Support for innovative talents in Egypt

Enhancing Egypt’s growth and competitiveness through improving its research and innovation performance is RDI’s overall objective. All efforts are exerted to facilitate the integration of Egypt into the European Research Area.

Amina Khairy - Cairo, Al-Hayat

How can someone in a coma imagine something? How could this capacity be used as a cure? The idea seems strange; however, it happened through a computer that transfers the capacity of imagination and pain sensation into orders that help doctors awaken a person from a coma.

How could a person suffering from “Alien hand syndrome” live, when his hand seems to take on a mind of its own? While the hand is still part of the body, it behaves in a manner that is totally distinct from the sufferer’s normal behavior. It is an unusual neurologic disorder that exists and attacks a wide range of people.

Such scientific and strange findings were clearly explained and detailed by Egyptian Hazem Shuayra, one of hundreds of participants in the Research, Development and Innovation Programme (RDI), managed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and funded by the European Union.

In fact, Shuayra won the third prize in the “FameLab” competition, recently organized in Cheltenham in Great Britain, beating by this a large number of participants from 13 different countries. Shuayra, from Cairo, who qualified to enter this international contest, was an example of the development of science and research in Egypt.

An innovation marketplace
It is worth noting that the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace, held in Cairo in the beginning of the current year 2010, succeeded in promoting research and innovation in Egypt specifically, and in the Arab world, in general. Dr. Rafael Rodriguez, coordinator of the Mediterranean Innovation and Research Coordination Action (MIRA) noted that the marketplace generated a scientific dialogue on research among researchers from EU member countries and others from Mediterranean countries. He added that the EU programme (Framework Programme 7) aims at supporting scientific cooperation and enhancing innovation and technology transfer culture among researchers. It also defines areas of common interest.

There is no doubt that common interest consists of enhancing the youth’s passion to science and scientific research in an innovative and appealing way. RDI coordinator Abdelhamid El-Zoheiry underlines that the Marketplace aimed at strengthening the link between the research sector and the industry in the Euro-Mediterranean region, as well as opening cooperation channels through direct meetings. It also helped in restoring the importance of scientific research in the eyes of the scientific and industrial society. “One of the main components that contribute to promoting community research is strengthening its link with the industrial sector, in an effort to keep both sectors connected to each others”, notes El-Zoheiry. He goes on to say that “the Marketplace, held on a 4000 square meter exhibition floor, and visited by officials, entrepreneurs and business people, was an opportunity to establish and promote this link.”

The youth’s talents
Several industrial sectors achieved great success, while encouragement and more efforts are needed in other sectors to reach similar scientific achievements. Some ideas were exceptional and innovative.

Ahmed Tarek created a car called “Sink safely”! The car operates on a hydraulic system. In case the car sinks in water, the driver can free himself and other passengers from the car by pushing a small button that opens the door.

Bilal Majdi focused in his invention on quadriplegia, as he created for the people suffering from this disability “a computer mouse” that can be operated through a device attached to their heads and connected with fine cables to a mouse. In fact, quadriplegic people are permanently unable to use their arms and legs, yet they have control over their heads and shoulders, which allows them to operate a computer. Talented ideas and innovations were not restricted to young students as Ahmed Shehab, a 50-year old engineer, was able to create a smart device that “steals” electricity from the meter.

Workshops and more…
Other scientific events were organized in an effort to increase children’s passion for science at a young age. In fact, in the framework of the Marketplace, a special section for children was created, where several interactive scientific shows were diffused with the most advanced technology to attract the attention of children. El-Zoheiry notes that one of the most important workshops held was the “Nanotechnology”, in which were detailed the multiple uses of this technology. Another workshop focused on the importance of renewable energies, such as solar and wind energies. The aim was to increase the awareness of children about a topic that constitutes a great interest for Egypt.

On the other hand, a summer scientific camp is organized in the framework of the Research, Development and Innovation Programme and funded by the European Union. This camp aims at spreading the innovation culture as well as enhancing innovative, scientific and social skills among children. Interactive workshops in the fields of physics, chemistry, space, health, agriculture and energy will be organized and adapted to young children. El-Zoheiry underlines that “children will learn during this summer session to build and operate a robot. Such activities will enhance their innovative and social skills.” He goes on to say that “children’s scientific knowledge should not be based only on books and school curricula, but could be developed with modern educational practices, such as research, experience and analysis. This is the objective of the summer camp”.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research had launched the RDI programme in October 2007, with a grant of 11 million Euros from the European Union, in the framework of the scientific and technological cooperation agreement.

Director-General for Research visits Egypt
On another hand, the European Commission's Director-General for Research, Mr. Silva Rodriquez, visited Egypt on the occasion of the 4th EU-Egypt Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting for Science and Technology (JCCMST) and the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace. He was accompanied by the Director of International Cooperation, Ms. Mary Minch, the Director of Environment, Ms. Manuela Soares and more than ten other EC officials. In his speech opening the Euro-Med event, Mr. Rodriquez emphasized the successful collaboration between the EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries within the Framework Programmes, and reiterated the EU's support to governments in the Mediterranean region in their efforts to enhance economic growth and international competitiveness through improving research, development and innovation performance.

The EU's commitment to promoting Science, Technology and Innovation is reflected in its support of the RDI Programme in Egypt and the opening up of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) to the participation of Egyptian researchers. Between 2002-2008, over eighty collaborative projects between Egyptian and European researchers have been funded by the Framework Programme, tackling issues such as water resources management, cultural heritage preservation, food safety, solar energy, communicative diseases and information and communication technologies. Five new FP7 projects with Egyptian partners were launched during the Innovation Fair.

Refer to the project fact sheet: Research, development and innovation (RDI) (Egypt)