Latest news with #AlAzharUniversity
Biz Bahrain
3 days ago
- General
- Biz Bahrain
Education Minister approves scholarship plan for 2024–2025 high school graduates
Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, approved the scholarship and grant allocation plan for Bahraini high school graduates from public and private schools for the 2024–2025 academic year. The plan covers students who achieved a score of 90% or higher. Over 4,000 scholarships and grants have been designated, including 1,900 full scholarships for students scoring 95% and above, and 2,300 grants for students scoring between 90% and 94.9%. Eligible students can proceed with their scholarship application process once accepted by a university, provided they complete the process within two months of receiving admission. Dr. Juma said that this initiative reflects the continued support for education under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This year's plan includes 300 scholarships in nursing, 12 international scholarships in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 5 scholarships at Al Azhar University, in addition to hundreds of seats at universities across Bahrain and the region. Students enrolled in home-schooling, evening education, and literacy and adult education programmes are also eligible for the scholarships and grants. Applications may be submitted via the Ministry's website at or directly at starting Tuesday, July 8, 2025, until the end of Monday, July 14, 2025. The ministry has introduced improvements to the application process this year, removing the need for SMS passwords and enabling direct access through the listed links. BNA(R)
Zawya
30-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Huawei expands free AI learning opportunities across Egypt
Cairo, Egypt: In a significant step to make digital education more accessible to all, Huawei has signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Al-Azhar University, the Egyptian-Russian University and 6th of October University, during the Huawei Instructors Forum 2025- an event that also showcased Huawei's latest technologies and digital education solutions, which aims to strength the engagement and co-operation with Egyptian universities and maximize the benefits to all students. The agreements mark the official launch of the 'Huawei AI Program'— a bold initiative that brings the world of Artificial Intelligence closer to students across Egypt. This move reflects Huawei's belief that opportunity should be open to all — and that everyone deserves a chance to thrive in an AI-driven world. The MOU was signed by Eng. Asmaa Serag – Director of Huawei Academies Egypt, Professor Dr. Mohamed Farag, University President's Consultant for Digital Transformation at Al-Azhar University; Professor Dr. Hossam ElBahary, Head of Information Systems and Network Technology Department, Faculty of Information Systems and Computer Science at October 6 University; Professor Dr. Tamer Saleh, Associate professor for the faculty of engineering at the Egyptian Russian University. Through this collaboration, Huawei is embedding its AI courses into Egypt's academic curriculum, giving over 25,000 students access to world-class learning now available on the Huawei Talent platform. Designed to be accessible, inclusive, and engaging, the program will be activated for more than 10,000 students at Al-Azhar University, 10,000 at the Egyptian-Russian University, and 5,000 at 6th of October University — empowering a new generation to explore the world of Artificial Intelligence and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital future. Offered as part of Huawei's latest suite of cutting-edge technologies and solutions, the AI course consists of seven dynamic sessions, presented in a clear, animated format, the course breaks down the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence in an engaging, easy-to-follow way — with no prior technical knowledge required. Fully online, completely free, and available in both English and Arabic, it is open to everyone — regardless of age, background, or profession — and can be accessed anytime, anywhere with a simple, free account. Mr. Robert Parua, Education Programme Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo stated: 'At UNESCO, we believe that digital transformation in education is not just about technology—it's about people. Our long-standing partnership with Huawei reflects a shared vision to empower educators, upskill youth, and foster inclusive, innovative learning ecosystems. In this era, we must ensure that no one is left behind by leveraging technology to build a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable future for all.' Mr. Dou Yong, Vice President of Huawei Technologies Egypt, said: 'At Huawei, we envision a world where technology transforms education into a powerful force for progress, inclusion, and opportunity. We believe that education is the cornerstone of a sustainable and thriving future — and in a rapidly evolving digital age, the need to connect academic knowledge with real-world skills has never been more critical. Through initiatives like the Huawei ICT Academy, we proudly stand alongside passionate instructors to empower students, nurture future innovators, and build a generation ready to lead in the digital era. Together, we are not just advancing education — we are shaping a smarter, more connected, and more inclusive tomorrow for all'. Eng. Asmaa Serag, Director of Huawei Academies Egypt, stated: 'Through the Huawei ICT Academies, we've built a strong foundation for digital capacity building across Egypt — and this new AI initiative is an exciting next step. By partnering with leading universities, we are expanding the reach of future-focused skills and helping students unlock new learning opportunities in AI. Our mission is to create accessible, high-impact programs that equip youth with the knowledge and confidence to lead in a digital-first world.'
