Prof. Ahmed El-Kased, President of Menoufia University, chaired the August 2025 meeting of the University Council in the presence of council members, including Prof. Ahmed Zaki Badr, former Minister of Local Development and external council member; Prof. Sobhy Sharaf, Vice-President for Community Service and Environmental Development; Prof. Nasser Abdelbary, Vice-President for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Ekramy Gamal, University Secretary-General; and the Deans of the Faculties.
The President began the session by congratulating the newly appointed deans by Presidential Decree: Prof. Enas El-Sheteihi (Dean of Early Childhood Education), Prof. Ahmed El-Khouly (Dean of Agriculture), and Prof. Khaled Ziada (Dean of Arts), wishing them success in their new responsibilities. He also extended congratulations to faculty members appointed as acting deans, while expressing appreciation to outgoing deans for their efforts during their tenure.
Prof. El-Kased congratulated the Faculty of Commerce and its Dean, Prof. Mohamed Wahdan, on obtaining ISO 21001:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications in management and educational quality, after fulfilling all international standards. He also congratulated the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and its Dean, Prof. Ayman Omeira, on the accreditation of two programs—Industrial Electronics and Control Engineering, and Industrial Control Engineering—by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE). Similarly, he congratulated the Faculty of Engineering and its Dean, Prof. Mohamed Saafan, on the accreditation of the Architecture Program. He affirmed that these achievements reflect the University’s commitment to applying the highest academic quality standards and to aligning its academic offerings with the needs of both local and international labor markets.
The University President noted that accreditation represents the culmination of efforts by faculty, staff, and students, underscoring the University’s ongoing support to colleges and programs seeking accreditation and striving to guarantee high-quality educational outcomes.
During the meeting, Prof. El-Kased reviewed a report from the University’s Quality Assurance Center regarding colleges preparing for accreditation in the coming period, commending the efforts of working teams across faculties in preparing accreditation files and implementing strategic plans aimed at advancing education, research, and community service.
He emphasized that program accreditation directly benefits students by enhancing the efficiency of the educational process and equipping them with the skills and knowledge required for better employment opportunities both within Egypt and abroad. It also strengthens the University’s standing in local and international rankings and increases its ability to attract outstanding students and establish collaborations with leading global universities.
Prof. El-Kased confirmed that the University’s upcoming strategy seeks to accredit the largest possible number of academic programs and faculties, in line with the State’s plan to improve higher education quality and achieve competitiveness among Egyptian and international universities, consistent with the National Strategy for Higher Education and Egypt’s Vision 2030. He added that a comprehensive action plan is in place to support faculties preparing for accreditation, including training workshops, monitoring quality standards in teaching and research, and providing technical assistance in preparing accreditation files. The University’s Quality Assurance Center is working to unify performance standards across faculties to ensure the highest levels of institutional quality and excellence.
He concluded his remarks by stressing that quality standards are not an end in themselves but rather a means to ensure continuous development and to raise the level of university students, enabling them to play an effective role in building society. He declared the current academic year at Menoufia University as the “Year of Quality.”
Prof. El-Kased also briefed council members on the cooperation agreement signed with Le Mans University in France, aimed at strengthening academic and research collaboration between the two institutions. The agreement, which forms part of Menoufia University’s internationalization strategy, includes key areas such as student and faculty exchanges, joint supervision of theses to raise research quality, the development of innovative academic programs aligned with global educational systems, and joint research projects in various disciplines. The agreement also envisages the development of a future specialized program in Computational Linguistics and Data Science within the Department of French Language at the Faculty of Arts, integrating linguistics with digital technologies and artificial intelligence to meet the demands of research and the global labor market.
Additionally, Prof. El-Kased updated members on the signing of the contract for the design of the Cancer Institute expansions, including the construction of a new northern building, upgrading the southern building, and redeveloping the general site of the University Hospitals. He stressed that this project constitutes a strategic step toward the University’s vision of delivering outstanding medical services and supporting the State’s efforts to develop the healthcare sector and improve citizens’ quality of life. The expansions aim to provide integrated treatment environments according to international standards, relieve burdens on cancer patients and their families in Menoufia and neighboring governorates, and continue the University’s mission in specialized oncology care, in line with national healthcare initiatives and the comprehensive health insurance system launched by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
He further referred to his recent visit to the University’s El-Rahab Farm, where he inspected the Animal Production Research Unit, the Faculty of Agriculture’s Fish Farming Research Center, the Faculty of Pharmacy’s Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Unit, the greenhouses, irrigation wells, and student training farm. He stressed the importance of maximizing the farm’s resources to achieve economic, educational, and research returns that serve both the University and the local community.
Finally, the University President reviewed key activities of August, including the Supreme Committee’s meeting to update Menoufia University’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030. He reiterated that the updated plan addresses essential drivers such as enhancing technological infrastructure, ensuring sustainability of resources, expanding institutional capacity, and modernizing administrative systems. The plan also redefines the University’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives—focusing on academic excellence, community responsibility, sustainability of infrastructure, institutional growth in a competitive knowledge economy, and improved governance—alongside projects, initiatives, and national programs.
The session also included presentations from Prof. Sobhy Sharaf on Community Service and Environmental Development, and Prof. Nasser Abdelbary on Education and Student Affairs.