The Egyptian Banking Institute announces its achievements for the fiscal year 2023/2024

The Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI), the official training arm of the Central Bank of Egypt, announced its achievements for the fiscal year 2023/2024, highlighting its remarkable progress within its strategy for developing the human capital of the banking ecosystem in Egypt and strategic African and Arab countries through successfully implementing a wide range of initiatives and programs.

Dr. Abdel Aziz Nossier, EBI’s Executive Director, expressed his delight at the Institute’s journey in terms of development, growth and achievement of sustainable success: “During the fiscal year 2023/2024, EBI witnessed a noticeable increase in the total number of trainees that benefited from its training programs reaching to 219,480 beneficiaries; an increase of 44% over the last year, where 60,054 beneficiaries benefited from EBI’s assessment services whether for the purpose of recruitment, promotion, or talent development. As for our international programs, EBI delivered 40 international programs in cooperation with international training and financial organizations and also delivered several training programs to more than 500 banking professionals in African and Arab countries.

Dr. Nosseir added: “At EBI, we take pride in our achievements during the fiscal year 2023/2024, as it solidifies our commitment to be the preferred partner for developing the human capital of the Egyptian banking ecosystem, and the lighthouse for banking sector development across strategic African and Arab countries. By staying at the forefront of global banking trends, EBI is committed to providing trainees with a transformative learning experience and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to implement the latest innovations within their institutions, ensuring they remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving industry.”

Crowning the continuous organizational commitment for quality training and adherence to international quality standards, Dr. Nossier announced that EBI has been re-accredited for a new 5-year term by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) for the fourth time in a row starting from April 2024 till April 2029.

As part of EBI’s ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration within the African banking sector, two successful delegations have been conducted to Zambia and Libya in 2024. These visits were instrumental in strengthening EBI’s partnerships with local banks and financial institutions, while also identifying their training needs, thus contributing to the human capital development of the African banking ecosystem.

Furthermore, to further deepen EBI’s knowledge sharing activities across the African banking sector, two informative study tours have been conducted; “The Evolution of Digital Banking” and “Exploring the path to success: SME Study Tour for Business.” The study tours tours provided African participants with valuable insights into the Egyptian banking and technology landscape, through visits to leading banks and digital institutions.

Adding on EBI’s successes, Dr. Nossier added that EBI made significant strides in its digital presence by launching a new website that showcases its comprehensive human capital development services and highlights its global impact, particularly in Africa. The user-friendly platform allows visitors to easily explore and register for EBI’s wide range of training programs.

EBI also held two conferences in 2024, the first entitled “The Future of Work: Humanizing the Digital Age through Continuous Learning and Upskilling” that witnessed a series of panels highlighting the intersection of technology, talent power, work culture, and the need for continuous learning, in addition to shedding light on ways to balance human skills development and the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace amid rapid technological advancements. It also provided a unique opportunity for participants to strengthen cooperation frameworks and exchange ideas with a group of prominent experts from prestigious institutions and international organizations that participated, in addition to top-notch Egyptian speakers and HR experts.

The second conference; “Empowering Africa: Innovation, Sustainability and Women” explored the significant potential of Africa’s financial sector in driving economic growth, while effectively dealing with the challenges hindering its full potential. A group of prominent experts from prestigious institutions and international organizations participated, in addition to top-notch Egyptian financial and banking experts that shared their experiences on the recent trends and practices in three crucial areas: Innovation, Sustainability and Women Empowerment.

To ensure trainees remain at the forefront of global banking innovation, EBI organized several study tours to key international destinations. These included a study tour visit to Nairobi, Kenya highlighting “Financial Inclusion and Microfinance” in addition to another study tour to Bologna & Milan, Italy where participants delved in “Digital Solutions for SMEs”. Furthermore, a study tour has been conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, where participants explored fintech and digital payments trends and another in Tallinn, Estonia, that shed light on the latest trends in cybersecurity, banking systems and modern innovative units in Europe and the world. Through these immersive experiences, trainees gained valuable knowledge and practical insights from leading international experts.

Adding to its many initiatives designed for youth, EBI launched the “Student Chapter” initiative to develop the technical skills & knowledge of youth by equipping them with practical skills relevant to the financial and banking sector. In addition to developing well-rounded youth professionals by providing them with leadership qualities to qualify them for employment opportunities and bridge the gap between academic education and labor market requirements.

“EBI is unwavering in its commitment to developing a world-class workforce across Egypt, the Arab region, and Africa,” stated Dr. Nossier. “We will continue to invest in programs that equip banking professionals with the latest skills and knowledge, aligning with international best practices.” In this regard, the fourth round of EBI’s Executive Leadership Program dedicated to the Egyptian & African banking sector was conducted to enrich their leadership skills. Also, in cooperation with the Central Bank of Egypt and the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE), EBI launched a new program “Generative AI in Finance” designed to empower professionals with the expertise needed to harness the power of AI in the financial industry.

As part of EBI’s commitment to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable finance, EBI organized the comprehensive Climate Finance training over a course of 5 days to day to equip participants with an in-depth understanding of climate finance, its principles, and its relevance to the Egyptian context. Additionally, EBI successfully completed the third PRB Academy pilot training that was held in collaboration with PRB Academy; a collaborative effort of UNEP FI, Chartered Banker Institute and GIZ/BMZ that empowered banking professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to tackle the triple planetary crisis: climate change, nature loss, pollution, and related social issues to pave the way for a more sustainable future.