Professor Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, met with a delegation from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, led by Her Highness Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of Global Studies University (GSU) and Extraordinary Ambassador for Arab Culture for 2025–2026 at ALECSO, and Professor Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of Global Studies University (GSU).
The meeting was attended by the heads of the library’s various sectors and focused on strengthening academic, research and cultural cooperation between the two institutions, identifying shared areas of interest and exploring opportunities for a productive and sustainable partnership.
The meeting began with a presentation on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, highlighting its cultural, scientific and research mission, along with its main sectors, centers and programs. The GSU delegation then presented the University’s academic vision, research priorities and programs in the humanities and social sciences, including its Master’s program in Global African Studies and Ph.D. program in Global Studies, as well as its specialized academic pathways, fellowship programs, language offerings, and various publications series.
Discussions focused on opportunities for joint academic and research initiatives, greater scholarly exchange, and the use of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s research expertise and knowledge resources to support postgraduate education and research. The discussions also covered a proposal to establish a “Bibliotheca Alexandrina Embassy” or specialized educational institutions bearing the library’s name and examined opportunities to expand cooperation in higher education and scientific research. Further discussion included potential development of joint academic programs, degrees and diplomas.
Further discussions explored cooperation in scholarly publishing, including co-publication, wider dissemination of the two institutions’ research and intellectual output, and access to digital books and other knowledge resources. Both sides considered practical training opportunities through which students of both institutions could benefit from each one’s expertise, research, and cultural resources, as well as organizing joint cultural and academic activities to foster exchange among students, researchers and academics. The proposed cooperation extends to other areas identified by both sides in line with their respective expertise, resources and shared interests.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides affirmed their commitment to continued coordination and to building on their shared interests with a view to developing a cooperation protocol outlining the proposed areas of collaboration, implementation mechanisms and practical arrangements. The agreement is intended to serve the public interest, strengthen academic and cultural ties between the two institutions, and contribute to relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
