The Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities Participates in the 11th Edition of the Aula Mediterrània Interdisciplinary Research Seminar in Barcelona

H.E. Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities, participated in the 11th edition of the Aula Mediterrània Interdisciplinary Research Seminar, held on 24–25 March 2026 in Barcelona. The seminar was organized by the European Institute of the Mediterranean in collaboration with a number of academic and research institutions across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

During the seminar, H.E. delivered a lecture highlighting the importance of strengthening academic and research cooperation within the Euro-Mediterranean space, emphasizing that the Mediterranean has never been merely a geographical boundary between continents, but rather a shared civilizational space for the exchange of knowledge, culture, and innovation among peoples and universities.

H.E. also noted that the Mediterranean region is currently experiencing rapid global transformations, including geopolitical and technological shifts, as well as climate and economic challenges, in addition to demographic changes. The region hosts a significant proportion of young people, which underscores the vital role of universities in preparing a new generation of leaders and researchers capable of addressing these challenges.

Furthermore, H.E. emphasized that the Association of Arab Universities is actively working to strengthen international academic cooperation and build strategic partnerships with various regions, stressing the need for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in higher education to move beyond the concept of academic mobility toward mutual partnerships based on shared knowledge production, joint academic programmes, and collaborative research initiatives.

In this context, H.E. called for enhancing two-way academic mobility between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean, as well as developing joint graduate programmes and specialized research centres to address shared regional challenges such as climate change, water and food security, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.

In conclusion, H.E. stressed that the future of the Mediterranean region will not be determined by geography alone, but by the strength of cooperation among its universities, calling for transforming the Mediterranean into a shared space for knowledge, innovation, and sustainable academic partnership.