2nd EMUNI Research Souk Conference in Egypt

Post date: Sep 14, 2010 8:55:36 AM

Alexandria, Egypt, 14 June. On 9 June 2010 two years passed since the establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean University - EMUNI University in Portorož, Slovenia. On this occasion EMUNI together with partner institutions prepared the second student multi-conference Research Souk after the success of the event last year.

Research Souk is a student »marketplace«, held simultaneously at various locations of the Euro-Mediterranean Area, where the students get the possibility to introduce and discuss their research work in the field of Euro-Mediterranean topics with a focus on the Priority Areas of the Union for the Mediterranean. This year 19 higher-education and research institutions from 14 different countries participate in the event, gathering more than 2000 students and researchers from the region.

The opening, joint part of the conference was this time held in Alexandria, Egypt on 14 June, following the 5h Senate Session and 8th Management Board Session of EMUNI.

Joseph Mifsud, the President of EMUNI declared at the opening: "the objective of the research souk is to bring young researchers in the Union for the Mediterranean together without the boundaries of walls and nations. The fact that Alexandria was chosen highlights the importance that this ancient seat of knowledge should be an example for north-south and south-south cooperation in the field of research".

Speaking at the opening ceremony Andreu Claret, Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation, said: "We are honored to bring to this Souk the methodology of the upcoming Anna Lindh Report on Intercultural Trends, as an example of how to combine academic research and social experience" Professor Hind Hanafy, President of Alexandria University said: "Alexandria University (AU) is aware that cultural dialogue and the absorption of differences are essential in our universe. Thus, we are wholeheartedly engaged in this project. This is the reason why AU is actively participating by its graduate students, in today's Research Souk, as this will raise their awareness about the initiative of the Union for the Mediterranean and the opportunities it offers for them".

Rectors of EMUNI member institutions and the majority of the Egyptian Universities, Ministry representatives, and diplomacy from Slovenia, Egypt, Tunisia and other Mediterranean countries participated in the event.

The topic of the this year's conference was »Living together in the multi-cultural society«, highlighting its main goal to enable the students to interact and introduce the creative and new ideas in the field of research to be accessible and introduced to the broader public in the Euro-Mediterranean. EMUNI plans to organise the next Research Souk, which is becoming an annual EMUNI event, in Lebanon with the co-organisation of the Beirut Arab University, one of its member institutions, which already plays an active role in the frame of its activities.