On March 6th, at 3 PM local time in Egypt, Professor Shao Jizhong, Dr. Zhang Wei, and ten students from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Huazhong Agricultural University visited New Cairo. They were there to participate in the World Design Studio, an international joint design workshop, and engaged in discussions with Dr. Ayman Ashour, the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The exchange also included Dr. Zia Zein Alabedin, President of Ain Shams University; Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Dr. Omar Al-Husseini, Dean of the Engineering Faculty at Ain Shams University; Dr. Akram Farooq, Vice Dean of the Engineering Faculty; and representatives of faculty and students from Ain Shams University.

Minister Ayman Ashour spoke with representatives from both institutions and delivered a speech. He highlighted the importance of the international joint design workshop as a platform for students to exchange experiences, skills, cultures, and perspectives, with the hope that they would benefit from it and use the acquired knowledge and skills to contribute to society.

Dr. Zia Zein Alabedin, President of Ain Shams University, remarked that the workshop united various disciplines, including architecture and landscape architecture. The participating universities – Ain Shams University of Egypt, Clemson University of the USA, and Huazhong Agricultural University of China-are all dedicated to developing planning strategies and solutions for urban challenges. Dr. Ayman Farid, Assistant Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, stated that the agreement between the three universities stipulates the selection of a city each year for planning research and design practice. This year’s research is conducted at three sites in Aswan, Egypt.

Professor Shao Jizhong shared that Egypt’s ancient heritage has provided Chinese faculty and students with cultural insights and inspiration. He expressed gratitude for the support from Egyptian faculty and students and extended an invitation to experience the allure of China. The Chinese faculty and students are committed to creating more beautiful living spaces and contributing to the global community.

Reviewed by: Zhao Hanqing, Zhang Wei, Shao Jizhong