Under the slogan “One Million Innovative Qualified”: “Be Ready” Initiative launches its second edition to prepare university youth for the labor market

President of Kafrelsheikh University: The initiative represents an important step towards empowering youth to compete regionally and internationally

President of Kafrelsheikh University: The initiative is one of the executive mechanisms of the Presidential Initiative “Alliance and Development”

Dr. Ismail Ismail Ibrahim, Acting President of Kafrelsheikh University, witnessed the launch of the second edition of the “Be Ready” initiative under the slogan “One Million Innovative Qualified” (Be Ready–1M), which was launched by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research under the patronage of Dr. Ayman Ashour, in partnership with a number of international and regional institutions. The event was held at the University Career Development Center in the presence of Dr. Amani Shaker, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, Dr. Alaa Ghazy, Executive Director of the Center, and members of the administrative team.

During the event, the Acting President of Kafrelsheikh University expressed his great pleasure at the launch of the second phase of the presidential initiative “Be Ready,” which reflects the state’s keenness to invest in the potential of youth and equip them with the skills that meet the requirements of both local and global labor markets. He stressed that investing in youth is an investment in the future, especially amid the massive technological transformations that require retraining and skills development to meet the needs of future jobs.

He also emphasized the university’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships and promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, in a way that contributes to bridging the gap between educational outputs and labor market needs. He noted that the initiative represents a significant step towards empowering youth to compete regionally and internationally, in line with the objectives of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2030. He further praised the efforts of the political leadership and its sponsorship of the initiative, highlighting the state’s belief in youth as a driver of development.

Dr. Ismail Ismail Ibrahim affirmed that the initiative is one of the executive mechanisms of the Presidential Initiative “Alliance and Development,” which aims to provide training and qualification opportunities with future-oriented skills required by the labor market. He pointed out that the initiative works on building well-rounded student personalities—academically, practically, and personally. He also praised the role of the University Career Development Center as a vital link between students and the labor market, stressing the importance of the initiative in fostering national belonging and equipping students with the skills necessary to keep pace with labor market demands.

For her part, Dr. Amani Shaker, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, stated that the initiative aims to train and qualify one million students and graduates to become “innovative qualified individuals,” capable of excelling and competing in present and future jobs. This is achieved through acquiring personal, life, digital, and specialized skills, in addition to professional readiness and employability skills, as well as training in institutional innovation.

She further noted that the initiative includes four main pillars: professional readiness skills, digital skills and artificial intelligence, institutional innovation skills, and entrepreneurship skills. She added that the upcoming period will witness the start of training sessions and workshops at the university for the second edition of the initiative, as part of a strategic plan to empower students and graduates with modern skills needed to compete in local and international labor markets.

It is worth mentioning that the “Be Ready” initiative is one of the executive mechanisms of the Presidential Initiative “Alliance and Development,” supervised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in cooperation with several strategic and international partners, including: the Education Development Fund affiliated with the Cabinet, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Global Innovation Institute (GInI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, ALX Africa, the International Labour Organization (ILO), IPDE, Amideast, Cisco, and Coursera.