Egypt Today
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting religious cooperation
Egyptian (R) and Tunisian (L) flags - file CAIRO - 14 June 2025: Egypt's Ambassador to Tunisia Bassem Hassan had a meeting with Tunisia's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Hichem Ben Mahmoud to explore ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation in the fields of religious edicts (fatwas), imam training, and exchange of scholarships in Islamic studies. The meeting underlined the depth of ties between Egypt and Tunisia, particularly the strong scholarly ties between Al Azhar University in Cairo and Ez-Zitouna University in Tunis. These ties were notably exemplified by the historic appointment of the esteemed Tunisian scholar Sheikh El-Khadr Hussein as Grand Imam of Al Azhar in 1952. Ambassador Hassan stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two leading Islamic institutions, recognizing them as beacons of moderate thought essential to fighting extremist and destructive ideologies. He also expressed Egypt's anticipation of hosting Sheikh Hichem Ben Mahmoud in Cairo in August to take part in an international conference organized by Egypt's Dar al-Ifta, titled "The Making of a Wise Mufti in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." The diplomat highlighted Egypt's continued support for the Palestinian cause, adding the Egyptian and Tunisian leaderships shared an identical vision on ending the aggression in Gaza and reaffirming their commitment to consolidating bilateral cooperation in all sectors. For his part, the Tunisian Grand Mufti voiced his deep appreciation for the strong ties with Egypt, commending Egypt's sincere efforts in defending the interests of the Islamic nation. He also called for enhancing the longstanding academic and historical ties between Ez-Zitouna and Al Azhar.
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘When they are at risk they text me': Gaza academic in UK powerless to rescue family
The silence of the early hours was unbearable, perhaps worse than on any night since 7 October 2023. Bassem Abudagga paced around his flat in Manchester waiting desperately for an answer. He knew from a WhatsApp group of 800 relatives, set up by his extended family in Gaza, that houses near where his wife and two young children were holed up to the west of Khan Younis were being hit by Israeli missiles. His wife, Marim, was not picking up. 'Every single minute, I am with them 24 hours a day and night. When there is any risk, I keep in contact all the time with them online,' he says. 'It depends on the connections, sometimes they are very bad. Even when I am sleeping I keep the notifications very loud and I keep just waking up when one goes off. When they are at risk they just text me. It is very exhausting because they feel that if I am in touch with them it is like a hope, they just hold it. I cannot sleep if there is a bombardment.' On this occasion, a month ago, contact was lost. Abudagga, a lecturer in business studies from Al-Azhar University in Gaza who is on a British Council scholarship to the UK, tried making an international call to Mariam. But there was no response. 'They were very, very hard moments,' he recalls. 'Everyone texted me and asked: 'Have you any information?' And I said: 'No information.' These moments went on for five to 10 minutes – but it was so long. The first message I finally received was from my mum [who was also staying in the house]. It said: 'We are all safe.' It was a moment of pure relief.' The couple's five-year-old boy, Karim, had been unable to bear the sound of drones and left the bed in which they all had tried to sleep, crying. His nine-year-old sister, Talya, and Marim, without her phone, joined him and they had just hugged on the floor, terrified. The impact of the Israeli pounding shattered the windows but there was no direct strike on their building, just broken glass and dust everywhere. It was one of so many similar incidents. 'They have survived on many such occasions, just by the mercy of God,' says Abudagga. That they are still alive may at times feel like a miracle. But exactly why Marim, Talya and Karim remain in Gaza at all and have not been evacuated to be with their father is a question now facing the UK Foreign Office and Home Office. The British Council, which awarded Bassem Abudagga his three-year scholarship to the UK to do his PhD in business studies at York St John University back in 2022, is sponsored by the Foreign Office. Under UK immigration rules Abudagga could have brought his family with him in 2022 but decided he could not afford to and that he would visit them when he could. He last saw them a few weeks before the deadly Hamas attacks of 7 October, during a trip back to Gaza. Abudagga being a foreign student studying and working here (he lectures part-time in Manchester to earn money), the government does not question their right to be re-united in the UK. But it seems to Abudagga that it is doing nothing to allow it to happen. 'The government could have done something,' says Abudagga. 'I am entitled to have my family here and there are many British citizens who have been evacuated. I have all the papers in place.' His case has been taken up by the Labour MPs for York Central, Rachael Maskell, and Salford, Rebecca Long-Bailey. The Observer first took up Abudagga's case in March last year. The authorities responded by saying that Marim must get fingerprints in order to make an application for she and her children to be evacuated. But this is impossible as there is no facility left standing in Gaza to do so. Abudagga has asked that the demand for fingerprints be deferred until they have crossed the border into Egypt – if they could ever find a way to do so. The Abudagga family's suffering is one case among millions in Gaza, but it is unusual in being one for which the UK government bears a direct responsibility. Rachael Maskell said: 'It is intensely frustrating when ministers are treating the case like any other, when Bassem was the only parent invited to join this UK study programme from a university in Gaza. These are exceptional circumstances for which the government must make an exception and stop hiding behind the bureaucracy which fails to support people in such desperate situations.' Marim, Talya and Karim are now living in a tent near the sea in Gaza in an area the Israelis say is safe. 