Prof. Mohamed El-Shinawi Re-Elected as Co-Chair of the PRIMA Foundation in Spain, Representing Egypt and Galala University
His Excellency, Prof. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, has recently reviewed a report announcing the re-election of Prof. Mohamed El-Shinawi as Co-Chair of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) Foundation, based in Spain. The re-election was unanimously approved by 19 participating countries, reaffirming Egypt’s active and influential role in the Mediterranean region’s scientific and innovation ecosystem.
Prof. El-Shinawi currently serves as Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for International Relations and Agreements and as Acting Vice President of Galala University for International Relations, Community Service, and Environmental Development. His re-election as PRIMA Co-Chair underscores his outstanding contributions to strengthening international research collaboration and promoting innovation across Mediterranean countries.
Egypt’s participation in the PRIMA Initiative began in 2018, officially becoming a partner state through an agreement signed on September 18, 2019. Since joining, Egypt has taken part in 48 research projects between 2018 and 2020, involving 39 national institutions. These include 18 public universities (participating in 16 projects), 10 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (8 projects), 7 research institutions (10 projects), 3 private sector entities (4 projects), and 2 NGOs (3 projects).
The PRIMA Foundation aims to address critical challenges in the Mediterranean region through research and innovation in water management, agriculture, food systems, and sustainable development. Egypt’s growing involvement reflects its national strategy to foster scientific research and international partnerships.
In alignment with these efforts, the Committee of International Affairs at Galala University organized a joint webinar in March for Egyptian and Italian researchers under the auspices and participation of Prof. El-Shinawi. The event brought together 70 researchers from both countries to discuss ways to collaborate on future PRIMA projects and to enhance knowledge transfer, technological innovation, and regional cooperation.
This recognition of Prof. El-Shinawi’s leadership at PRIMA highlights Galala University’s and Egypt’s strong commitment to advancing international collaboration, research excellence, and sustainable development through science and innovation.
