Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA) continues its dedicated efforts to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Etman, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, the Field Training Center is actively empowering student entrepreneurs and startups by facilitating access to support opportunities across public and private sectors. In this context, a high-level meeting was convened, attended by Prof. Dr. Nourhan Fanaki, Vice President for Educational Process Follow-up and Quality Assurance, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alaa Khalil, Executive Director of the Career Development and Entrepreneurship Center. They met with the delegation from “Pinerium Academy” for IT services, represented by Eng. Mohamed Diaa, Founder and CEO, Mr. Mostafa El-Amrousy, President of the Academy, and Ms. Maria Milad, Assistant to the CEO.

During the meeting, an overview of the “Pinerium Startup Empowerment Program” was presented, highlighting its benefits for student-led ventures. The discussion detailed mechanisms for submitting ideas via a dedicated portal, as well as providing specialized workshops and accredited certifications from the academy. A key proposal emerged to organize an on-campus “Hackathon” or a major innovation event during the upcoming semester as a primary step in this collaboration. This initiative aims to identify top talents and offer direct recruitment opportunities for students who demonstrate exceptional proficiency in IT and software solutions.

The university administration emphasized that this partnership serves as a vital link between academic curricula and the actual requirements of the IT market. Supporting student startups directly contributes to sustainable development and the creation of innovative job opportunities. The meeting concluded with an agreement to establish a timeline for implementing these proposals, ensuring that student ideas are transformed into viable, competitive, and scalable business projects.