The Supreme Council of Private and National Universities decided to form a committee to follow up the implementation of the council’s decisions. The committee is headed by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Zaki Badr, former Minister of Education and Local Development and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of October 6 University and the membership of : Dr. Siddeek Abdel Salam, Secretary of the Council of Private and National Universities (member and rapporteur), Dr. Ashraf Al Shehhi, President of the Egyptian Chinese University, Dr. Ahmed Sameh Farid, President of New Giza University, Dr. Obadah Sarhan, President of the Future University , Dr. Muhammad Hassan Al Azazi, President of Misr University for Science and Technology, Dr. Yahya Al-Mashad, President of Delta University for Science and Technology, Dr. Ahmed Hamad, President of the British University in Egypt, Dr. Mustafa Kamal, President of Badr University, Dr. Mohamed Lotif, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities.
The committee follows up the implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Council and responds to any related inquiries from universities. The committee examines any special cases resulting from the application of those decisions, suggests solutions, and coordinates among the involved universities. Moreover, the committee communicates with the concerned authorities to overcome any obstacles that could prevent the implementation of the council’s decisions. It has to prepare a periodical report to the Supreme Council exposing all the executive measures that were taken to facilitate completing the second semester. In addition, the committee considers any related issues referred by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Committee has to submit the recommendations to the Council for approval. The Council is considered in an extended-meeting to take necessary decisions to back the educational process.
on Saturday, April 18, 2020, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, held a meeting with the representatives of the Supreme Council of Private and National Universities where a number of decisions were issued:
First: Using distance learning facilities to complete the curricula of the second semester for all grades. As for the students of credit hours system, this period is recognized in calculating their completed credit hours or points.
Second: As for first, second and third graders in all colleges:
1 – Cancelling written and oral exams of the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020 and excluding their allotted points/marks from the total score( GPA ) in all academic years (1-2-3). Based on the decision of the Supreme University Council, the regular exams will be replaced by one of the following two alternatives:
(A) – Students have to prepare acceptable research papers (research article - research project - research review) related to the assigned courses in the 2nd semester and each university has the right to specify the rules governing accepting (pass) or rejecting (fail) such type of evaluation in light of the study nature of faculties and academic programs. Meticulous revision is required for judging such types of research especially plagiarism. It should be taken into consideration that universities are committed to review students' papers accurately and not accept any paper if it is proven that it is totally or partially quoted, copied or duplicated from other papers.
(B) – Students have to take electronic exams on the assigned courses of the 2nd semester and this measure fits the faculties or study programs that include few number of students. This option depends on the status of the infrastructure and the availability of technological facilities that secure administering the exams electronically. Students should have or be provided with electronic means of communication for testing. The results of the students on both of the two alternatives will be either pass or fail where no points are considered.
2- If a student research paper in one course or more is not accepted (research article - research project - research review ) or if a student does not pass the electronic exam, the universities have the right to put the governing rules that secure students' right to have another chance to repeat the research or the test. Students have no right to change the evaluation type in the second chance. Students who could not pass the exam or research assignment for the second time are considered "fail" and they are subject to the rules and regulations of "fail" students.
3 - Universities are committed to inform students about the rules and detailed measures governing their performance on the electronic test or research papers related to each course. Students should know the whats and hows of achieving each research paper or electronic exam for each course as well as the scheduled due dates. This should be done before the 7th of May, 2020. Research delivery and electronic testing starts on 31 May, 2020. Universities have to finalize the evaluation process and announce students' results as soon as possible.
4 – With respect to the faculties that require practical examinations, clinical and practical training, all these measures should be delayed after the clearance of study suspension or in the beginning of the new academic year 2020/2021. After completing these practical trainings, students must pass the practical exams stated in the internal by-law of each faculty. Students gained points on these exams are to be excluded from the total score (GPA) for all academic years. Accordingly, students are estimated pass or fail. Students who could not take such practical exams can move to the next level but they have to take these exams before graduation. Each university has the right to put the rules and select the mechanisms to put such measures in action in light of the study system of the different faculties. Universities have to pay attention to international students and recognize the difficulties that may hinder them attend the scheduled exams since they cannot comply with the exceptional measures.
5-In light of exam rules and regulations, students' gained points in the first semester courses (whether complete or incomplete) are to be included within the total score (GPA) in all academic years taking into account the nature of study in the faculties and study programs .
Third: -As for final year students in all faculties:
The final exams of the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020 are to be postponed until the clearance of study suspension. Universities have to announce exam rules and schedules taking into consideration giving students an appropriate period of time before test-taking. It is worthy noted that universities have to coordinate with the concerned authorities to overcome any obstacles that might face those students as a result of graduation delay.
Fourth: Graduate students
Each university has the right to decide exam dates after the clearance of study suspension. Study suspension period should be exempted from the given time of completing degrees or study programs.
Media Comment:
During a telephone call with "Cairo Now" program on Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath Channel , Dr. Ahmed Zaki Badr, Chairman of the Follow-up Committee of the decision implementation of the Supreme Council of Universities, stated that private universities differ from governmental universities and he mentioned that the total score ( GPA) will include all previous semesters except for the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020 in which students are to be considered pass or fail . Professor Dr. Zaki Badr added that because of the importance of the final semester , the exams will be postponed after the clearance of study suspension. In addition, he says that because we are in an emergency and exceptional crisis, the aim of the council's decisions is to keep students and academic staff healthy in such pandemic, and to enhance students' achievement at the same time.
To answer a question about study expenses in private universities, Badr commented, "This is a minor issue that can be discussed or reviewed taking into account that the staff members are working on delivering online lectures and private universities have increased the budget of improving the technological infrastructure to be ready for such exceptional circumstances". He assures that money is not the ultimate goal of private education since private universities are more professional and ready to spend much money on infrastructure investments. Moreover, he says that governmental universities have made great efforts to improve technological facilities . On the other hand, private universities, in addition to labs and devices they already have, are increasing investments to improve their technological capabilities to face such pandemic . He also explains that the numbers of students in private universities are not comparable to students of public universities which include huge numbers of students. For example, Cairo University has 200 thousands while the largest private university has only 22 thousand students meaning that one tenth the number of students in the governmental universities.
Media follow-up of the statements of Professor Dr. Ahmed Zaki Badr, The former Minister of Education and Local Development , Chairman of the Follow-up Committee of decision implementation of the Supreme Council of Private and National Universities and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of October 6 University.
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Al-Ahram Gate
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The Educational Portal
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The Seventh Day
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Sada El- Balad