STA officially signs a cooperation agreement to take advantage of Finnish education system

Cairo: - As part of its continuous efforts to improve education in Egypt, Elsewedy Technical Academy (STA), affiliated with Elsewedy Electric, signed a cooperation agreement to complement the memorandum of understanding that was previously signed last February with the Finnish Global Educational Solutions (FGES), the leading Finnish company in education.

This comes in cooperation with the International Academy for Research and Advanced Studies (IAARS) - the strategic partner of the Finnish company, in order to start implementing the Finnish vocational education programmes in technical schools currently run by the STA, in addition to the new schools that the academy is planning to establish in the future.

The signing was witnessed by Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy – Chairman of Elsewedy Electric Foundation; Mrs. Hanan El Rihany – the CEO of STA & Board Member of Elsewedy Electric Foundation, Her Excellency Laura Kansikas – Debraise, the Ambassador of Finland to Egypt; Mr. Risto Vahanen, the Chairman of FGES; Mr. Karim El-Safty, the Executive Director of IAARS in the Middle East; Mrs. Mervi Jansson, CEO of OMNIA Educational Partnership (OEP) and Mr. Azer Sawiris, the International Operations’ Director in FGES. The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Antti Kaskinen, the CEO of FGES; Mr. Iikka Upanne, Head of Partnership Operations at OEP, in addition to Mr. Marcus Raty, Second Secretary at Finnish Embassy in Cairo, who is responsible for economic and development cooperation in the embassy.

This agreement will enable applying technical education and vocational training programmes in accordance with Finnish standards in Egypt for the first time. Students will obtain an internationally recognised and accredited certificate in technical education, through a unique, competitive and interactive learning environment according to the Finnish education system, which is one of the best education systems worldwide, in addition to providing many academic opportunities for graduates to continue studying in Egypt or Finland, as this certificate provides them with more alternatives to technical education and training.

The Finnish certificates granted to graduates will also give better work opportunities not only in the local but also global markets. In addition, applying the Finnish teaching and training methods in this field will improve the quality of the vocational and technical education and training system in Egypt.

On the other hand, graduates will receive a prestigious certificate from OEP, the leading organisation for technical and vocational education and training in Finland, which will enhance the graduates’ opportunity to be employed locally and internationally in line with the Egyptian government's strategic plan in education development.

This strategy applied by the Egyptian government is built on applying educational systems that support the concept of education for employment "E4E", in addition to providing an opportunity for certified students to receive training locally from other parties, in addition to the opportunity of obtaining scholarships all over the world.

OEP is a non-profit pioneer Finnish institution in the field of education and training. It is licensed by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to offer more than 100 diploma programmes based on competency certificates.

"We believe that education is the cornerstone for building a strong and prosperous economy, and therefore we focus our efforts at Elsewedy Electric to support education significantly,” Eng. Ahmed Elsewedy – Chairman of Elsewedy Electric Foundation; said. “This fruitful cooperation with the Finnish side confirms our endeavour to develop education system by making use of the distinguished education systems worldwide. We are aiming at preparing a generation of professional technicians according to the highest educational standards applied in Finland, which is one of the leading countries that enjoy a unique educational system globally."

"Signing this agreement remotely affirmed the determination of both sides to overcome all obstacles, which confirms the sincere intention of the two parties to complete this project." Mr. Risto Vahanen, FGES Chairman, said.

“STA’s strategy is designed to introduce and bring the leading international experiences & practices of TVET to Egypt in an attempt to support this vital education path that is considered as a corner stone for economy development; Mrs. Hanan Elrihany, STA, CEO; said “This cooperation with Finland will lead to a great breakthrough in students’ skills and competencies for better employment opportunities in Egypt and abroad”.

This agreement was signed remotely due to the travel ban imposed because of the spread of Coronavirus pandemic, as it comes to complete the cooperation that started with signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two sides in Cairo about three months ago. The agreement is a reflection of Elsewedy Technical Academy’s endeavour to introduce and apply the latest educational and training curricula for its students aiming to apply best practices in technical education in the labor markets in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa.

“We are committed to supporting technical education and training in Egypt from the strong bilateral relations that unite us,” said Her Excellency Laura Kansikas - Debraise, Ambassador of Finland to Egypt. “As Finland has the best education system in the world, education is one of the main pillars of the well-being and progress of Finnish society. Finland is keen on supporting the educational system in Egypt in line with Egypt's strong vision to develop technical education and improve the level of cooperation between the two countries in this field." Her Excellency also praised the speedy and seriousness of the procedures to finish signing this agreement and implementing it within the current circumstances.

International Academy for Advanced Research and Studies (IAARS) is the only local partner for the Finnish Global Educational Solutions Company (FGES) in Egypt, which plays a major role in certification accreditation and partnership-building processes. On the other hand, IAARS, FGES and OEP form a strong Finnish-British alliance to support STA’s initiative to become the first technical school to implement technical education and vocational training programs according to the Finnish standards in Egypt. This system will be applied in the academy to current and new students as of the current year 2020/2021 in a number of majors that contain electrical components including cables and transformers, maintenance and repair mechanics, industrial electronics, plastics, maintenance and repair of heavy equipment mechanics, IT systems and networks, and food production. New registered students will be granted a Finnish diploma as of the academic year 2020/2021.

-Ends-

About Elsewedy Technical Academy-STA:

Elsewedy Technical Academy was established in 2011 as a part of Elsewedy Electric’s commitment towards the community and technical educational and vocational training development in Egypt. STA has established two schools for technical education within a cooperation protocol with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education depending on a dual education system for a period of three years. The Academy adopts the principles of successful partnership with the private sector, where the study is based on practical training with 80% in partner factories and 20% theoretical education in the school.

STA is distinguished for the educational quality presented to students by providing accredited international certificates either from Finland or German Chamber of Commerce according to each major, in addition to the benefits that will be provided to its students, for example providing school uniforms, transportation from and to the school, school meals, and health care.

The Academy is also keen on applying and using the best distinguished educational systems with smart educational structure, in addition to relying on technology in education through converting some educational materials into electronic interactive materials. The academic curricula cover wide range of fields including components of the energy sector (cables and transformers), electronics Industrial, mechanical work, maintenance and repair, maintenance and repair of heavy equipment, steel production, logistics and plastic production. The Academy is one of the entities affiliated with the Elsewedy Electric Foundation, the societal and development arm of the Elsewedy Electric and registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity under No. 824. It is a non-profit organization that engages in many important community activities and initiatives in Egypt.

About Elsewedy Electric:

ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC (EGX: SWDY.CA) is a leading provider of integrated energy solutions in Africa and the Middle East, and a significant contributor to economic growth in EGYPT. The Company has a portfolio incorporating all traditional and renewable energy areas along with related services. It is one of the largest worldwide manufacturers of cables and meters, especially smart meters. It is also one of the regional and continental leaders in electrical contracting and manufacturing of transformers, insulators and other electrical products. With a wealth of local experience and manpower, ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC is committed to help provide the countries, in which the Company operates, with a reliable and affordable power supply. In fiscal 2018, which ended on 31^st of December 2018, ELSEWEDY ELECTRIC generated revenue from continuing operations of EGP 42.5 billion and net income of EGP 4.9 billion. At the end of December 2018, the company had around 14,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.elsewedyelectric.com 

© Press Release 2020