In support of the state’s efforts to enhance the quality of education and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, and Dr. Alaa Al-Ashmawy, President of the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE), inaugurated today, Thursday, 27 November 2025, the events of the “New Beginning for Quality Assurance in Education” initiative. The initiative is held under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office, in cooperation with the Arab League and the African Organization for Quality, at the Grand Conference Hall of the Faculty of Medicine.

The inauguration was attended by Dr. Ahmed Abdel Hakim, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs; Dr. Afaf Al-Oufi, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development; Dr. Sanaa Radi, Vice President of the Authority for Higher Education Affairs; Dr. Hesham Abdel Nasser, Executive Director of the Initiative and Advisor to the President of the Authority for Political Communication; and Dr. Kamal Metwally, Director of the University’s Quality Assurance Center, in addition to several deans, faculty members, quality unit directors, and more than 200 male and female students from various university faculties.

During his speech, Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa welcomed the attendees and praised the ongoing cooperation between Alexandria University and NAQAAE, reaffirming the university’s full commitment to implementing quality standards and its strong support for the initiative. He emphasized that the active participation of students sends a clear message that they are key partners in the development process. He noted that the university adopts a comprehensive vision to achieve academic excellence, placing quality and continuous improvement at the core of its strategic plans, based on the belief that high-quality education is the foundation for building innovative leaders. He also highlighted the university’s comprehensive plan to renovate lecture halls and academic buildings, upgrade infrastructure, and develop learning spaces and laboratories according to global standards, in addition to preserving heritage through the restoration of registered historical buildings and equipping them with modern educational facilities. Furthermore, he stressed the university’s commitment to strengthening international openness through dual and joint degrees with highly ranked global universities and the establishment of both local and international branch campuses—reflecting the university’s vision to become a world-class institution capable of graduating competitive students locally, regionally, and internationally.

For his part, Dr. Alaa Al-Ashmawy praised the distinguished level of Alexandria University, affirming the Authority’s keenness to work closely with the university to implement an integrated vision for enhancing the quality of the educational process. He explained that the initiative’s program includes interactive workshops aimed at promoting a culture of quality and clarifying the concept of accreditation. He stressed that students are a central pillar in achieving comprehensive quality, adding that the ultimate goal of the initiative is to prepare students for the labor market, ensure that academic curricula align with its needs, and familiarize them with the importance of continuous learning to keep pace with technological advancements in an era shaped by artificial intelligence.

Dr. Ahmed Abdel Hakim also emphasized that students are the core of the initiative, highlighting the university’s efforts to transform academic regulations from procedural texts into tangible impact that improves the educational process, ensures transparent evaluation methods, and enhances the credibility of academic degrees. He also referred to the development of student services and the complaints system, the support of institutional sustainability, and the updating of academic programs in line with labor market requirements.

Similarly, Dr. Sanaa Radi noted that the Authority places great importance on partnerships with educational institutions to implement quality standards, expressing her aspiration to strengthen direct communication with university students as the central focus of the educational process, and outlining the Authority’s plan to engage students and introduce them to its role and the concepts of quality and accreditation.

Following the opening ceremony, the workshop and accompanying training program of the initiative began, featuring specialized sessions delivered by quality experts with the participation of Alexandria University students.

It is noteworthy that the initiative aims to enhance the role of higher education students in the quality assurance system, raise their awareness of the importance of meeting quality standards in shaping the Egyptian citizen, and prepare conscious generations equipped with strong learning skills and capable of addressing future challenges. The initiative also outlines the quality standards that contribute to preparing well-educated, balanced graduates who uphold their national identity and are capable of driving development within educational institutions. The events include field visits and workshops delivered by NAQAAE trainers for students of Egyptian universities.