About Us
Institute's vision
Institute's message
Dean's speech
Planting and harvesting
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted all church activities, the Institute has continued its training activities and advisory services to a number of dioceses and churches.
A series of specialized training programs (delivered remotely) has been launched since mid-September 2020. These programs include:
“The Church and Institutional Development,” “The Church and Change Management,” “The Church and Strategic Management,” “The Church and Digital Communication,” “The Church and Community Development,” “The Church and Crisis Management,” “Service System Management,” and “The Church and Human Resources.”
These programs have included priests, monks, and service leaders from churches inside and outside Egypt.
The Institute also continued offering the basic training course (both in person and remotely) for priests in Port Said under the supervision of His Grace Bishop Tadros, Bishop of Port Said. The same course has also been delivered to a number of churches in Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, and northern and southern Upper Egypt.
Commissioned by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the venerable bishops, members of the Holy Synod, the Institute prepared the Holy Synod’s eighth seminar on “Ecclesiastical Management and Development.” The seminar, titled “The View from Above,” was attended by 98 metropolitans and bishops from November 16-19, 2021.
At the kind invitation of His Grace Bishop Julius, Bishop General of Public and Social Services, the Institute conducted the “Interim Evaluation of the Comprehensive and Integrated Community Development Program,” which has been managed by the Bishopric of Services since 2018 in a number of rural and informal communities in Egypt. The Institute also conducted the “Final Evaluation” of the program in 2023.
By God’s grace, in 2024, specialized training programs and the basic training course continued (in person and remotely). Practical technical support programs were also implemented for some churches and dioceses as part of institutional development. The Institute’s strategic plan (2025-2030) was also prepared. The Institute participated with research papers in the International Conference on Christian Leadership in Budapest (September 4-6, 2024), and the Conference of the Committee of Priests and Pastors organized by the Council of Churches of Egypt (October 14-16, 2024).
Dr. Magdy Latif Al-Sindi
History and development of the institute
In 2015, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, established the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development as one of the specialized educational institutes of the Coptic Church. This goal was to realize His Holiness’ vision of institutional development for the ministry of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt and abroad.
Since then, the Institute has begun furnishing its temporary headquarters in the Fifth Settlement in Cairo and has begun developing the training curriculum, selecting and training trainers, organizing training and education rules and regulations, and selecting evaluation strategies and tools for training courses. It has also begun offering a number of specialized training courses for ministry leaders in a number of dioceses, targeting priests, ministry secretaries, council members, and ministry sector leaders.
During the period from 2016 to 2024, the Institute has provided a large number of training courses that have benefited a large number of churches, dioceses, and service areas. The Institute’s service team has also grown in size and diversity of expertise.
In an unprecedented directive in the Coptic Church, His Holiness commissioned the institute in March 2018 to hold the first training course for priests from Egypt and abroad during the holy forty days of their ordination. His Holiness hosted this training at the Logos Conference Center at the Monastery of Anba Bishoy. In light of the success of this training, the institute, for the second consecutive year, conducted training for a number of newly ordained priests in April 2019, representing various dioceses from inside and outside Egypt. The institute also offered the basic training course three times in 2021 for 94 priests, twice in 2022 for 58 priests, twice in 2023 for 84 newly ordained priests, and twice in 2024 for 65 newly ordained priests, bringing the total to 400 by the end of 2024.
Commissioned by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the venerable bishops, members of the Holy Synod, the Institute prepared the Holy Synod’s eighth seminar on “Ecclesiastical Management and Development.” 98 metropolitans and bishops participated in the seminar, which was held from November 16-19, 2021, under the title “The View from Above.”
In September 2019, at the kind invitation of His Grace Bishop Julius, Bishop of Public and Social Services, the Institute began an interim evaluation of the Comprehensive and Integrated Community Development Program, which is managed by the bishopric. In August 2020, the Institute concluded the interim evaluation and submitted its report to the bishopric. From February to September 2023, the Institute conducted the final evaluation of the program.
In September 2020, the Institute began offering specialized training courses in “Church and Change Management,” “Church and Institutional Development,” “Church Strategic Management,” “Church and Digital Communication,” “Church and Community Development,” “Service System Management,” and “Church and Human Resources.”
