Cairo – July 2015: Prof. Dr. Gaber Nassar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA(, affiliated to Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (MCIT), for spreading and localizing open software at Cairo University. The Memorandum of Understanding aims at localizing open source software at Cairo University administration to optimally contribute to the management of university resources to be in line with the best practices in the field of software engineering. Based on that memorandum of understanding, the center offers technical consultations, experiences and optimum practices to the university in all work phases, evaluating and testing project results, and participating in the awareness of project targets and providing training requirements.

Prof. Dr. Gaber Nassar has pointed out that the cooperation between the university and Software Center, which represents a national consulting firm in the field of software engineering, comes in the framework of the university keenness on developing the technological infrastructure and coping with modern developments in information technology in proportion to the role of Cairo University as a beacon of culture and thought, a basis of scientific renaissance and a crucible of training and rehabilitating cadres in different modern fields.

Prof. Dr. Hossam Othman, Head of Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC) and Deputy of CEO of ITIDA, has pointed out that the memorandum signed aims at meeting the needs of Cairo University of information technology with high quality and low cost, and localizing information technology at Cairo University as a typical example at the international level. He has also pointed out that this agreement is a cornerstone in the framework of activating a strategy in Egypt for localizing and developing free open source software in government entities.

Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Shouman, CEO of Information at Cairo University and Head of Electronic and Knowledge Services Center (EKSEC), has pointed out that Cairo University is the first university to adopt open source software thought as a one of the strategic mechanisms of developing information technology services offered to students, employees and academic staff. He has also pointed out that the memorandum of understanding will enter into force in August, 2015, through starting a bunch of guiding projects of open source software at different university administrations in cooperation with ITIDA.

Open Source Software refers to the software which decoded software can be viewed and edited. It is more flexible for the users of other programs that do not allow flexibility for the users and cannot be modified, which some call software monopoly.

Noteworthy, ITIDA was established in 2001 through the efforts made by Ministry of Communications & Information Technology to boost industry in Egypt. It works as a focal connection point at the government for spreading and localizing open software in accordance with the decree issued by the Minister of Communications & Information Technology.  

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