As part of strengthening international academic cooperation, Alexandria University and Alexandria National University, represented by Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of the University, participated in the official signing ceremony of agreements to activate Master's programs in Engineering Sciences between the University of Louisville and 12 Egyptian public and private universities. The high-profile event was attended by Professor Catherine Carderelli, Interim Provost of the University of Louisville, Professor Emmanuel Collins, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, representatives of the university administration and the Faculty of Engineering, as well as presidents of the participating Egyptian universities and a group of academic leaders from both Egypt and the United States.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, via video conference. He delivered a recorded speech on the occasion. His Excellency emphasized that this partnership represents a strategic step that reflects the Egyptian state's commitment to promoting academic excellence and innovation, building a new generation of globally qualified researchers. He also pointed out that this agreement supports one of the most important pillars of the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research, namely the internationalization of education and the provision of flexible educational opportunities based on international reference.

Dr. Konsowa emphasized the commitment of both Alexandria University and Alexandria National University to integrating their students into the global higher education system through strategic partnerships with leading international universities, including the University of Louisville. This provides unprecedented opportunities for students in both academic and training, contributes to achieving academic excellence, and enhances the competitiveness of graduates at the local, regional, and global levels.

The university president explained that this cooperation represents a flexible academic transition path that enables students to complete part of their studies at the Egyptian university and then directly enroll in graduate programs at the University of Louisville, according to approved academic requirements. He noted that this agreement will contribute to opening new horizons for university students to complete graduate studies at the University of Louisville, according to the credit-hour system. The program stipulates that the student completes six credit hours at Alexandria University (or Alexandria National University) and then proceeds to complete an additional 24 credit hours at the University of Louisville, qualifying them to obtain a master's degree in engineering sciences in various specializations. The university president emphasized that this cooperation represents a qualitative step towards developing academic programs that align with international standards. He noted that the visit also included discussions on cooperation between the Technology Park at Alexandria University and its counterpart, the Innovation Center at the University of Louisville, to exchange expertise in the fields of entrepreneurship, support emerging projects, and develop technology incubator mechanisms. This will contribute to building an integrated innovation system that links academic research with market needs and provides a stimulating environment for students, researchers, and innovators.

This visit represents an extension of a successful partnership between Alexandria University and the University of Louisville, which included the launch of a dual degree program in all engineering disciplines. This unique program allows students from the Faculty of Engineering at Alexandria University to obtain a dual bachelor's degree from both universities.

Last year witnessed the graduation of the first batch of students from the dual degree program in biomedical engineering. Seven students successfully completed their studies at the University of Louisville, reflecting the quality of this program and its positive impact on developing a generation of globally qualified engineers.

It is worth noting that recent years have witnessed several coordination visits between the leaders of the two universities, resulting in the signing of joint cooperation agreements at the undergraduate and graduate levels in several engineering disciplines. These partnerships currently extend to Alexandria National University, which represents a modern model of university education that seeks to lead the way through international partnerships that contribute to improving the quality of education, research, and innovation.