CAIRO - Prime Minister Essam Sharaf opened Zewail City of Science and Technology in 6th October City, in the presence of famous scientist Ahmed Zewail and several ministers. "Zewail City will contribute to Egyptian industry and further scientific research," Sharaf said during the celebrations marking the opening. Zewail himself stressed that Zewail City is a non-profitable national project that aims to serve the country, in terms of education and boosting national income. "This project will contribute to Egypt's future in the 21st century," he added. In September 2012, a campaign will be launched to connect universities and research centres nationwide, in order to promote scientific research. During the opening, Communications and Information Technology Minister Mohamed Salem thanked everybody who has already contributed to this promising project, which will educate Egypt's students of science and technology to international standards, as well as developing new technologies that will be of great benefit to Egypt. According to MENA, the purpose of Zewail City is to develop human resources and education, while this high-tech university also contains a group of scientific development and research centres. The project, built on 300 acres of land, was proposed more than 10 years ago by Egyptian Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail. It will not only offer excellent undergraduate education, but also advanced education in a variety of fields, including medicine and materials. “Various ‘technology pyramids' will be established on the campus to help build the industrial base of the country,” stressed Zewail, who said that they are hoping for donations of $2 billion to help fully develop Zewail City.
