ElSewedy EdTech is bringing polytechnic education to Egypt:ElSewedy EdTech is working to set up a new university, ElSewedy University of Technology - Polytechnic of Egypt, in partnership with Amity University of Dubai (AUD), according to a statement (pdf). The university will rely on a polytechnic educational model to focus on cultivating “a local workforce that aligns with Egypt’s vision for advancing various industries,” the statement says.

Enterprise sat down with ElSewedy EdTech CEO Hanan El Rihany (LinkedIn) to discuss the upcoming university’s plans and goals, and how ElSewedy University of Technology Polytechnic of Egypt is working to shape its graduates to cater to the needs of Egypt’s job market. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

ElSewedy EdTech is a subsidiary of ElSewedy Capital and focuses on investment in education and human capacity. “We’re mainly focused not just on the generic scope of education, but rather on technology education. We’re planning to introduce a number of universities in Egypt that will follow the polytechnic model, which we’re bringing to the country for the first time,” El Rihany told Enterprise.

The details:The university is slated to open its doors to students in the upcoming academic year this September at its campus on the Cairo-Ismailia Road, El Rihany said. The university plans to eventually offer 19 programs, with plans to add 2-3 programs each year, with potential further expansion as the need arises.

The university will initially kick off with four programs: Cybersecurity and networking, data science, computer science, and electric and electronic engineering technology. “All of the fields and programs that will be offered are geared towards the future of industry — we’ll be considering fields such as transportation technology, energy efficiency technology — every tech field that’s future-looking.”

ElSewedy EdTech is partnering with Amity University in India, as well as with its Dubai branch to set up the university. “We looked at India because it’s very advanced in technology education — they did a lot of homework and were able to prepare their youth to tap international markets. You’ll find much of the top brass in tech companies coming out of India,” El Rihany said. “They also have a similar mentality of working to producing expert minds, as well as commonalities in the demographics, which drove the creation of innovative strategies to grow their human capacity.” After zoning in on India as a country, ElSewedy EdTech looked to set up a partnership with Amity due to its position as a leading private university in India with a successful model and several branches worldwide where it has implemented its tech-based learning.

So, what is polytechnic education? “The polytechnic model is a global one that’s most known in advanced industrial countries. It’s an applied education model that’s linked to the job market and industry needs,” El Rihany explained. “It’s more practical than theoretical and focuses more on the hands-on experience to teach students through practical work in labs and practical settings.” The model also includes internships as a compulsory component of the curriculum, with each student required to complete at least six to eight weeks of internships per year of education, El Rihany said.

Polytechnic education is geared towards churning out graduates that are a reflection of market needs — both local and international, El Rihany said. “Our two goals are to fill the gap in the local market by equipping our graduates with the qualifications needed to enter the job market here in Egypt.” By equipping the local job market with skilled and qualified labor — which is “one of the most attractive qualities of any market — Egypt will be better positioned to attract international investments, El Rihany explained. “The second goal is that we know our human capacity in Egypt is one of our treasures, so providing our young population with the international benchmark skills and credentials will allow them to compete on a global level,” she said.

The university is focused on creating a new layer of tech employees who will act as a link between technicians and engineers. “You can call these employees the ‘new collar workers,’” El Rihany said, explaining that they will bridge the gap between white collar engineers and blue collar technicians. “They’re not of a lower quality than engineers — it’s an equal path but engineers are more focused throughout their education on research and theoretical learning, while polytechnic workers are more focused on the practical aspect and hands-on experience.”

The polytechnic model will introduce to Egypt technologists “who will be the doers, the implementers, the ones on the ground,” El Rihany said. In any industry, an engineering fresh graduate will require six months to one year of training on the latest technologies and updates on the ground. “Polytechnic graduates are plug-and-play: They’ve already learned all the practical applications and have studied on the ground, with a good time spent learning by doing.”

“This is what we really need. We need people who can really implement technical skills,” she said. “This is something that we know as a company because we’re backed by ElSewedy Electric, which is on the ground as a mega industrial player in Egypt and the region, so we understand the real need for human capacity across all industries,” she said.

Polytechnical learning is not at odds with vocational or technical education — but rather acts as a complementary model. “The job market actually needs every model that’s available right now. Industry requires blue collar workers from technical schools, new collars from polytechnic backgrounds, and the engineers who drive the research and theoretical aspect,” El Rihany said. “It’s a different piece that completes the puzzle.”

Your top education story for the week: The Education Ministry inked a cooperation agreement with the British Council to boost the teaching of English in primary schools. (Statement)

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