The supreme council of universities holds its monthly meeting today Saturday under the authority of Prof Dr Khalid Abed EL-Ghaffar, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the presence of Dr Mohammad Latif, the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, and the members of the Council, at the headquarters of Ain Shams University.

Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar instructs universities to adhere to the implementation of all precautionary measures to limit the spread of the Corona virus in universities and institutes, by reducing the number of students in auditoriums, class rooms and laboratories, reducing the time allocated for lectures and practical lessons, taking into account social distancing and wearing medical mask throughout the period of presence on campus, and taking necessary legal measures against violators.

The Minister directs the university presidents to raise the maximum degree of preparedness in university isolation hospitals and to ensure that the hospital’s capacity is proportional to the rates of increase in the number of cases, in addition to being fully prepared to increase the capacity of university isolation hospitals if needed, whether at the level of regular beds or intensive operations beds.

The minister directs quickly to implement the political leadership's directives to establish universities for research centers interested in monitoring the various changes taking place in the Egyptian society, the region and the world, and paying attention to future foresight studies to present future visions that state institutions would benefit from in dealing with future challenges.

During the meeting, the Minister directs to form a committee of some university presidents and some vices of presidents for community service and environmental development affairs to prepare an integrated implementation plan to spread community awareness among the student community in all Egyptian universities and institutes, and the plan for developing community awareness aims to develop the university student's awareness of all political, economic, security, cultural and social challenges facing Egypt at the local, regional and international levels. The plan also includes methods of immunizing students from black propaganda, rumors and false news that are published on social media and modern communication technology, with the aim of preserving Egyptian national security and community stability, preserving the nation's capabilities, setting up a detailed timetable for the implementation of this plan, as well as defining the forms and designs of awareness that attract students, and presenting this plan to the Council in its upcoming meetings; to discuss and approve it to start implementing it.