A S U

As part of Ain Shams University’s strategy to enhance international cooperation and expand partnerships with leading global universities, the university welcomed Prof. Pedro Castelo Branco, Professor of Genetics and Vice President of the University of Algarve (Portugal) for Research and Innovation, within the framework of the Erasmus+ agreement signed between the two universities.

The visit took place under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University; Prof. Amany Kamel, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research; and Prof. Sherweit El-Ahmady, Executive Director of the International Relations and Academic Collaboration Sector, with the aim of strengthening scientific and research collaboration and expanding academic partnership opportunities between the two institutions.

The visit was organized by the Grants and Projects Administration at Ain Shams University, headed by Prof. Hoda Sousa, Director of the Administration, and Dr. Noha El-Rafie, Erasmus+ Coordinator at the university and Deputy Director of Administration.

During the visit, Prof. Pedro Castelo Branco met with Prof. Amany Kamel at her office, where discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between the two universities, particularly in scientific research and graduate programs, in addition to exploring opportunities for implementing joint research projects that would support knowledge exchange between researchers at both institutions.

The visit also included a meeting with the International Relations and Academic Cooperation Sector, where existing areas of collaboration within the Erasmus+ program were reviewed, along with discussions on mechanisms to expand cooperation to include additional academic and research programs, as well as enhancing student and faculty mobility between the two universities.

As part of the visit, Prof. Pedro Castelo Branco toured the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University, where he was welcomed by Prof. Tarek Youssef, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The visit included a tour of several research and educational centers at the faculty, including TASH Center and MASRI Center, to explore potential collaboration in the field of genetics, particularly in cancer research and studies on various diseases, in addition to a visit to the Simulation Center to discuss cooperation opportunities in medical education and clinical training.

He also delivered a scientific lecture addressing the fundamentals of scientific research writing and preparing proposals for international research grants, during which he shared his expertise and experiences in this field.

The visit further included a tour of the Innovation and Training Hub (iHub), where he met with Dr. Mohamed Magdy, Director of the Center, and reviewed several student startup projects, while discussing opportunities for cooperation in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among students of Ain Shams University and their counterparts at the University of Algarve.

In addition, Prof. Pedro Castelo Branco participated in a Ramadan Iftar organized by the International Relations and Academic Cooperation Sector, in an atmosphere that reflected the spirit of cultural exchange and mutual understanding, further strengthening the human connections alongside academic collaboration.

At the conclusion of the visit, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening scientific collaboration in the coming period through organizing mutual visits, joint workshops, and activating collaborative research projects, contributing to the development of the research ecosystem and the expansion of international partnerships between the two universities.