Hosted by CY Cergy Paris Université, the forum brought together academics, researchers, and policymakers from both countries to assess existing cooperation and identify new areas for collaboration, nearly a year after the launch of the Egyptian–French Day for Scientific and Academic Cooperation in Cairo under the auspices of Presidents Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Emmanuel Macron.
Held under the theme Progress, Challenges, and New Horizons, the forum addressed joint degrees, faculty and student exchanges, collaborative research projects, and institutional challenges.
Participants reviewed established initiatives, including the Franco-Egyptian Imhotep Programme, which supports researcher mobility and joint projects across several scientific fields, as well as opportunities under the European Union’s (EU) Horizon Europe framework.
Speakers also highlighted recently signed frameworks covering scholarships, Egyptian-French research grants, student exchange schemes, and dual-degree programmes. Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ayman Ashour, said preparations had been completed to launch new cooperation programmes, describing the forum as a reflection of the depth of bilateral relations.
France’s Minister of State for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad, Éléonore Caroit, said the forum offered a concrete opportunity to expand academic and research cooperation, student exchanges, and dual degrees, contributing to education quality, scientific workforce development, and the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Mustafa Rifat, President of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Universities, said cooperation with French universities plays a central role in developing Egypt’s higher education system, improving graduate competitiveness, and ensuring the sustainability of joint programmes.
Laurent Gatineau, President of CY Cergy Paris Université, reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to strengthening cooperation frameworks and expanding student and research exchanges.
The forum also saw the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding between Egyptian and French universities. Separately, the French University in Egypt signed additional agreements with French institutions to expand joint programmes and academic exchange.
The Paris meeting followed two earlier cooperation forums held in Cairo. The first, held in April 2025 during President Macron’s official visit, brought together more than 100 institutions and resulted in multiple agreements focused on internationalising higher education, strengthening research, and expanding academic mobility.
A follow-up meeting in October 2025 reviewed progress, set implementation roadmaps, and identified new cooperation areas.
The Paris forum forms part of a broader multi-year effort to deepen Egyptian-French cooperation in higher education and research, building on strategic partnership agreements, academic memoranda, and long-standing programmes such as Imhotep.
Short link: