Industry–education integration takes root in North Africa! The China State Construction Steel Structure Egypt Manufacturing Plant’s University Open Day was successfully held.

Source: China State Construction Steel Structure International Co., Ltd.

The vast Sinai Desert stretches to the horizon, while the winding Gobi‑style highway links Egypt’s ancient Silk Road heritage with its rapidly burgeoning modern industry. On July 26, more than 140 guests and student representatives—hailing from the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, the Sino‑Egyptian TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone (TEDA Cooperation Zone), the Egyptian education sector, the Confucius Bridge Club (Cairo branch), and universities including Cairo University, Ain Shams University, Suez Canal University, and New Cairo University—gathered at the China State Construction Engineering Corporation’s steel‑structure manufacturing plant in Egypt to attend an Open Campus Day event hosted by CSCEC Steel Structure. Leading Chinese and Egyptian media outlets—including Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, China Today, Egypt Today, and Phoenix TV—were on hand to cover the event, jointly witnessing new achievements in university‑enterprise collaboration and building a bridge for friendly exchanges and shared development between Chinese and Egyptian youth through dialogue and interaction.

Lu Chunsheng, Minister-Counselor for Education at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, attended the university open‑day event and delivered a speech. He congratulated the organizers on the successful holding of the event and commended the positive contributions made by all sectors to China–Egypt cooperation. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, and the bilateral relationship has become a model for friendly cooperation among developing countries, as well as for China–Arab and China–Africa collaboration. He noted that educational cooperation is a key component of China–Egypt exchanges, and that Chinese enterprises play an important role in deepening such cooperation. He further highlighted that China State Construction Steel Structure Co., Ltd. has proactively fulfilled its social responsibilities and supported China–Egypt educational exchanges, achieving notable results. Finally, he stated that the Chinese Embassy in Egypt will continue to support educational exchanges between the two countries, using education as a bridge to further advance the building of a China–Egypt community with a shared future in the new era.

Lu Chunsheng, Minister-Counselor for Education at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt

Dr. Tarek A. Mekhail, President of New Cairo Technical University, shared his personal experiences in China and warmly encouraged Egyptian students to pursue advanced studies in the country. As a 2002 graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, he has personally witnessed China’s modernization journey. Speaking in Chinese, he earnestly urged Egyptian students to proactively learn China’s cutting-edge technologies, broaden their horizons, and, upon completing their education, return home to contribute meaningfully to Egypt’s economic and social development, injecting youthful energy into the nation’s progress.

Yao Minzhi, Deputy General Manager of China State Construction Egypt Branch, stated that China State Construction has been deeply engaged in Egypt for more than four decades. As a key initiative under the Belt and Road Initiative aimed at upgrading “Made in Egypt,” the China State Construction Steel Structure Egypt Manufacturing Plant has consistently adhered to a localization‑focused development philosophy, continuously strengthened cooperation with Egyptian universities, and steadily refined its mechanisms for cultivating local talent. He expressed the hope that this University Open Day will serve as an opportunity to further broaden and deepen university‑enterprise collaboration, fostering the deep integration of education, talent development, and industrial chains, thereby contributing greater youthful energy to the high‑quality joint construction of the Belt and Road between China and Egypt.

Zhou Aiwen, a director of China State Construction Steel Structure Co., Ltd., delivered a welcome address marking the second anniversary of the plant’s commissioning. He stated that, as an important smart manufacturing base for China State Construction Steel Structure in North Africa, the Egyptian manufacturing facility not only represents a significant achievement of the China–Egypt joint Belt and Road Initiative but also serves as a vital platform for fostering the deep integration of “Made in China” and “Made in Egypt.” He expressed hope that, taking this Open Day event as an opportunity, the company will continue to strengthen university–enterprise collaboration, build practical platforms for the development of Egyptian youth, and cultivate more young talent to bolster China–Egypt friendship and cooperation.

On that day, representatives from China State Construction Steel Structure Co., Ltd. and Cairo University, Ain Shams University, New Cairo University of Technology, Suez Canal University, and the Chinese Bridge Club unveiled the plaque for the industry–university–research internship and employment base. This milestone marks a new phase in the standardized, in-depth, and long-term collaboration between China State Construction Steel Structure and Egypt’s local universities, establishing a comprehensive development pathway for Egyptian youth—bridging academic theory with practical enterprise experience and guiding them from internships and hands-on training to successful career advancement.

Guests and faculty and students from universities also visited the production workshop for a specialized tour of the manufacturing lines and an educational field trip, gaining close‑up access to key equipment such as the intelligent steel‑structure production line, testing instruments, and welding robots. The participants paused to observe, took careful notes, and engaged in interactive activities at the themed photo‑op station celebrating China–Egypt friendship.

At the event site, a cultural‑experience zone dedicated to traditional Chinese culture was set up, featuring a rotating lineup of distinctive activities: the melodious sounds of the guzheng, heartfelt calligraphy, interactive Chinese drum performances, elegant tea‑tasting sessions, and hands‑on workshops on intangible cultural heritage rubbings. Young people from China and Egypt gathered to interact and engage in immersive exchanges, bridging cultural divides through shared experiences.

“Building a modern, smart factory in the desert and witnessing firsthand the efficient, precision‑driven intelligent manufacturing processes for steel structures left me deeply impressed,” said an Egyptian university student who visited the site. “Theoretical concepts from the classroom have become tangible and real; this field trip has broadened our professional horizons and given us a clear sense of the vast potential for intelligent upgrading in Egypt’s infrastructure sector.”

The Executive Manager of the Sustainable Development Office at Cairo University stated: “As a core production base under the China–Egypt joint Belt and Road Initiative, the China State Construction Steel Structure Egypt Manufacturing Plant boasts a mature intelligent manufacturing system, extensive experience in delivering major projects, and a well‑established talent‑development framework. It can provide university students with a high‑quality platform for practical training, effectively bridging the gap between classroom theory and on‑the‑job practice, helping local young people turn their studies into tangible skills and real‑world applications, and building a pool of top‑tier talent to support the high‑quality development of Egypt’s infrastructure sector.”

China State Construction Steel Structure has been deeply engaged in the Egyptian market, adhering to localization and intelligent development. The company actively cultivates local talent, creates local employment opportunities, fulfills its social responsibilities, and integrates itself fully into Egypt’s development and construction. Looking ahead, the enterprise will continue to deepen industry–university–research collaboration, broadening its efforts in talent cultivation, technological innovation, and industrial partnerships. It will keep telling the story of mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation along the Silk Road between China and Egypt, thereby contributing to the friendly cooperation and shared progress of the two countries.