The programme is designed to bolster long-term scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.
It will only accept applications from governmental research institutions to establish three specialized applied research laboratories in Egypt.
The Ministry of Higher Education described the initiative in a statement as one of the most significant research collaborations between Egypt and China to date.
Each joint project will receive up to EGP 20 million in funding from the Egyptian side (STDF) and 3 million Chinese yuan from the Chinese side over a period of up to three years.
The deadline for accepting applications is 23 June.
STDF Chairman Walaa Sheta hailed the funding as a real opportunity for technology transfer and localization within Egypt.
Interested entities will need to restrict their applications to three specific fields:
- Sustainable development technologies,
- Poverty alleviation through science and technology,
- Artificial intelligence and advanced robotics.
Application requirements include a suitable lab location and infrastructure, an Egyptian principal investigator, and an affiliation with a government research institution.
The application should involve a clear sustainability plan that ensures the lab continues to operate for at least five years after the project ends.
In May 2024, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the launch of the Egypt-China Partnership Year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership initiated in 2014.
The two presidents directed authorities in their countries to hold technical discussions to implement both leaders' vision of enhancing and strengthening bilateral relations.
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