As part of the Institute’s nomination for recognition by the Holy Synod, the Institute began adjusting its status according to the regulations of the Academy of Theological Sciences and Coptic Studies, participating in the technical committee of the Secretariat of the Holy Synod. Within this framework, the Institute’s Service Plan (2020-2025) was developed, targeting the development and delivery of new specialized training courses, a professional diploma, and a master’s degree in Church Management and Development. These courses meet the needs of the Church, as part of the expansion of the academic certificates and degrees the Institute will grant to students under the auspices of the Academy.
Institute objectives
Preparation
Cadres of church leaders (clergy, servants, church councils), capable of bringing about a qualitative shift in service leadership and meeting the expectations and needs of the people.
Offering
Specialized certificates in church management and development sciences accredited by the Academy of Theological Sciences and Coptic Studies
Offering
Academic degrees (Diploma, Master's, Doctorate) accredited by the Academy of Theological Sciences and Coptic Studies and compatible with internationally recognized academic institutes.
Helping
Churches should prepare, implement and document sustainable application models for institutional development of the church.
to publish
The idea of institutional development of the church and the developmental approach in service through seminars, scientific conferences, periodical publications, printed materials, studies and research, and making them available through written and audio publishing, Christian media and constructive social communication.
Documenting
Disseminating successful models in dioceses and churches inside and outside Egypt
Institute's reference values
BELT
Institute logo
The Institute's Interactive Training Philosophy
- The Institute’s
- EducationUnit focuses on the entire Church as a single unit (as a spiritual institution). This means that the Institute’s training is primarily directed at service leaders within the Church (i.e., priests and service leaders in various sectors and councils), forming the nucleus for development leadership. Institutional development cannot be accomplished by a single individual but requires conviction and collective action.
The educational content is based on three pillars: biblical reference, scientific grounding, and ecclesiastical application (in the context of the Orthodox Church). The Institute’s team works diligently to prepare and design all program content.
Educational approach: practical, experiential training rather than traditional theoretical “teaching.”
The Institute’s teaching style draws on adult education methods, which build on and develop existing experience.
The Institute is concerned with the diversity of trainees (in terms of service position, age, gender) to enrich shared learning.
The Institute takes into account the different learning styles that suit all trainees, but it is keen to ensure that experiential learning is the primary approach for all training topics.
The Institute strives to ensure that the training methods and tools used in all lessons are responsive to the different intelligences of trainees, achieving optimal learning.
The Institute strives to To contribute to a qualitative shift in church service management by contributing to a change in thinking that is reflected in the development of methods and tools for managing the service system.
The Institute also seeks to contribute to creating a supportive environment for development by equipping trainees with concepts, trends, and tools, and by building general church awareness of areas for development.
The Institute is committed to providing practical, applied models that demonstrate the possibility and means of development.
The Institute’s team of trainers is keen to refer to all sources and references used in each lesson.
All of the Institute’s ambitions for developing church management are presented in a scientific manner based on practical experience and a humble and submissive spirit.
The Institute in Numbers
Papal Projects Office
In October 2013, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II established the Pontifical Projects Office (PPO) to support the education and health sectors. This stems from the Coptic Orthodox Church’s commitment to its community and to all Egyptians.
The PPO believes that all human beings have the right to live with dignity in a safe society that accepts diversity and respects differences. It works to achieve this by providing the highest standards of education and health care.
Over the past six years, the PPO has successfully completed the construction and operation of six schools in six different governorates. In 2014, the office established a school for Sudanese refugees, which now serves 550 students.
The PPO also implements educational and cultural programs for youth, such as the Summer Language Program, where English and French classes are run in the summer in collaboration with volunteers from the United States and France. Furthermore, a children’s creativity center was established in a poor neighborhood in Cairo. In the field of women and youth work, small projects have been established in various governorates to help increase the income of women and families and support widows and young people in finding a livelihood while preserving their dignity. These projects consist of various small workshops.
In the field of health, the office has the “My Health” project, which aims to develop and provide the highest levels of medical services. The first Faqus clinic was opened in Sharqia Governorate, and the first medical academy was opened in cooperation with the Royal College of Surgeons in England (KEM) in Obour City to train doctors and nurses in the highest levels of medical care.
