President of Benha University inspects “Turathna 2026” exhibition and discusses enhancing cooperation with the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency

Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy, President of Benha University, inspected the eighth edition of the “Turathna” exhibition for handicrafts and heritage crafts. The exhibition is held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and organized by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) to support Egyptian crafts and heritage projects.He was welcomed by Mr. Mostafa Ismail, Executive Director of the Agency; Dr. Mohamed El-Naggar, Director of the Central Sector for Non-Financial Services and Business Development; and Mr. Wael Maged, Deputy Director of the same sector. Accompanying the University President during the visit were Prof. Mohamed Saeed, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Shubra; Prof. Ayman Samir, Advisor to the University President for Innovation Affairs; and Dr. Ahmed Zakaria, Director of the University's Patent Registration Office.
Prof. El-Gizawy toured several exhibition pavilions and inspected the displayed handicraft and heritage products, noting their diversity in materials and designs, which reflects the skills of Egyptian artisans and their ability to develop their products while preserving their heritage identity.On the sidelines of the visit, the University President held a meeting with Agency officials to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two sides and develop joint programs in entrepreneurship, training, and support for small enterprises, with the aim of qualifying students and graduates to establish their own projects.
Prof. El-Gizawy affirmed Benha University's keenness to continue cooperation with the Agency and to leverage the university's scientific and research capabilities in supporting productive and craft projects, as well as spreading a culture of self-employment among students and graduates.He highlighted the importance of employing scientific research and innovation in developing heritage crafts, improving product quality, production methods, design, and marketing, thereby enhancing their competitiveness and opening new markets.
Prof. Ayman Samir, Advisor to the University President for Innovation Affairs, stressed the importance of linking innovation with heritage crafts to develop value-added products while preserving their authenticity and Egyptian identity. He pointed to the role of cooperation with the Agency in product development, marketing, and intellectual property protection, in addition to implementing training and awareness programs that help students and graduates establish and manage their projects.He added that cooperation between the university and the Agency aims to support entrepreneurship, develop the skills of students and graduates, and encourage the establishment of innovation-based productive projects that meet labor market needs.