The British Embassy in Cairo hosted the signing ceremony of seven contracts between the UK’s International Academy for Advanced Research and Studies (IARS) in cooperation with Pearson the largest British awarding company, and various Egyptian organizations to develop world-class learning and development programmes.

Five of these contracts will establish corporate learning and development academies in EDITA Food & Industry, DMG Group, Barclays Bank, Ibn Sina Pharma, and the Arab Administrative Development Organisation (ARADO).

ARADO works under the League of Arab States and will implement its programme in 22 countries, the British Embassy said in a statement on Wednesday. 

These programmes will deliver British qualifications to over 25,000 employees. 

The programmes will focus on leadership and business skills needed to enable and empower employees in facing challenges and become market leaders.

Two contracts will provide scholarship programmes for secondary level students at The Continental School of Cairo and Summits International School, which will give 100 students in Egypt access to British qualifications under the Junior Future Leaders scholarship programme. IARS are aiming to provide this scholarship programme to 1,000 students in 2017.

IARS is the largest delivery partner for Pearson which is the world’s largest education and awarding body.

British Ambassador John Casson said that the UK has been the No.1 investor in Egypt since 2011 with over $30 Billion worth of investments.

''Today we witness another form of investment, the investment in people, in their learning and development, and in empowering them to tackle business challenges, become market leaders, and build their new economy," he added.

The UK Head of Department for International Trade in the British Embassy in Cairo Jason Ivory said it is great to see such reputable Egyptian organisations supporting and investing in Egyptian people by providing opportunities to study professional British qualifications, as provided by the International Academy for Advanced Research and Studies (IARS) and Pearson. 

''This is the fruitful outcome of a full year of hard work and cooperation between the Department For International Trade, IARS & Pearson," he added.