated that the Ministry is fully prepared to provide the necessary facilities to students of South Sudan studying in Egypt, as well as to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Egyptian universities and their counterparts in South Sudan in many disciplines.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides expressed their pleasure at signing the memorandum of understanding, stressing the importance of joint cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research.
The signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding was witnessed on the Egyptian side by Dr. Sherif Saleh, Head of the Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector, Dr. Ibrahim Rehab, Advisor to the President of Alexandria University for African Affairs, Ambassador Tamer El-Meligy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Howaida Ezzat, Director General of the General Administration of the Ministry’s Information Office, and from South Sudan, Mr. Gatluk Shawish Nyawela, Acting Ambassador, Mr. Yugo Edwar, Legal Adviser, Mr. Charles Magic Chong, Director of Training at the Ministry, and Mr. Michael Manyang Ngong, Cultural Attaché at the Embassy.
