Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research visits Germany and AGYA

The Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, visited the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) on the occasion of his official stay in Germany. In a solemn AGYA event a Memorandum of Understanding between the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) was signed. This agreement seeks as a concrete step to establish an AGYA regional office at the Egyptian Academy ASRT in Cairo.

Invited by the German Federal Minister of Research, Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, on the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the German-Egyptian Year of Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Arab Republic of Egypt visited Germany.
In the course of his official visit in Germany he was guest at the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA). AGYA host Prof. Dr. Verena Lepper, Egyptologist and AGYA Principal Investigator (PI), comprehensively presented the Arab-German academy and its goals and mission. AGYA is the first bilateral young academy worldwide and based at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW). The talks focused on joint Egyptian-German research projects conducted within AGYA. Project examples include the cooperation with the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo on the question of conceptions of museums, a study on innovation processes, a strategic workshop in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) on Health Policy as well as a training for Egyptian students on the application of renewable energy systems.

During the evening event a Memorandum of Understanding between the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) and the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) was signed in a solemn ceremony to jointly foster Arab and German excellent young scholars and to promote knowledge transfer between the two countries. The agreement was signed on the German side by Prof. Dr. Verena Lepper, AGYA Principal Investigator (PI), and Prof. Dr. Martin Grötschel, President of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and Co-Chair of the AGYA Advisory Board. On the Egyptian side, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Sakr, President of the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) and member of the AGYA Advisory Board signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Memorandum of Understanding between AGYA and ASRT stipulates as a concrete action the establishment of an AGYA regional office at the Egyptian academy. ASRT-President, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Sakr, emphasized the essential additional benefit of this important step to deepen the scientific dialogue between Egypt and Germany: ‘With an AGYA regional office at our academy, we are able to even more intensively promote joint Egyptian-German research projects’.

‘In the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding AGYA and ASRT intensify their trustful cooperation’, explains curator at the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Prof. Dr. Verena Lepper. ‘We start a new chapter in our collaborative efforts to support joint and innovative research projects, especially of young scholars from the Arab countries and Germany’.

Objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding between AGYA and ASRT:

• To foster scientific and academic cooperation between young scientists in Egypt and Germany;
• To promote scientific and academic capacity building, sustainable scientific networks and partnerships, knowledge transfer and dissemination of science;
• To promote the exchange of knowledge between existing scientific networks and to prepare the foundation for future scientific collaboration.

Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) in Egypt

The Academy of Scientific Research & Technology (ASRT) is a non-profit organization affiliated to the Ministry of Scientific Research, established in September 1971 by the Presidential Decree No 2405 as the national authority responsible for science & technology in Egypt. ASRT adopts a comprehensive plan for developing Egyptian science and technology to support relevant ministries in Egypt and national research institutions in creating an integrated system of scientific research together for increasing the number of well-trained scientists in Egypt and giving science a leading role in national development process. ASRT also promotes and encourages female and youth participation in science and technology and scientific leadership.

July 2017
Berlin, Germany

• Press Release (in German) (PDF)
• AGYA establishes its Cairo Office at the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT)