EUIans organized the first TEDx event, with the participation and attendance of successful figures from various fields and sectors, to discuss successful and inspiring experiences in various fields and issues surrounding diversity. Speakers exchanged their personal experiences in success and their perspectives that enabled them to achieve excellence, contributing to supporting talented students.The event included a variety of ideas in many fields to develop and evaluate EUIans’ thinking to keep up with the world's developments in various fields, including personal life and social relationships, by highlighting outstanding talents and giving them the opportunity to share their success stories with the students.Prof. Reem Bahgat, the president of Egypt University of Informatics, welcomed the organization of TEDx event, saying: "We are delighted to organize this inspiring event for the students, as we believe in the importance and necessity of sharing experiences. We share the same goals and ideas with TEDx, which provides an opportunity for successful individuals to present what they have achieved along with the steps that enabled them to achieve it and how they overcame the obstacles they faced." She pointed out that solutions to future challenges often come from the ideas and minds of young people who have started their professional careers and have not adhered to traditional thinking, making them the leaders of the future.Prof. Bahgat added: "This event allowed for the meeting of a distinguished group of speakers alongside promising students, all of whom share enthusiasm for learning, development, and innovation, in line with the new republic's interest in enhancing the spirit of creativity and excellence in various scientific and cultural fields among students, encouraging them to participate in initiatives that promote societal progress." She emphasized the existence of remarkable models of companies founded by youth that had the ability to make a difference in the world of technology.The first speaker, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab, a lecturer at the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence at Cairo University, shed light on the challenge associated with continuous learning after graduation, which adds value and keeps one abreast of all the developments in the technology sector.In her speech, Eng. Nevien Magdy, the CEO and founder of Origin Technology Solutions, urged students to build strong networks, as this contributes to achieving rapid steps in record time, in addition to choosing career paths that match their capabilities and interests instead of following others. She said: "Innovation and solutions do not come in isolation but through mutual cooperation and collective work across specialties, exchanging information and experiences."The famous YouTuber in the automotive field, Eng. Maged Al-Tawil, encouraged EUIans to stick to their dreams and work to achieve their goals no matter what difficulties and obstacles they face, as each of them can make a difference and shape their future in the way they see fit.The speakers emphasized the importance of unleashing ideas and innovations without putting limits on them, which contributes to finding sustainable solutions to problems and has a significant impact on bringing about a qualitative leap for societies, in addition to making their owners pioneers in entrepreneurship.

Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) has launched the “Metaverse for Startups” competition under the slogan “Extended Reality for the Public Good” as part of the “Workshop on Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence,” with the collaboration and support of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Meta, the American University in Cairo, Simplon, and Meta Academy. The competition aims to showcase and support startups that use metaverse technology and solutions in various industries that align with sustainable development goals.The university hosted ten selected startups out of 17 applicants who applied for the competition. It introduced them to a jury of experts from Meta, EUI, AUC Venture Lab, and Significa Ventures, as well as the valuable contribution of Dr. Abdel Monem El-Sharkawy, Chair of the National Academy for Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities (NAID). The jury evaluated the startups based on their innovation, impact, scalability, and sustainability.The “Workshop on Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence” also kicked off with the participation of a group of international and local experts, representatives of the government and private sectors, the academic community, and Egyptian startups. The workshop aims to raise awareness about modern digital technologies' importance in driving the economy, supporting digital transformation efforts, enhancing innovation, and building youth capabilities. The workshop took place from 12-14 September.The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology cooperated and participated in the workshop activities as part of its keenness to keep pace with global trends towards developing emerging technologies and their uses, such as artificial intelligence and metaverse technologies. The ministry also seeks to build a base of distinguished cadres capable of competing in the international labor market and building effective partnerships with industry in this field.The workshop covered several topics related to the nature of metaverse technology, the economic opportunities offered by emerging technologies and their success factors, as well as the regulatory frameworks required to ensure the safe and beneficial use of these technologies, ways to manage businesses, and provide services, and how to preserve identity and personal data.The workshop, held over three days, included several sessions to exchange experiences and knowledge about the policies and regulatory frameworks required for the metaverse in various fields, such as education, heritage, tourism, empowering people with special needs, music, and digital transformation.The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education; Eng. Ghada Labib, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Institutional Development; Mr. Kojo Boayke, Vice President for Africa; the Middle East and Turkey for Public Policy at Meta; Prof. Reem Bahgat, President of EUI. Prof. Ahmed Dallal, President of the American University in Cairo, was also keen to record his words for the opening.The workshop included several sessions that discussed the economic, technical, political, and regulatory aspects of metaverse and AI and the best practices for building and deploying next-generation technology. The speakers included Prof. Reem Bahgat, President of EUI; Dr. Hossam Othman, advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for technology innovation, electronics industry, and training; Dr. Ahmed Tantawi, Head of the Applied Innovation Center (AIC), Dr. Abdel Moneim El-Sharkawy, Chair of the National Academy for Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Amani Issa, Head of Business Development at EUI, Eng. Suzan Al-Aqabawi, Advisor to the Minister for Data Governance, Eng. Ahmed Saeed, Advisor to the Minister for Economic and Statistical Affairs, and Mr. Kojo Boayke, Vice President for Africa; the Middle East and Turkey for Public Policy at Meta.Mr. Kojo Boayke highlighted that Meta and other companies plan to co-create the metaverse, a shared virtual environment where people can interact with each other and digital content. He said that more than 3.8 billion people use Meta platforms every month and that Meta established the Metaverse Academy to accelerate the development of Metaverse technology and shape the ecosystem. He also stressed that safety and integrity are at the core of the development process.Prof. Reem Bahgat confirmed that EUI is one of the first universities specialized in communications and digital technologies and the fields affected by them. She said that the university offers specialized programs for education to meet the labor market’s need for specialists in the latest fields of information and communications technology. She also announced that EUI hosted ten finalists for the first round of the “XR for Good Metaverse Startup 2023 Competition” on campus and that the winning startup will receive a prize of $10,000.In his recorded message, Prof. Ahmed Dalal expressed his pleasure at participating in this event, stressing that AUC pays excellent attention to metaverse technologies. He said that they represent a radical shift in the way companies and individuals interact with each other while providing a new opportunity.