Fulbright 75th Anniversary Seminar: From Lab to Market

Posted November 3, 2024

Cairo, Egypt – On November 3, 2024, the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt (BFCE) hosted the 75^th Anniversary Seminar in celebration of the establishment of the Fulbright program in Egypt in 1949 by a protocol between the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States’ Department of State. Distinguished guests included representatives and partners from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministries and government, academia, industry and business sector, and American and Egyptian alumni of the Fulbright Commission in Egypt.

Guests were welcomed by H.E. Prof. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chairman of the BFCE Board, and H.E. Ambassador Herro Mustafa Garg, U.S. Ambassador to Egypt. They were joined by H.E. Prof. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population and Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development.

H.E. Ambassador Mustafa Garg noted that the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt is the only commission worldwide that has the Minister of Higher Education himself as its chair which speaks to the importance of the Fulbright program in Egypt. She said:

“It is an honor to be here this afternoon to mark 75 years of the Fulbright Commission here in Egypt, 75 years of an enduring partnership between the United States and Om el Dounya, 75 years of friendship through international education and exchange. The Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt was established in 1949. We are proud to say that it remains the oldest and largest Fulbright program in the Arab world, and the recipient of the second-largest funding for a Fulbright Commission program from the U.S. Department of State in the world.”

Dr. Maggie Nassif, Executive Director of BFCE spoke on the importance of the Fulbright Program in Egypt and the different opportunities it offers for study, research and professional training. She said:

“The Fulbright Commission in Egypt is 75 years of legacy. We administer a large portfolio of grants for Egyptian students, scholars, and professionals and manage one of the largest programs for hosting American specialists to collaborate and exchange expertise with their Egyptian peers on projects that are of strategic importance to Egypt.“

The theme of the seminar was Lab to Market and included talks by the government and the private sector business community on the role of scientific research in economic development and developing solutions for market needs.

H.E. Prof. Abdel Ghaffar gave the first keynote speech. He said that “Innovation is the future of healthcare,” and discussed how technological advances lead the way to a new era for healthcare 5.0, and towards achieving a patient-centric approach to healthcare system that is both technology- and data-driven.

H.E. Prof. Ashour gave a keynote speech on Egypt’s 2030 Vision for Education, Entrepreneurship and Employment, and discussed the role of scientific research and knowledge production in Egypt, the achievements made by Egyptian researchers and academics and the role of the Fulbright Commission in Egypt in supporting the academic scholarship in Egypt. He said: “The Fulbright Program builds bridges between Egypt and the United States. It is a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences between the two peoples.”

The plenary session discussed the business perspective on lab to market. It was chaired by Mr. Sean Jones, Mission Director, USAID Egypt and featured talks by: Ms. Mirna Arif, General Manager, Microsoft Egypt; Mr. Kareem Yasseen, General Manager and Vice President, Proctor and Gamble Egypt; Mr. Alaa Hashem, Founder and Executive Partner, Transcendium; Ms. Marie Louis Bishara, Designer and Vice Chair Bishara for Fashion; and Mr. Abdel Hameed Sharara, CEO of RiseUp.

The final session featured a certificate ceremony for Fulbright alumni recently returning from the United States after successful completion of their grants and keynote speeches on Investing in Young Talent, delivered by: Ms. Sarah O’Sullivan; Mr. Ruben Harutunian, Treasurer and BFCE Board Member, Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy in Cairo; and Dr. Mostafa Rifat, BFCE Board Member, Secretary General, Supreme Council Universities.

The certificate ceremony was led by Ms. Marisol E. Pérez, BFCE Board Member and Director of Education and Partnerships Office, USAID Egypt.

The event was attended by Ms. Sarah O’Sullivan, Branch Chief of the Near East Affairs Region, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, and Ms. Cari Graves, Senior Program Officer for Egypt, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Ayman Farid, Acting Head of Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research was among notable attendees.

The event was attended by 20 university presidents and 9 research center presidents and directors. Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Local Development, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Health and Population, and General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, among others. Scholars in all fields representing Egypt’s public universities and research centers were among the attendees.