'Of course it is not safe at all,' Abudagga says. Since the war began more than 250 members of his wider family have lost their lives. Every time they are displaced their entire life is uprooted. Two weeks ago, Abudagga sent a message to the MPs backing him and others who are trying to help, saying the situation was fast deteriorating. Of the children he said: 'They are now in critical conditions: severely traumatised, living in constant fear of bombardment, and suffering from acute hunger and lack of access to basic needs. Their mother is doing everything in her power to care for them, but the burden has become crushing and unsustainable. We believe that facilitating the children's evacuation – even without Marim for now – is essential not only to protect them, but also to ease her unbearable situation.' But nothing has changed. Abudagga's supervisor at York St John University, Dr Alexandra Dales, which is providing him with extra financial assistance from its hardship fund, cannot speak highly enough of her student. 'It is a privilege to supervise Bassem. He has shown incredible fortitude during the conflict and has continued studying throughout. It has been incredibly distressing to witness the impact of the conflict on Bassem and his family.' The British Council said it 'has and will continue to urgently highlight Bassem's case'. The Foreign Office said the case of the Abudagga family was a matter for the Home Office which in turn said: 'Subject to meeting eligibility requirements, international students can bring dependents to the UK. The visa application centre in Gaza is currently closed; however, visa application centres are open and operating in Egypt and Jordan. It is longstanding government policy that we do not comment on individual cases.'
ITV News
23-05-2025
- Health
- ITV News
‘Our death is a matter of time': Gaza medic's fear after losing 33 relatives to Israeli bombs
In the patched-together buildings of the Indonesian hospital in Gaza, an impossibly young medic does his best to save the wounded. Hamza wears surgical scrubs but is just 21 years old. A medical student at Al Azhar University, he's been thrust by the war, ahead of time, into the brutal reality of life-saving surgery. The Strip is now desperately short of medics. The UN estimates more than 1,400 healthcare workers have been killed since the war began. For the past month, Hamza has been trying to document a little of what he sees, as a volunteer medic, because he believes time is running out for him too. Israel has closed Gaza to international journalists, so we can't reach him ourselves. But over the course of four weeks, on the videos he sends us, you can see his resilience crumbling. In the early hours of Thursday, slumped beyond exhaustion, he told us his neighbour had asked what would happen to them. 'I told him our death is only a matter of time," he said. 'But we must do something good with whatever time we have left.' Since the ceasefire collapsed on March 18, Israel has intensified its bombing campaign. With only 22 of its 36 hospitals still functioning, none of them fully, Hamza works through the night to cope with the injured. In the past year and a half, he says he has lost 81 family members. As he records his most recent video message, explosions sound around him, so loud they make you jump as you watch. Hamza doesn't bat an eyelid, but he looks pale and in shock, which is little surprise. Overnight, a building close to his home was bombed by the Israelis. He sends us videos, which show young children trapped in rubble. Hamza explains that they are more of his young relatives. He speaks quickly, quietly, with little emotion as he describes how a house about 200 metres away from him was targeted. 'I realised that there were injuries and murders. I could hear the sound of a hammer smashing through the rubble, trying to rescue those trapped underneath'. By the time the ambulances arrived in the morning, the tragedy was clear. 'We lost 18 martyrs," Hamza records dully. 'Most of them were women and children.' On bad days at the Indonesian hospital, he finds himself treating his family and friends. On the worst days, they die before he can treat them. Hamza explains how, on one shift last month, he got news at 4pm that a relative's house had been hit. 'A four-story building, a back-to-residence, had been bombed," he said. We ask him for photos of happier times. He sends snaps from his phone of a young family gathered around a bicycle. Another of his grandmothers, smiling proudly as she hugs a younger Hamza. They didn't survive the bombing. 'About 15 people were martyred," he said. 'My sister's children, my cousin, my grandmother, my uncle, his wife and their children.' He tells us he's had to delete photos of his beloved nephew, because it hurt too much to look at him. He doesn't say how his sister, bereft of her children, is doing. He doesn't need to. We ask him to describe his volunteer shifts. 'What's strange," he says, 'Is that most of the wounded martyrs we receive are women and yes, women and children.' He pauses, 'small bodies, innocent faces. Things that leave a wound in the heart that will never heal'. It's only three years since he turned 18. But like every Gazan, Hamza knows his life also hangs in the balance. In theory, hospitals like his should be the Strip's safest places, but they are regularly hit by Israel's missiles. "I'm afraid the hospital could be bombed at any moment," he says. 'Afraid that I might be the next. But despite the fear, we keep working. We continue to provide treatment, and we will remain here until our last breath and until the last drop of hope.'
