Campuses for British universities could soon spring up in Egypt after the UK signed an agreement with the country’s education ministry that will remove barriers that prevented such institutions from expanding there.
The British universities minister Sam Gyimah and Egypt’s minister of higher education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar met on Tuesday and signed the agreement at the annual Education World Forum, which took place at Lancaster House in London.
The higher education sector in Britain is already a very globally-minded industry, with more than 80 per cent of providers currently delivering UK degrees in overseas countries. The Egypt deal will allow them to expand further and give them a competitive advantage in the country.
Mr Gyimah said: “I am delighted to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian government, which will allow UK universities to deliver world class degree programmes in Egypt from today.
“The UK already has a strong track record of delivering higher education overseas and this agreement underscores that proud tradition,” he said. “I welcome the contribution that this partnership will make to both UK and Egyptian economies and the wider benefits it will provide to students and institutions in both counties.”
His Egyptian counterpart, Mr Abdel-Ghaffar, said: “This is a symbol of continued collaboration, co-operation and mutual understanding between our governments and our university communities.
“The opportunity for UK universities to establish International Branch Campuses in Egypt will support Egypt’s internationalisation ambitions and labour market demands,” he said.
“We are excited to see how IBCs will contribute to the fabric of Egypt’s higher education landscape and be catalysts for broader international partnerships between the UK and Egypt in research, innovation and mobility.
Vivienne Stern, the director of Universities UK International UUKi that helped to seal the agreement, said: It is “an exciting opportunity for the UK to establish new forms of transnational education in Egypt. It all marks another significant step in the strong relationship between the UK and Egyptian higher education sectors.
“This is a unique example of the UK being invited to support the development of a new framework enabling new opportunities for transnational education.”
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What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”