President of Assiut University: Japan Centre at Assiut University is a new bridge for cooperation for our interaction with the Japanese side. 

El- Minshawy: Asyut University is a leading focus on education based on distinction, cognitive exchange and cultural opening

Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, President of Assiut University, the Japanees Centre for Education and Research Activities, opened on Monday, February 24, at Assiut University, the first of its kind of Japanese language education centre in Assiut Governorate. Ms. Ayomi Hashimoto-San, Director of the Japanese Foundation in Cairo, Mr. Ozawa Massato, educational expert at the Egyptian school in New Yutt, and Miss Omima Tawfiq, Director of Egyptian-Japanese Schools in New Assiut. 

The Centre is supervised by Dr. Jamal Badr, Vice President of the University for Graduate Studies and Research, and Dr. Dina Murad, Director of the Centre and Coordinator of Relations between Assiut University and Japan Foundation in Cairo. 

Dr. El- Minshawy explained that the main objective of the center was to strengthen international cooperation and educational distinction, which represents a bridge between the Egyptian and Japanese scientific and cultural sides, a platform for more productive academic and research cooperation in the front of the University of Assuit, and a step towards deepening academic and cultural ties with Japanese institutions. 

At the beginning of the opening ceremony, Dr. El-Minshawy welcomed all the participants in the meeting today, as well as the openers of the Japanese Education Centre and Research Activities at Assiut University, appreciating their participation in the launch of this new academic edition. 

The president of Assiut University stressed that the opening of this centre came within the framework of deep friendship between Egypt and Japan, which extended for many years in various fields, especially with regard to education and scientific research, and stated that the State of Japan has always proven to be a strategic partner to Egypt by continuing its support for scientific and cultural projects, technology transfer and contributing to higher education development. 

Dr. El- Minshawy said that Assiut University pays great attention to education based on distinction and international cooperation as one of the leading universities in Egypt and the Middle East, and always seeks to create an academic environment that promotes cognitive exchange and cultural openness. The centre is a quality addition that offers students and faculty new opportunities to learn and interact with Japanese culture, whether through learning Japanese, participation in student exchange programs, or research cooperation with Japanese universities. 

Dr. El-Minshawy continued, explaining that this centre was the result of close cooperation between the University of Assuit and Japanese educational institutions, as well as with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which had a major role in supporting many academic and research projects in Egypt, with a view to promoting cultural and scientific exchange between the two sides.

Dr. Jamal Bader reported that the opening of the Japanese language centre was a leading starting point in strengthening the ties of cultural and scientific cooperation between Egypt and Japan, pointing out its role in bringing together the three sectors of the university, through its cooperation with Egyptian-Japanese schools, which reflected on the interest in the graduates of the school of education, the development of their different skills and culture, especially Japanese culture, as well as the increasing number of members of the university's staff grants in the state of Japan, and the organization of a number of activities that highlighted Japanese culture and how to employ them to serve the university's young researchers. 

Dr. Dina Murad welcomed the university guests participating in the celebration events, reviewing the most important stations and steps of success passed to the opening of the centre, where she explained that the centre was aimed at achieving cooperation between the university and Japanese entities such as the Japan Foundation in Cairo, the Japanese International Cooperation Authority (JICA), the linguistic rehabilitation of envoys before traveling abroad, as well as training for those who want to master Japanese language from inside and outside the university for use in various areas, particularly scientific research and education, as well as assisting the university in achieving its mission in education, training and scientific research, as well as in organizing training courses, activities and signing joint protocols. During the celebration, Ms. Ayomi Hashimoto congratulated the University of Asyut on the establishment of the Japanese Education Centre and research activities shortly after and hard work, hoping to encourage more Japanese language and research activities more widely, and congratulated all students to complete the Japanese language course, the first of all in Assiut, and she was pleased with the cooperation of the Japan Foundation in Cairo with Asyut University from the beginning in providing and training qualified Japanese teachers and curriculum development, wishing to continue this outstanding cooperation. 

For his side, the Japanese expert Ozawa Massato gave a profile of Egyptian-Japanese schools that supervised their support, explaining that in 2018 the first 35 Egyptian-Japanese schools focused on the Tokatsu system were opened, which aimed at strengthening this Japanese system in Egypt, developing the spirit of initiative and cooperation among children through collective activities, contributing to the formation of human-value-rich figures, adding that in 2020 Japanese experts with experience in Japanese education and in the administration of schools were recruited to provide direct support and guidance to these schools. The Japanese expert added that Egyptian-Japanese schools enter their seventh year of establishment, where there are now about 60 schools spread across Egypt, from kindergarten, from the first grade, and they live an educational experience full of activities and interactions that seek to balance the physical and psychological development of children, to instill the spirit of initiative, to promote thinking about an individual's lifestyle, to develop their capabilities inside school, to express his deep gratitude to the University of Asyut, and the Egyptian state for the hospitality and sharing of this special experience. 

Miss Omima Tawfiq noted the beginning of the Egyptian-Japan Partnership, signed during the visit of His Excellency President Sisi of Japan in February 2016, which included the application of the Japanese education model in Egypt through Tokatsu activities as a fundamental component of the Japanese education curriculum for the overall development of children, reviewing the phases of the selection of Egyptian-Japanese school teachers, and valuing the project as the nucleus of productive and distinctive cooperation between the two sides to build Egyptian human beings. The celebration saw a number of presentations and presentations, including: a lecture by Dr. Mohammed Hilmi Al-Hafaoui, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, on the joint actions and collaborations of the Japanese Foundation in Cairo and the Fine Arts College of the University since its opening in 2015-2016, while Dr. Alaudin Hamid, Under-Secretary of the Institute of Molecular Biology for Graduate Studies and Research, presented a lecture entitled: Study (TEA) in Japan, accessing opportunities, grants, and features for studying in Japan. The Student also reviewed his experience through the Japanese language course organized by the Centre of Japanese language, which expressed the use of the learning of diverse Japanese culture and its advanced education system. It should be noted that a number of deans, faculty members and faculty students participated in the opening.