MU President Participates in French-Egyptian Conference for Higher Education and Scientific Research

Prof. Dr. Essam Farahat, Minia University President, participated in the events of the French-Egyptian Conference for Higher Education and Scientific Research began this morning, Monday, and will take place over two days, 7th and 8th April, coinciding with the high-level official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Cairo.

The event is being held under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Ayman Ashour, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Mr. Philippe Baptiste, the French Minister of Higher Education. It was attended by high-level representatives from both the Egyptian and French sides including university presidents and prominent leaders in higher education and scientific research, totaling around 400 participants from more than 100 Egyptian and French institutions.

Prof. Dr. Farahat stressed the importance of promoting the scientific cooperation between Egyptian research institutes and their international counterpart within the framework of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to focus on quality in higher education and scientific research and to offer joint educational programs that meet the needs of the global job market, pointing out that the Egyptian higher education sector has undergone a significant transformation towards strengthening international cooperation, led by Prof. Dr. Ayman Ashour, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

During the inaugural session, Prof. Dr. Hossam Osman, Minister’s Deputy for Innovation and Scientific Research, welcomed academics and researchers from both countries on behalf of Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He also emphasized the importance of the existing educational and cultural links, noting their shared interest in internationalization highlighting that the Internationalization is a fundamental pillar of the Egyptian strategy and Egypt’s Vision 2030.

Moreover, he outlined the strategy’s seven core principles: integration, interdisciplinary, communication, effective participation, sustainability, international benchmarking, and innovation and entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of the forum in reinforcing international benchmarking, promoting student and academic exchanges, and encouraging participation in global research networks and collaborative programs.

Prof. Dr. Osman stated that the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research seeks to modernize Egypt’s higher education system to address local and global challenges, enhance education and research quality, and align educational outcomes with the needs of the labor market.