As part of Egypt’s efforts to open up new horizons for collaboration with European Union, Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture Abdelaziz Konsowa met on Sunday the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva in Brussels . The meeting was held with the aim to discuss strengthening co-operation in scientific research, innovation and startup support, and expanding opportunities for Egyptian universities and research institutions to participate in European funding programmes.
The meeting, held during Konsowa’s visit to Belgium at the European Commission headquarters, was attended by Egypt’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union Ahmed Abou Zeid and Egyptian Cultural Attaché in France Shahanda Ezzat.
During the meeting, the minister stressed the importance of building on the existing Egypt-EU partnership in research and innovation and expanding funding opportunities for research and innovation projects. He said this would strengthen research capabilities, increase the participation of universities and researchers in scientific and technological projects, and help translate research findings into practical applications that support economic and technological development.
The two sides discussed strengthening links between innovators and startup founders in Egypt and Europe, connecting their innovation ecosystems, facilitating the exchange of expertise, and helping startups access funding and markets.
They also explored ways to strengthen integration between universities, research centres and industry, encouraging academic and research institutions to focus on industry needs and practical challenges. The discussions highlighted the importance of developing innovative solutions, facilitating technology transfer and maximising the economic benefits of research.
The meeting also addressed the development of business incubators and startup accelerators, enhancing universities’ capacity to support innovative ideas and turn them into viable, scalable ventures. Both sides discussed promoting innovation and entrepreneurship across universities and encouraging researchers to transform their findings into practical applications and industrial projects.
For her part, Zaharieva welcomed the meeting and expressed her readiness to work jointly to strengthen links between innovators and startup founders on both sides. She also highlighted the importance of building on the results achieved through Egypt’s participation in the Horizon Europe programme to expand co-operation in research and innovation.
