India will establish the first Indian chair in the Arab world at Egypt’s prestigious Ain Shams University (ASU) here.
An MoU in this regard was signed on Wednesday between India’s Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya on behalf of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and and Prof. Abdel Wahab Ezzat, Acting President of ASU.
Historic moment, says envoy
“The MoU represents a historic moment in academic exchanges between the two civilizational partners as the ICCR Chair will be the first, not only in Egypt but, in the Arab world,” Mr. Bhattacharyya said after the signing event.
Under the terms of agreement, ICCR, in consultation with ASU, will appoint an Indian academician to hold the Chair.
Taking note of the technological advancements in India and the growing demand in Egypt, the first visiting Indian Professor will be in the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology.
Flexibility in appointment
The agreement also provides flexibility to appoint professors in other disciplines, as per the requirements of the university.
“Establishment of the first ICCR Indian Chair in Egypt is an epochal step. It is a huge leap in building bridges between the youth. The Chair will enhance awareness about technological advancements in India, foster educational exchanges and promote enduring cultural bonds,” Mr. Bhattacharyya said.
The Chair would commence from September 2016 and will be the hub of cooperation between India and Egypt for academic exchanges, he has said.
Third largest Egyptian university
Founded in 1950, ASU is the third largest Egyptian university.
The prestigious university has 15 faculties in arts, sciences, management and technology, has two high institutes in Nursing and Medicine and hosts the Ain Shams Specialised Hospital.
Recently, ASU also commenced the teaching of Hindi and use of Devanagari script in its Faculty of Languages.
