EGYPTIAN - JAPANESE COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
A - Visit of H.E. Dr. Hany Helal Minister of Higher Education and State for Scientific Research of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Japan:
H.E. Dr. Hany Helal Minister of Higher Education and State for Scientific Research of Egypt visited Japan from 5th to 11th October 2007 to participate for the second time in the Science & Technology for the Society Forum (STS) held in Kyoto.
On the sideline of his participation in the STS Forum, H.E. Dr. Hany Helal visited gKyocerah company and discussed the prospects of future cooperation between Egyptian scientific institutions and gKyocerah, especially in the field of solar energy and silicon production.
H.E. Dr. Hany Helal met also during his visit with H.E. Mr. Fumio Kishida Minister of State for Science and Technology; Minister of State for Scientific Research of Zimbabwe; UNU Rector, the President of Kyoto Institute of Technology KIT, Dr. Sadako Ogata President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as well as with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
The meetings H.E. Dr. Hany Helal held focused mainly on the project of the Egyptian Japanese University for Science and Technology (E-JUST), and the issue of declaring 2008 as the Egyptian Japanese Year of Cooperation in Science and Technology.
H.E. Dr. Hany Helal seized this opportunity to reiterate the previous request to have through JICA- a Japanese Expert for Science and Technology who will serve as a Policy Advisor for H.E. Dr. Hany Helal, and the Japanese side promised to study this matter and inform Egypt by February 2008.
B - The Japanese Egyptian Year of Cooperation in Science and Technology 2008:
The Egyptian & Japanese Governments agreed to declare 2008 as the Japanese Egyptian Year of Cooperation in Science and Technology.
In this regard, it is important to mention that in order to rejuvenate Science and Technology activities, Egypt announced the period 2007-2016 as a Decade of Science and Technology. The purpose of this decade is to clearly extend the commitment of the Government to Science and Technology, and enhance scientific cooperation with scientifically advanced countries, and strengthen Egyptfs scientific and technological base.
The Japanese-Egyptian Science and Technology Cooperation Year will include major Egyptian scientific events in Japan, and major Japanese scientific events in Egypt. A series of workshops, visits and lectures to enhance networking between Japanese and Egyptian scientists, scholars and institutions will be planned.
The Japanese-Egyptian Science and Technology Cooperation Year with Japan in 2008 will serve to strengthen the scientific ties between Egypt and Japan, improve scientific cooperation, encourage joint Egyptian-Japanese research activities.
* Vision:
A year of Science & Technology with Japan is a platform for increased scientific cooperation between Egypt & Japan. The science year will act as an umbrella for all joint scientific activities and will integrate Arab and African scientific activities as well.
* Objectives:
C - Egypt Japan University for Science & Technology (E-JUST):
The Egypt Japan University for Science & Technology (E-JUST) is one of the top priority projects on the Egyptian agenda for cooperation with Japan. The Egyptian side has answered already many of the questions raised by Japan concerning this project and preparations on the Egyptian side are ongoing to take some tangible measures toward the implementation of the Egyptian component of this project such as allocating the land and budget, issuing the decree to establish the university as well as other necessary steps to ensure the success of this vital project.
The Embassy in Tokyo is also contacting now many of the First-class Technological Universities in Japan such as Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT), Waseda University, Kyoto Institute of Technology and others to ensure their cooperation in elaboration of curricula and the sustainability of dispatching their professors to Egypt.