6/10/2026
Prof. Yahya Zakaria Eid, President of the University, receives Prof. Sourav Paul, Director of the Institute of Coastal and Estuarine Studies in the state of Bengal, India, along with his accompanying delegation, within the framework of Kafrelsheikh University’s commitment to supporting international scientific and academic cooperation and benefiting from global expertise in addressing priority environmental and climate issues.
The hosting of the Indian scientist by the Faculty of Science is at a particularly critical time amid the challenges facing coastal areas worldwide. Foremost among these is the salinization of coastal agricultural lands due to rising sea levels and its impact on agricultural productivity, in addition to the potential effects on groundwater aquifers resulting from saltwater intrusion. These challenges intersect directly with the nature and risks of the changes facing the Nile Delta in Egypt.
During the meeting, Prof. Yahya Zakaria Eid, President of Kafrelsheikh University, affirms that the university places great importance on strengthening international scientific partnerships and hosting specialized scientists and experts. This facilitates the exchange of expertise and knowledge and opens new horizons for faculty members and students to learn about the latest scientific and applied trends in various fields.
The President points out that hosting Prof. Sourav Paul represents a model of scientific cooperation that links international expertise with national research needs. He confirms that issues related to climate change, sea-level rise, and the salinization of land and groundwater have become matters that require the integration of scientific efforts and the exchange of experiences among countries and similar coastal regions.
For his part, Prof. Abdelhamid Abdelhamid El-Shaer, Dean of the Faculty of Science, expresses his welcome for hosting Prof. Sourav Paul. He affirms that the Faculty of Science is committed to enhancing scientific communication with international research schools and benefiting from specialized expertise in fields related to earth sciences, the environment, and climate change.
He explains that the symposium and training workshop represent an important opportunity for students of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Fisheries to understand the dimensions of the coastal salinization problem, its causes and effects, as well as to acquire practical skills in conducting a range of environmental measurements related to water, soil, and air.
The Dean of the Faculty of Science confirms that the faculty seeks to achieve integration between academic content, practical application, and international cooperation, in line with the university’s orientation toward developing students’ skills and linking the sciences they study to the real challenges facing society.
Prof. Alaa Salem, Professor of Geology at the Faculty of Science, clarifies that the choice of the salinization topic holds significant scientific and environmental importance due to its connection with geomorphological changes, sea-level rise, and the increasing activity of tropical cyclones. He highlights the importance of benefiting from the Indian experience in the Sundarbans region and comparing it with the geological and environmental conditions in the Nile Delta.
He notes that the meeting represents an opportunity to open new avenues for research cooperation between Kafrelsheikh University and specialized Indian scientific institutions, particularly in the fields of coastal and estuarine sciences, environmental geology, groundwater, and climate change.
The activities also include an applied training workshop for students of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, organized in cooperation with the Department of Geology at the Faculty of Science. During the workshop, students are trained on a range of environmental measurements of water, soil, and air, including measuring water salinity and pH, soil moisture and electrical conductivity, light intensity, and sound intensity levels in the air.
These activities reflect Kafrelsheikh University’s orientation toward building scientific bridges with international institutions and expertise, and enhancing the university’s role in studying environmental and climate issues that affect the future of natural resources and agricultural and water production, while transforming scientific knowledge into practical experiences that benefit students and researchers.
The university affirms that scientific cooperation with specialized international expertise represents one of the important pathways for strengthening its research standing, supporting its efforts in confronting environmental challenges, and building a generation of students who possess the scientific knowledge and practical skills necessary to contribute to formulating sustainable solutions for future issues.
