Cairo University

Cairo University Continues Its Development Journey with the Release of the Third Sustainable Development Report

Date :2024-06-15 11:27:24

Guided by the directives of the political leadership and driven by the belief of Cairo University s President, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Othman El-Khosht, and Vice President for Community Service Affairs, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadiq, in the crucial role of universities in addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development goals, Cairo University s Office of Sustainability has released its third Sustainability Report. This report highlights the university s efforts in achieving the United Nations  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during 2023. It focuses on major projects, programs, and initiatives across three main categories: education and scientific research, operations, and partnerships.

The Sustainability Report showcases many examples reflecting Cairo University s leadership since its establishment in supporting sustainability and its ambition to achieve zero carbon emissions, as well as its efforts in developing energy-saving technologies. The report underscores the university s commitment to regional leadership as a model for sustainability among higher education institutions. This was affirmed by Prof. Dr. Mohamed El-Khosht, the University president, in the report s introduction, where he stated, "Cairo University has made concerted efforts to establish a sustainable campus primarily focused on advancing its research and teaching mission while adhering to its social responsibility." Vice President for Community Service Affairs, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadiq, also highlighted in his opening remarks that "Cairo University, with its emphasis on sustainable development, has taken concrete steps to enhance its positive role in supporting the economy, serving societal issues, and preserving the environment, in addition to integrating sustainability into its curricula and research programs."

Prof. Dr. Sohair Ramadan Fahmy, the General Coordinator of the Sustainability Office, noted that Cairo University is making exceptional efforts to support sustainability on various fronts and is looking forward to continuing to enhance these efforts to achieve the desired impact in Egypt and globally. Executive Director of the Office of Sustainability, Associate Prof. Dr. Mohamed Naguib Abd El-Ghany , confirmed that the university has made significant strides in showcasing its efforts and projects in sustainability, having recently issued both the Sustainability Plan and the Sustainability Action Plan, and made all sustainability-related publications available on the university s website, in addition to covering news of its participation in international university rankings such as the Green Matrix and the QS Sustainability Rankings.

This report serves as a tool to inform students, faculty, staff, and the local community about the university s sustainable development strategy and the results achieved in various fields. The data in this report discuss how Cairo University enhances its research and teaching mission while maintaining its social responsibility, considering the complex and interconnected challenges it faces, which require a sophisticated approach to achieve sustainability.

The report indicates that sustainability at Cairo University relies on three main pillars: the economy, the environment, and society, to achieve a greener, fairer, and more sustainable world. It also shows that the university s strategic vision includes a variety of areas aimed at promoting university sustainability, such as teaching, research, campus operations, community, and public engagement.

Furthermore, the report discusses a range of cooperation protocols with international institutions to enhance partnerships in the field of the green economy and sustainable development, such as the International Institute for Environmental Systems Research (ESRI) represented by ESRI-NORTH AFRICA, the University of East London in the UK, and the World Bank. It also mentions Cairo University s success in signing numerous agreements and international alliances with major global universities, which are ranked among the top 50 universities in the world, amounting to about 200 agreements, protocols, and memoranda of understanding in the fields of scientific research development.