Japan’s Kosen model is coming to Egypt: The Education Ministry will launch the first Japanese Kosen technical institute this fall, with backing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), secretary-general of the Supreme Council for Technological Education Ahmed El Gioushi told EnterpriseAM. The program will bring Japan’s “education for employment” model to Egypt, aiming to address the country’s shortage of skilled technical labor and support its industrial ambitions.

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The details: Our first Kosen institute, developed in cooperation between the Egyptian and Japanese governments, will open its doors at the Tenth of Ramadan’s Productivity and Vocational Training Department. The project is being coordinated by the Education Ministry, the Higher Education Ministry, and the cabinet’s Education Development Fund.

About the program: It is “a five-year higher education institution where students can enroll from the age of 15 after graduating from junior high school, in order to foster engineers in high demand by society,” according to its official website. The program trains students in robotics, mechatronics, AI, green energy, solar panels, and microchips. The first three years focus on math, physics, and applied sciences, while the final two years involve hands-on training at industrial facilities.

Who’s eligible? Students who pass preparatory schools in the 2024-2025 academic year can apply for the Kosen program. The first cohort will include 320 students, with those selected to be announced in August.

A fully integrated approach: The Kosen institute is part of a broader plan to upgrade Egypt’s engineering and industrial training ecosystem. It will also help prepare Egypt’s workforce for new global compliance rules, including the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which requires cleaner industrial production for export by 2027.

A launchpad for university: Students who complete the program will be eligible to transfer directly to Egypt’s technological universities at the third-year level or apply to engineering and computer science faculties, giving them a pathway to a bachelor’s degree. According to the Education Ministry, this is expected to boost long-term employment outcomes.

Private sector partnerships are essential: The Education Ministry has signed 40 agreements with major private-sector companies to help manage and operate vocational training centers and hire graduates — ensuring alignment with labor market needs.

Demand is already strong: Over 50% of students who completed their preparatory education in 2024 have expressed interest in technical education tracks, a government source told EnterpriseAM. That’s a sign of shifting attitudes toward vocational education, traditionally viewed as a second-choice option.

Inspired by Don Bosco — with a Japanese twist: Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif said the Kosen project is comparable to Egypt’s Don Bosco model in collaboration with Italy — both are designed to offer advanced, hands-on vocational training that meets international standards. The Kosen institute represents Japan’s first foray into exporting this education model to the Middle East.

More global partnerships in the pipeline: The Education Ministry is planning future collaborations with Germany to launch dual-education programs that combine classroom learning with factory training. The goal is to make Egypt a regional hub for high-quality technical education that supports both economic growth and foreign investment.

Part of a bigger plan: The Education Ministry wants to grow the number of applied technology schools to 420 by 2030, serving up to 130K students — compared to around 40K students last academic year. The government’s investment plan includes the construction of 536 new technical classrooms, the renovation of 902 others, and the development of 10 new applied technology schools — with strong incentives for private-sector participation.

What’s next? Depending on how the first Konsen institute performs, we could see more pop up across Egypt. The program’s tuition and curriculum structures are still being finalized. While it will initially attract a limited number of students, demand is expected to grow once the model proves successful, as it has in Japan, El Gioushi noted. If successful, it could serve as a blueprint for scaling up the model nationwide and become a key pillar of Egypt’s strategy to boost employment, industrial capacity, and compliance with global trade standards.

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