From Pyramids to Smart Cities
Successful Kick-off Meeting of the MLUMSE Project in Cairo, Egypt
The kick-off meeting of the Modernizing Land Management and Urban Development Education in the Southern Mediterranean (MLUMSE) project was held in Cairo, Egypt, marking the start of an important journey to enhance education in this vital field. Over the course of three days, partners from Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan gathered with counterparts from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Croatia to launch their collaboration on the project’s implementation.
The first working day featured the official project opening ceremony at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Benha University (Faculty of Civil Engineering at Shoubra). The event began with welcoming speeches and an introduction to the project. Distinguished representatives from partner institutions delivered opening remarks: Prof. Gamal Abdelaziz (Dean of the Faculty), Prof. Gehan Abdel ElHady (Vice-Rector), and Prof. Ayman ElShehaby (Governor). For us coordinators, it was a particular honor to have Dr. Danijel Rafaelić, representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Egypt, in attendance.
Following the ceremony, partner institutions presented their goals and planned contributions to the project. Project coordinator Prof. Željko Bačić (University of Zagreb) introduced the Project Management Plan, which was unanimously approved. He emphasized the importance of a clear timeline and organizational structure to ensure successful project delivery. The day’s discussions also focused on financial management strategies aimed at providing effective support for all activities. The positive and collaborative atmosphere set a solid foundation for the work ahead.
On the second day, the meeting was hosted at the National Center for Planning the Use of State Land (NCPSLU) by Dr. Nasser Fawzy, Major General and Center Director.
The day’s focus was on the project’s strategic directions. Special attention was given to Egypt’s national development plan – Egypt Vision 2030 – and smart city initiatives, including the ambitious New Administrative Capital. Key thematic areas addressed included Project Communication Strategies (WP5), Promotion and Networking to enhance visibility and outreach (WP6), and Exploitation of Project Results for Real Impact (WP7). Further discussions covered the current state analysis and needs assessment (WP2), curriculum development (WP3), and implementation of modernized courses (WP4). These activities are critical to fulfilling the project’s mission of transforming education in sustainable land management.
The day concluded with networking and the exchange of ideas, offering participants a chance to explore future collaboration opportunities.
The final day centered on operational matters and planning next steps. Partners focused on concrete implementation aspects such as equipment procurement and installation, financial management and reporting, student involvement, and the upcoming MLUMSE Hackathon, along with planning the first thematic training session in Zagreb, Croatia.
The MLUMSE kick-off meeting successfully laid a strong foundation for advancing education in land management and urban development across the Southern Mediterranean. We thank all partners for their commitment, contributions, and vision throughout the meeting.
We look forward to the next steps on this path toward sustainable urban planning and innovative education.
