Page 10 - Issue 61

Vol.1 Issue 61 November 2023 ELITE

Finally, as for businessmen, they have a culture that views
scientific research and education in Egypt as unimportant
factors, and, thus, this is reflected in their failure to invest in
these aspects. Here comes the problem of the education and
scientific research sectors suffering from the lack of resources to
support them, which leads to a deterioration in their level and
thus a lack of interest from businessmen and so on. Therefore,
such a culture must be changed, and the importance of their
contribution must be spread in the two sectors because it will
9- Speaking of the challenges facing the development of benefit them through the graduation of competent employees
scientific research in Egypt, which are not necessarily caused by and scientific research that can improve the level of industry and
people but by the social and legal environment, you referred to productivity. I repeat, it is not an easy challenge either. All of
the issue of intellectual property and its problem, and also to the these challenges can be eliminated over time thanks to the
problem of the legal environment that manages the process of continued efforts of the university and the state.
higher education and scientific research, while stressing the
importance of exploiting corporate social responsibility and the 10-In addition to being hosted by a high-caliber researcher and an
roles of businessmen. In scientific research, what is your important cadre of higher education cadres, we are facing a world
comment on these matters? interested in the nation’s issues. In your opinion, what are the
First, regarding the legal aspect, there is the Universities current challenges facing our nation, Egypt, regionally and
Organization Law that has governed the work of universities internationally, and what capabilities should we rely on?
since 1972 until now, which established the full-year The biggest current challenge for the state is the economic
educational system. Then we moved to the two-semester situation. Egypt faces extremely difficult circumstances as a
system and finally to the credit hour system. We find that the result of external shocks, with the inefficiency of the Egyptian
aforementioned law does not take into account some matters economic structure for nearly half a century, which has led to our
related to the credit hour system at all, such as the idea of being severely affected by these external shocks. Over time, the
improvement that is not present in the law, along with some Egyptian economic structure has become a consumer economy,
other matters that hinder the implementation of the credit not a producer, that depends on meeting consumer needs and
hour system as it should be, especially since the law deals with importing from abroad, which exposes us to being greatly
the financial amounts paid to professors that are not affected by any change in prices abroad, which has led to the
compatible with the current times compared to its value in difficulty of the crisis despite the beginning of financial economic
1972. Therefore, work must be done towards issuing a new reform through the International Monetary Fund loan in 2016,
law to keep pace with current developments and not which led to a relative improvement in the distorted support
amending the 1972 law because the amendments do not solve system, where the support was not reaching those who deserve it,
the problems from the roots. There is also a need for a law and thus the economic performance improved until 2019, but the
that deals with the problems that resulted from the economic structure itself was suffering from its consumption
application of the 1972 law, such as the idea of a faculty problem and therefore was affected by the repercussions of the
member taking a leave to accompany a husband or wife and severe Corona crisis, which is essentially economic in nature,
teaching abroad, and the university not benefiting from them which affected demand and supply, and with a surge in demand.
in any way, is considered one of the most important In 2021, the inability of supply to respond to such demand led to
challenges due to possible conflicts of interest that produce significant price inflation. The Russian-Ukrainian crisis adds
various conspiracy theories. insult to injury, affecting tourism, energy and food prices, which
Secondly, with regard to the culture of intellectual property, is considered a fatal blow to the Egyptian economic crisis. Now
it is unfortunately largely absent from Egyptian society the crises in the region increase the seriousness of the situation,
because we have grown up with ideas that permit the transfer with the war in Gaza, the crisis in Sudan and Yemen... etc.
of ideas, whether from Google or others, and not to consider Especially with the Egyptian economy suffering from three
it theft. Therefore, we must work to change it, and we find the problems: the (lack of) availability of foreign currency,
state’s issuance of a document for preserving intellectual outstanding debts that must be repaid, and finally,
property rights and a strategy for publishing are of the unprecedented inflation.
utmost important steps that must be supported and But there are many who have very good ideas to get out of
implemented in schools and universities, and the importance
this crisis in the short term and then transform the Egyptian
of the child being raised to respect the principles of economic structure into a productive structure in the long term
intellectual property rights from a young age, because when a
by working on manufacturing, employment, and then exporting
child is raised to easily resort to parents who do his
so that it is not as vulnerable to such external shocks and will
homework, this leads to him getting used to such actions.
lead to providing the necessary hard currency.
Therefore, children must be encouraged and raised to respect
intellectual property rights. It is not an easy challenge because
it has been rooted in society as something normal and has

turned into an acceptable habit, which is not normal at all.
1310