Interview : Dr. Abdel Ghaffar : Development of the human cadres working in the sea ports of the Academy since its inception in 1972

We always cooperate with the Ministry of Transport and Ports in the Kingdom and the Academy, an Arab expert house

 The Academy is the first university in Egypt to establish a college for Artificial Intelligence in line with our entry into the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Interview  by: Magdy Sadek

Transelatation :Cherine Elgohari

President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, valued the Egyptian-Saudi relations as historical relations, stressing that the Academy, as an Arab expert house, seeks to develop the human cadres working in Arab seaports

Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the Academy plays an important and pivotal role since its inception in 1972 in supporting the Arab maritime transport sector by creating a leap and qualitative shift in preparing and qualifying the necessary cadres to work in the ports and maritime transport sector by developing educational and training capabilities in order to keep pace with the technological development in the maritime transport industry

Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar said in an exclusive interview with “Al-Iktissad Al-Youm” that we have distinguished relations with the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we always exchange meetings in order to consolidate relations and increase cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Saudi Ports.

 In his interview, Abdel Ghaffar stressed the role of the Academy in qualifying the human cadres working in Arab sea ports since its inception in 1972.

And the Academy, in light of our entry into the fourth industrial revolution, automation and digitization has become a challenge to maritime education and a covid 19 to increase the challenges and impose digitalization as a reality in line with the new data in the world of transport, ports and logistical operations.

Therefore, Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar stressed in his interview that the Academy is always dealing with new developments and updates that occur in the field of maritime education, of course, and the Academy was pioneering as the first university in Egypt to establish a college for artificial intelligence, which became the main engine of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and one of the pillars of the technology industry and that revolution the maritime transport industry is witnessing.

Many question marks!

Like a dream

 At the beginning of the dialogue, we congratulate you for the renewal of confidence. You see throughout the journey of your presidency of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, what are the most important things you have achieved, which was like a dream ?! What did not you achieve ?!

This generous confidence exalts the responsibility to continue hard work and constant and relentless pursuit to achieve aspirations and provide the best, and I assure the renewal of the covenant of the political leadership and the General Secretariat of the Arab League, and I am happy to complete the path of success, and to be part of the academic achievements locally, regionally and internationally.

Many campaigns

Throughout that journey, of course, you were exposed to many campaigns. How did you view those campaigns that tried to stop your bidding process ?!

We do not pay any attention to any such campaigns, if any, and our slogan is: Actions are better than words. I took over the presidency of the Academy in 2011 under circumstances we all know. It was hit by waves of turbulence and the trends were lost. Able to survive and thrive, so we resolved to hold the wheel with full determination and wisdom, to get the Academy to the shore of safety, where there are beacons of development and prosperity everywhere.

Maritime Education

 Do you have any existing projects or on the way to support maritime education between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, or port and marine projects between the two countries ?!

   The Academy, as an Arab experience house, seeks to develop the human cadres working in Arab sea ports. The Academy has played an important and pivotal role since its inception in 1972 in supporting the Arab maritime transport sector by making a leap and qualitative shift in preparing and qualifying the necessary cadres to work in the ports and maritime transport sector through Developing the educational and training capabilities to keep pace with the technological development in the maritime transport industry

We have distinguished relations with the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we always exchange meetings in order to consolidate relations and increase cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Saudi Ports.

College for artificial intelligence 

I know that you have extended a lot in establishing colleges and institutes that are in line with the outcomes of this revolution, such as the College of Artificial Intelligence, but is there anything new on the way to other colleges that are more specialized in fields that have become a road map for the future !? 

We have created many specializations in various branches of science in terms of the academy’s role in building the human element and supporting the economic development plan in the headquarters state of the Arab Republic of Egypt, as it had a vision of being present in what the state is establishing in new cities such as the new Alamein branch and the Academy is always keen on the continuous development of its academic programs, and adding everything new to the advancement of the educational level of its students, and it was the first university in Egypt to establish a college for artificial intelligence, which became the main engine of the fourth industrial revolution and is considered one of the main pillars on which the technology industry is based through the ability of digital machines and computers to perform specific tasks that simulate and resemble those carried out by intelligent beings, artificial intelligence also aims to reach intelligent systems

Egyptian trade marine fleet

President Sisi’s idea to restore the spirit of the Egyptian trade marine fleet, how do you see it and where to start? 

 The political leadership in Egypt aims to make Egypt’s ports the most attractive to the global trade and investment movement, especially since Egypt possesses all the ingredients that qualify it for that. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed that maritime transport must be the locomotive of development in Egypt. The maritime transport sector is one of the most important elements of the development of peoples in the whole world, as it is the main factor affecting economic and social growth.

The Ministry of Transport has embarked on developing, implementing and following up an integrated strategy for the development of maritime transport with all its elements and developing an integrated plan, where the Ministry has drawn up a map that includes ports to achieve integration between Egyptian ports . Commercial ports in the western and south Mediterranean were established

labor market

Is maritime education in the Academy witnessing development and modernization in line with the labor market and its new data ?!

 The College of Maritime Transport and Technology (CMTT) is the oldest college in the Academy and one of the most important pillars on which the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (the Academy) is based since its inception in 1972. The college aims to be a leading international center of excellence that provides maritime education and training (MET) services through providing approved programs and conduct research and development work in accordance with the tremendous technological progress in the maritime transport industry and related disciplines.

The college aims mainly and its policy is to provide the maritime transport industry, locally, regionally and internationally with highly qualified cadres, which contributes to enhancing the level of maritime

transport services, in line with the academic strategic vision of the college

Next Phase

 Finally, what would your presidency of the previous phase of the Academy and the next phase,?! 

The global trend has become one of the main axes of the Academy’s strategic plan. The Academy has sought to conclude many international agreements to elevate it to a high global classification that places it in its international and global position as a prestigious educational institution, in addition to meeting and supporting students ’needs in terms of educational goals, as well as developing and supporting methods of communication with universities and international institutions and providing students and faculty with the opportunity to interact and cooperate on an academic level.

The Academy has made a leap in its ranking among the universities of the countries of the world according to the WEBO METRIC global university classification, which includes more than 30 thousand universities in the world in addition to cooperation with major international universities in various disciplines and degrees awarded by the Academy, and there are currently double degrees with major European and American universities

Source ElEktasad Elyoum