Prof. Ahmed Farag El-Kased, President of Menoufia University, inaugurated today the activities of the First Scientific Conference of the Faculty of Commerce, entitled:
“The Digital Business Environment and Sustainable Development: Opportunities and Challenges”, held in light of the digital economy.

The conference was attended by Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Moussa, Vice Governor of Menoufia, representing Major General Ibrahim Aboulimon, Governor of Menoufia; Prof. Saqr Ahmed Saqr, Former President of Menoufia University; Prof. Sobhy Sharaf, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development; Prof. Nasser Abdel-Bary, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Ghada Ali Hassan, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research; Prof. Mohamed Ali Wahdan, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Conference President; Prof. Heba Saleh, President of the Information Technology Institute; and Mrs. Souad Bayoumi, Secretary-General of the University, along with a distinguished group of academic leaders, experts, and specialists.

Prof. Ahmed El-Kased welcomed the attendees, emphasizing that Menoufia University is keen to be an active partner in national initiatives supporting the digitalization of the Egyptian economy and the creation of sustainable job opportunities, in light of global economic challenges and the growing dominance of artificial intelligence in the labor market. He highlighted that this is achieved through a comprehensive plan to develop academic programs in line with the requirements of the digital economy.

The University President noted that the conference addresses one of the vital issues related to economic national security, by opening a societal dialogue on the development of education and scientific research, as well as faculties of commerce and business administration in universities and higher institutes, in preparation for future labor market requirements.

He also reaffirmed the University’s commitment to supporting applied scientific research linked to sustainable development issues, encouraging innovative projects, strengthening cooperation with the industrial and business sectors, and qualifying graduates with advanced digital skills and the ability to efficiently utilize technology, contributing to the achievement of Egypt Vision 2030 and the state’s strategic and developmental plans.

For his part, Mohamed Ibrahim Moussa, Vice Governor of Menoufia, conveyed the greetings of Major General Ibrahim Aboulimon, Governor of Menoufia, praising the role of Menoufia University in supporting scientific research and serving community issues. He emphasized the existence of constructive cooperation between the University and the Governorate in implementing state initiatives that support digital transformation, sustainable development, and job creation for youth amid global competition and rapid advances in artificial intelligence technologies.

The Vice Governor called on researchers and students to enhance their skills in accounting programming and digital transformation through specialized training courses, to engage in freelancing platforms, and to benefit from digital transformation projects supported by the Ministries of Higher Education and Communications.

In her speech, Prof. Ghada Ali Hassan explained that the conference discusses the role of digitalization and digital transformation in supporting sustainable development issues across various research fields, while shedding light on the challenges associated with digital transformation, including the digital divide, cybersecurity risks, the exclusion of technologically unqualified groups, and the impact of global economic crises.

Prof. Mohamed Ali Wahdan, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, stated that the conference addresses three strategic themes: digital business and sustainable development, societal dialogue on the development of education and scientific research, and labor market requirements in the era of the digital revolution. He noted that the conference discusses 25 specialized scientific research papers addressing issues related to governance, financial disclosure, sustainable reporting, the Internet of Things, and the quality of accounting earnings.

Prof. Heba Saleh, President of the Information Technology Institute, reviewed the role of faculties of commerce in keeping pace with digital transformation and entrepreneurship, as well as the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on the development of accounting systems, finance, marketing, and governance, and their role in supporting financial inclusion and enhancing the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy within the framework of Egypt Vision 2030.

The opening ceremony witnessed the presentation of the Conference Shield to Prof. Ahmed El-Kased, President of the University, in addition to honoring the Vice Presidents of the University, the Vice Governor of Menoufia, the Secretary-General of the University, and the President of the Information Technology Institute.

The conference activities were attended by Prof. Mohamed Saber Hamouda, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research and Conference Rapporteur; Prof. Ibrahim Abdel-Maged, Professor of Financial Accounting and General Coordinator of the Conference; along with a distinguished group of economists, deans and vice deans of faculties of commerce, and professors of accounting, information systems, statistics, and financial sciences