Dr. Hany Mahfouz Helal was the former Minister of Higher Education and the State Minister for Scientific Research. Dr. Helal graduated with honors from the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University with a B.Sc. in Engineering in 1974 and he now holds a PhD degree in Earth Sciences (Rock Mechanics and Engineering).

In 1993, Dr. Helal served as the Cultural and Scientific Chancellor in the Egyptian Embassy in Paris. He also worked as a professor in the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University; Dr. Helal was recognized as an expert in Earth Sciences Programs of UNESCO's regional office in Cairo and Jordan; in October, 2004, he became the Head of Singor University, Alexandria.