Page 3 - Issue-47

ELITE
Vol.1, Issue 47, September 2022 ELITE

Prof. Ashraf El-Araby, former Minister of
Planning and President of the National Planning

Institute, hosted by ELITE

Interview conducted by: Carolin Sherif, Clarinda ChErif, Malak Ashraf, Design: Nermin Nasser
As our faculty’s magazine Elite Have used to interview of the famous series Raafat Al-Hagan, and it was
the brightest graduates and the highest scientific and showing at the time in the month of Ramadan. In
practical statures of our faculty; this month we addition to a number of trips, which have always been
interviewed Dr. Ashraf El Said El Arabi, the president in exceptional circumstances, for example: We took a
of the National Planning Institute and the former trip to Luxor and Aswan, coinciding with Iraq's
minister of Planning, Follow-up and Administrative invasion of Kuwait, and there were threats to strike the
Reform. Dr. Ashraf welcomed our invitation and hosted High Dam, and tourism was not at its best. I also
us in his office in the National Planning Institute and joined the Students' Union and ran in the elections for
here are the details of the meeting. the Social, Sports and Cultural Activities Committee in
particular. But although I was very interested in
How did your relationship with the Faculty of activities, I was equally interested in studying. As I
Economics and Political Science begin and why did you mentioned earlier, the sports courses in particular were
choose it? the courses in which I got an excellent grade.
First of all, I would like to express my happiness with
this meeting, as well as the role and merit of the Faculty How was the relationship between you and the
of Economics and Political Science in my life. After professors and who are the most that professors
completing my secondary education in Port Said, I first influenced you?
joined the Faculty of Engineering, Suez University, but In fact, my teachers in the Faculty of Economics and
I did not feel that I belonged to the Faculty of Political Science are one of the most influential factors
Engineering, and therefore I moved to the Faculty of in the formation of my personality in general, and of
Economics and Political Science, and that was in 1988. course I mention them: Prof. Dr. Gouda Abdel-Khaleq,
Although the majority of those enrolled at that time not only because he was the supervisor of the
were from the literary section and therefore they were Renaissance family, but also because I was taught by
considered the courses of the Department Statistics is him in some courses such as: Egypt’s economics and
the most difficult for them, but because I am a student the Middle East. Likewise, it had a great impact on me
in the Mathematical Sciences Division, I found it the after studying, that is, in my practical life, because
easiest and closest to my heart. I remember well my after graduation, I was heading in my professional path
great professor, Dr. Hussein Abdel Aziz, head of the in a completely different direction from my current
Statistics Department at that time, who played an direction. At that time, the bank credit risk guarantee
company was newly established, and that company
important role in perpetuating that love. So I felt like I
was where I belong and loved. The reason for my specifically attracted the first college graduates. But
Dr. Gouda Abdel-Khaleq advised me to go to research
transfer from the College of Engineering to the College and that I am indeed a good researcher, so he advised
of Economics is due to what many students face so far me to work as an assistant researcher for Dr. Ismail
after completing secondary education, which is their Sabri Abdullah in the Third World Forum. Of course,
desire to enroll in the highest colleges that fit the total Dr. Ismail is a scholar in the field of economics and
they obtained more than the idea of enrolling in the planning in Egypt - and we have here at the Institute
most appropriate college for them. one of the halls named after him - and that forum was
How was your life as a student in the faculty and your affiliated with the South Committee. And so was that
most important activities? forum, Dr. Muhammad Mahmoud al-Imam - and we
I was one of the outstanding students during my have a hall in the institute in his name as well - and
educational career, but I also had many interests: sports, they were the first professors with whom practical life
Back pioneer of the Renaissance family, and the supervisor of brought me together. And of course, Dr. Laila Al-
cultural, social...etc. During the faculty, I was the
Back
Khawaja, and she was my supervisor on my master's
the family at that time was our professor, Dr. Gouda
thesis with Dr. Mona El-Baradei. Also from the
To FEPS Abdel-Khaleq and we were doing many activities and I professors who influenced me the most: 1
To FEPS
To FEPS
remember a great activity in which we hosted the heroes