- President of Assiut University: we are proud of our extended partnership with the Fulbright Commission in education and scientific research

- Fulbright Commission: Assiut University is an important academic partner in supporting scientific and cultural exchange

- President of Assiut University: "Respect the culture of others and remember that you represent your country in every contact with different cultures"

Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, president of Assiut University, opened today, Monday, May, the events of the introductory and awareness-raising meeting organized by the University in cooperation with the Fulbright Commission, in the presence of the commission's delegation headed by Dr. Maggie Nassif, executive director of the Fulbright Commission Egypt, and Dr. Gaby Samaan, professor of intercultural communication at the University of Toledo, under the supervision of Dr. Gamal Badr, vice president for graduate studies and research.

The meeting included an introductory seminar delivered by Dr. Maggie Nassif, on "grants and opportunities provided by the Fulbright Commission", with the participation of Ms. Batool Khalid, program officer, and Mr. ASER Hani, assistant director of programs. Dr. Gaby Samaan also presented a lecture entitled "Building Bridges of Communication between Cultures in a Changing World: Towards More Cooperation".

In his speech during the opening ceremony, Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy expressed his great welcome to the delegation of the Fulbright Commission, praising the role of the commission in supporting aspects of academic and cultural cooperation between Egypt and the United States of America, and promoting the principles of understanding and integration between peoples, especially in light of accelerated global changes.

The president of the University stressed the pride of Assiut University in the extended relationship with the Fulbright Commission, which represents a distinctive model of fruitful cooperation in the fields of higher education and scientific research, pointing out that the commission's programs provide excellent opportunities for researchers, faculty members, and students to exchange experiences and engage in advanced scientific and research environments.

He added that these events come within the University's orientation towards expanding its academic partnerships internationally and building bridges of cooperation with prestigious institutions, which contributes to the development of academic programs and achieving advanced positions in global rankings.

 The president of Assiut University stressed the importance of cultural meetings that support internationalization and academic reference, and support the Egyptian state Vision 2030 and Development Goals،

Dr. El-Minshawy concluded his speech, saying: "In every communication with others, we have to respect their culture and improve the representation of our country, the dialogue between cultures begins with respect and grows with understanding and openness ."

  For her side, Dr. Maggie Nassif expressed her thanks to Assiut University and its administration for the fruitful cooperation with the authority, praising the leading role of the University in benefiting from the authority's grants since its establishment, which helped to expand the scope of academic cooperation and cultural openness.

Nasif explained that the Fulbright Commission is an Egyptian-American institution established under a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian and American Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and works under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in the framework of supporting innovation and cultural exchange and preparing young cadres for the labor market.

She reviewed the progress of the commission and its programs aimed at promoting joint learning and knowledge exchange between peoples, noting the success of the joint scientific supervision program, from which researcher Arwa Nobi graduated as the first PhD holder from the Commission, expressing her aspiration for further joint cooperation in the future.

Ms. Batoul Khaled presented the Fulbright programs offered to Egyptian researchers, which include master's, doctoral, scientific research, Islamic studies, technical and professional grants, in addition to training programs for English teachers, explaining the application mechanisms, dates, and required conditions.

Mr. Aser Hani also discussed the programs offered to Americans, such as the American Student Program, the American Researcher, and the specialized program, explaining the steps and procedures of application and selection criteria, in addition to the official platforms that provide detailed information for those wishing to register.

During his awareness lecture, Dr. Gaby Simaan addressed the importance of intercultural communication as one of the vital areas to enhance international cooperation, pointing to the role of this specialization in changing stereotypes, opening up to diverse traditions, and building more inclusive societies.

Dr. Samaan reviewed the development of this field since its inception after the Second World War, stressing that the efficiency of communication requires cultural awareness and appropriate behavior, calling for investing this specialization in promoting mutual understanding between peoples and the exchange of knowledge and experiences at various levels.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy presented the Shield of Assiut University to Dr. Maggie Nassif and Dr. Gaby Samaan, in appreciation of the constructive academic cooperation with the Fulbright Commission, and support to enhance opportunities for joint scientific and cultural cooperation in the future.