Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, received Mr. Daniel Regnot, the Educational Cooperation Attaché at the French Embassy and the French Institute in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the presence of Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, Prof. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Sherweit El-Ahmady, Director of the Expatriates Department, Prof. Maha Aliwa, Head of the Department of French Language and Literature at the Faculty of Arts, Dr. Nadia Shama, Lecturer in the Department of French Language and International Cooperation Coordinator at the Faculty of Arts.
The delegation accompanying the French attaché included Dr. Christelle Combe and Dr. Paul Bozargues, professors at Aix-Marseille University in Aix-en-Provence, Ji Ah OH, a design engineer specializing in digital technology and head of the Language Center at Aix-Marseille University, and Professor Souhaila Jreifi, a trainer specializing in the use of digital media and a trainer at the Language Center.
During the meeting, ways of cooperation with Ain Shams University, represented by the French language departments in the faculties of Arts, Al-Alsun, Girls, and Education, were discussed within the framework of the “FEF Égypte REINVENT” project, which is a project funded by the Cooperation and Cultural Action Sector at the French Embassy in the Arab Republic of Egypt with the aim of strengthening and modernizing the French language departments in Egyptian universities.
In addition to identifying the needs of French language departments and providing the necessary support and training to a number of faculty staff at 14 Egyptian universities, headed by Ain Shams University, which has the largest number of French language departments, in order to update the curricula to keep pace with the requirements of the professional market and modern education. The French Embassy aims to conclude an agreement with the Egyptian side represented by the Ministry of Higher Education to activate this cooperative project.
During the meeting, the university president welcomed the French delegation, stressing the university's keenness to consolidate relations and enhance cooperation with French universities in various scientific and cultural fields, pointing to the extended relations and joint academic degrees with many French universities.
Prof. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, expressed during the meeting her aspiration to increase cooperation in the fields of education, scientific research, innovation and joint academic degrees between the university and the French side.
The delegation's visit included a tour of the Zaffran Museum at the university, where they were received and welcomed by Dr. Walaa El-Din Badawy, Director of the Museum, the museum's curators and the museum's staff.
During their tour of the museum, the delegation listened to a detailed explanation of the museum's exhibits in English, and the delegation members expressed their admiration for the unique and diverse collection that the museum contains.
The delegation also visited the French Language Department at the Faculties of Al-Alsun and Girls.