As part of Alexandria University’s strategy to internationalize education and strengthen its partnerships with prestigious global universities, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abdel Hakim, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs—on behalf of Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of the University—received Prof. Christopher Houser, Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo, to discuss prospects for academic and research cooperation between the two institutions.

The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Afaf El-Oufi, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development; Prof. Dr. Ali Abdel Mohsen, Acting Director of the International Relations Office; Prof. Dr. Gehan Gouyfel, Assistant President for the Internationalization of Education and International University Branches; Prof. Dr. Sameh Shehata, Advisor at the International Relations Office; Prof. Dr. Tamer El-Sayed Ali, Head of the Department of Marine Sciences at the Faculty of Science; and Prof. Dr. Amira Zaki of the Faculty of Science.

During the meeting, Prof. Abdel Hakim welcomed the Canadian delegation, affirming Alexandria University’s commitment to expanding its international partnerships—particularly with universities that enjoy high global rankings. He emphasized the university’s interest in developing joint academic programs that enhance education quality, support student competencies, and enable them to compete effectively in local, regional, and international labor markets.

For his part, Prof. Christopher Houser praised the academic and research standing of Alexandria University, expressing the University of Waterloo’s interest in deepening collaboration in student exchange, joint program development, and the implementation of research projects that serve various scientific disciplines.

The two sides discussed opportunities for collaboration in several fields, including medicine and dentistry, artificial intelligence, marine sciences, marine environment, climate change, and aquatic biology. They also explored cooperation between business acceleration centers, particularly the Velocity Center at the University of Waterloo and the Alexandria University Technology Park, with the aim of supporting students and researchers in developing startup ideas and transforming them

into successful, scalable ventures.