A S U

Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El Abidin, President of Ain Shams University, signed a cooperation protocol to launch the Professional Diploma in Psychological Counseling and Support for Children and Adolescents.

The protocol comes within the framework of institutional cooperation between the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Ain Shams University in the field of psychological and social counseling and support for children and adolescents. It brings together the Ministry’s practical and field expertise with the University’s academic and scientific expertise to qualify specialized professionals in this field in accordance with the latest scientific and applied approaches and relevant international best practices.

The Minister of Social Solidarity affirmed that this cooperation represents a significant step forward in supporting the Ministry’s efforts to develop a network of psychological and social support and counseling centers for children and adolescents, which the Ministry seeks to establish in accordance with international standards and in cooperation with civil society organizations. She noted that the protocol contributes to establishing a sustainable academic and professional pathway for developing specialized cadres, with the aim of enhancing the quality and efficiency of psychological and social support and counseling services provided to children and adolescents.

Dr. Maya Morsy explained that the cooperation is centered on establishing and implementing a specialized professional diploma, with its academic and practical content to be jointly developed in line with the actual needs of the labor market in this field.

The Minister added that the diploma aims to develop a sustainable academic and institutional pathway for building professional capacities and advancing professional practices by combining academic qualification, field training, scientific research, measurement, and evaluation. This approach is expected to make a practical contribution to enriching the system of psychological and social support and counseling for children and adolescents.

The diploma also links academic study with practical application by providing students with field training at institutions, centers, and units designated by the Ministry. The Ministry will also participate in determining and monitoring the training content to ensure that it aligns with professional requirements.

The cooperation also encompasses the development of academic content and professional practices by defining learning outcomes and incorporating practical applications and case studies related to the social care system. It will also address the practical and training needs of the Ministry’s psychological counseling centers for children and support the development of psychological diagnostic and assessment tools, along with the necessary technical resources.

The protocol further provides for conducting joint applied research and studies, contributing to policy development in this field and promoting interventions based on scientific evidence.

The Minister of Social Solidarity noted that, through this protocol, the Ministry aspires to establish its network of psychological and social support and counseling centers for children and adolescents as a leading scientific and training hub capable of supplying the Arab region with professionals who are academically and practically qualified, particularly given the shortage of specialists capable of providing such services in accordance with international standards.

She added that the Ministry hopes this ambitious cooperation will contribute to the dissemination of knowledge through the development of advanced psychological diagnostic and assessment tools. This includes developing psychological scales to help address the need for such instruments across the Arab region and working toward their international accreditation, particularly in light of the current knowledge gap in this field at the regional level.

The cooperation also seeks to address research gaps in this field by developing contemporary and applied scientific research that contributes to advancing professional practices and improving the quality of services provided to children and adolescents.

For his part, Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, praised the cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity, affirming that the University will oversee the academic aspects of the diploma, including developing the curricula, determining credit hours, establishing study and assessment systems, providing academic supervision, and awarding a certificate accredited by the Supreme Council of Universities.

The President of Ain Shams University explained that the Ministry of Social Solidarity will focus on identifying professional needs, providing field training opportunities, nominating qualified personnel, and linking the program to the actual services provided to children and adolescents at the Ministry’s psychological counseling centers. The Ministry will also participate in committees overseeing the implementation of the protocol and in committees responsible for selecting applicants.

The Ministry is also set to give graduates a competitive advantage when applying to its psychological support and counseling centers for children, subject to the required competencies.

The protocol will be implemented through the Psychological Counseling Center at the Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University. Applications can be submitted via the following email address:

cpc@edu.asu.edu.eg

The protocol signing was attended by Mr. Ayman Abdel Mawgoud, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Ministry’s Official Spokesperson; Dr. Amr Othman, Director of the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction; Ms. Jacqueline Mamdouh, Head of the Central Administration for Social Care; Dr. Ahmed El-Katamy of the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction; Dr. Ahmed El-Sayed, Director of the Psychological Counseling Center at Ain Shams University; and Dr. Ahmed Alaa El-Din, psychologist and Administrative Director of the Center.