Cairo, Egypt – The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has launched the fourth edition of “Software Testing Day”, organized by the Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC) at ITIDA, held at Creativa Innovation Hub, Giza. The event was attended by Eng. Ahmed Elzaher, CEO of ITIDA, alongside leading international experts and global practitioners in software testing and quality engineering from major technology institutions and companies.

This year’s edition features broad participation from approximately 42 international and local speakers, including senior experts and industry leaders in software testing and quality engineering. Among them is Ms. Klaudia Dussa-Zieger, ISTQB® President, along with distinguished professionals from global technology organizations and leading enterprises.

Strong Growth Reflects a Maturing Global-Class Industry in Egypt

Eng. Ahmed Elzaher stated that Software Testing Day has experienced remarkable growth since its launch, expanding nearly four times in scale, driven by increasing participation from professionals, companies, and industry experts.

He emphasized that this growth reflects the rising interest in software testing and quality engineering in Egypt and the maturity of the sector, positioning it as a strategic pillar enhancing Egypt’s global competitiveness in digital services.

He added that Egypt continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for high-value digital services, supported by a growing base of highly skilled technical and linguistic talent. He also highlighted Egypt’s unique geographic location, which enables efficient service delivery to global markets.

AI Is Reshaping Software Quality from a Technical Step to a Strategic Function

During an opening fireside chat with Dr. Haitham Hamza, SECC Chairman, El-Zaher noted that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are reshaping software development and testing.

Quality is no longer a late-stage technical step — it is now a strategic design principle embedded from the earliest stages of digital product development.

This shift, he explained, reinforces the importance of investing in advanced skills capable of keeping pace with global transformation.

Egypt’s Rising Role in Global Digital Delivery Models

El-Zaher highlighted growing international confidence in Egypt’s capabilities, pointing to the expansion of global delivery operations and AI centers in the country.

He noted that multinational companies are increasingly relying on Egyptian talent to deliver core digital services and innovation capabilities, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a key hub for software and digital services.

He also referenced ITIDA’s ongoing efforts to develop digital talent and digital freelancers through various programs such as ITIDA Gigs and entrepreneurship support initiatives.

SECC Strengthens Egypt’s Global Certification and Tech Skills Base

Dr. Haitham Hamza presented SECC’s efforts to enhance Egypt’s software quality ecosystem and align it with international standards.

He highlighted strong growth in the Egyptian testing community:

  • Over 17,282 ISTQB® certifications issued to Egyptian engineers
  • More than 11,365 certified professionals
  • 388 professionals certified in Gen-AI testing
  • 12 active ISTQB certification & exam tracks

These figures reflect Egypt’s expanding pool of internationally certified professionals and its readiness to compete globally in advanced software quality disciplines.

Rapid Growth of Egypt’s Software Testing Ecosystem

The conference continues to expand significantly:

  • 2022: 180 participants from 40 companies
  • 2024: 250+ participants from 90 companies
  • 2025: 880+ participants from 330 companies

The event is part of the ISTQB global conference network, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a regional hub for tech and IT-related events.

Pilot Launch of Software Acceptance Testing Guide

On the sidelines of the conference, SECC officially launched the pilot version of the Software Acceptance Testing Guide in Egypt.

Drawing on SECC’s more than 25 years of experience, the guide establishes a unified framework for testing software systems and digital projects to strengthen quality standards in Egypt’s digital transformation initiatives.

Key features include:

  • Over 60 structured guidelines
  • Organized into 7 main domains
  • Based on global best practices
  • Adaptable across different sectors and project types

The framework is designed to improve clarity of requirements, enhance execution quality, and accelerate project delivery.

Global Experts and High-Level Technical Discussions

The conference featured a keynote session titled “An Awkward Truth About Software Quality”, delivered by Michael Pilaeten (SOFICO, Belgium), alongside multiple high-level technical panels.

A major panel titled “Testing at the Speed of Thought: AI Testing ROI, Risks, and Roadmaps” brought together global experts from Capgemini, Coca-Cola HBC, Celfocus, and GASQ.

Advanced Technical Tracks and AI-Driven Testing Future

The conference included four specialized tracks:

  • Continuous Testing & Quality Engineering
  • Agentic Testing & Orchestration
  • LLM-Driven Testing & Testing for AI
  • Applied Generative AI in Testing

These sessions explored the future of AI-powered testing, automation, and intelligent quality systems.

Egypt as a Global Software Quality Hub

The event reinforces Egypt’s growing position as a global hub for software testing, quality engineering, and AI-driven digital services, supported by a rapidly expanding ecosystem of talent, certifications, global partnerships, and innovation-driven policies.