Cairo: SiltaNews – News Desk
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Ayman Ashour, and Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt, Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst, headed the closing ceremony of the Egyptian-European Research and Innovation Week 2025 on Friday, December 5, 2025.
The ceremony was attended by the Spanish Ambassador to Cairo, Mr. Sergio Carranza, the Romanian Ambassador, Ms. Olivia Toderan, the Deputy Head of Mission of Hungary, Ms. Xenia Sibos, several advisors and cultural and scientific attachés from European embassies, a number of academic and research leaders, ministry officials, and representatives from the commercial and industrial sectors.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of Research and Innovation Week, held across several Egyptian governorates with broad participation from researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and students. The week was launched at the end of November, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the fruitful scientific partnership between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the European Union.
The launch ceremony was attended by a number of Egyptian ministers and senior EU officials, with the aim of strengthening the scientific partnership and expanding Egypt’s participation in European research and innovation programs. The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Ayman Ashour, affirmed that the Research and Innovation Week witnessed a significant surge in activities, specialized dialogues, institutional visits, and bilateral meetings, reflecting the strength of the scientific relationship between the two sides.
Dr. Ayman Ashour noted that Egypt’s official accession to the Horizon Europe program opens unprecedented horizons for Egyptian researchers and innovators, placing upon national institutions the responsibility of enhancing their readiness and competitiveness at the highest scientific levels. He noted that Egypt has officially joined the Horizon Europe program, which opens unprecedented horizons for Egyptian researchers and innovators. He added that this step places upon national institutions the responsibility of enhancing their readiness and competitiveness at the highest scientific levels.
During the closing session, the Minister said that the program aims to address a set of pivotal questions that will shape cooperation over the next five years. These questions include identifying the highest priority areas for joint research collaboration, strengthening Egypt’s role as a hub connecting research and innovation networks between Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa, accelerating technology transfer systems, maximizing the impact of research on the economy and industry, and enhancing the readiness of Egyptian institutions to lead competitive projects within Horizon Europe.
The Minister also emphasized Egypt’s commitment, stemming from its pivotal role, to supporting centers of excellence, promoting scientific mobility, and activating trilateral cooperation frameworks between Egypt, European, African, and Mediterranean countries. Regarding the innovation ecosystem, the Minister emphasized the state’s focus on applied scientific research, achieving tangible economic value, linking research to industry, and enabling startups to access European markets.
The Minister also affirmed that 2026 will witness concrete steps to enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian proposals within EU programs. This will be achieved by supporting institutional and sectoral focal points, developing training programs for project development, expanding communication platforms with European partners, and activating the European Cooperation Office to maximize opportunities for participation.
The minister explained that the focus will be on initiatives that serve Egypt’s development priorities and strengthen its role as a strategic partner of the European Union in the fields of science and innovation.