HOPE26 Workshop – Can We Rethink Resources Through a Circular Economy?
2026-03-31 09:00 - 16:00 (Africa/Cairo)
Description
The HOPE26 workshop brings together researchers, industry professionals, and international project partners to explore pathways toward a circular bioeconomy, sustainable agriculture, and innovative energy systems. Organised by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTM), the event serves as a key dissemination platform for EU‑funded projects, sharing results and fostering collaboration across the Mediterranean and beyond.
The Interreg NEXT MED project GREENOLIVE will be presented during Session II by Prof. Nahla Ezzeldin Zakzouk, Head of the Electrical and Control Department at AASTMT.

Location
Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AASTM) – Abukir Campus, Alexandria, Egypt.

Participation
Registration is mandatory by compiling the form at: https://tinyurl.com/hope26-registration-form.
Attendance is available in person or on-line on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/91379482874.
Meeting ID: 913 7948 2874
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Agenda
09:00 – 09:30 | Registration
09:30 – 10:00 | Opening Session – Workshop Overview & Objectives
Speakers:

Prof. Ismail Abdelghafar – President, AASTMT
Prof. Yousry Elgamal – President Consultant for Education Affairs, Former Minister of Education, Founding Dean of College of Engineering and Technology
Prof. Alaa Abdelbary – Vice President for Scientific Research and Postgraduate Studies
Prof. Yasser Gaber – Dean of Scientific Research and Innovation
Prof. Akram Soliman – Dean, College of Engineering and Technology
Prof. Mostafa Abdelgelli – Vice Dean for Scientific Research and Postgraduate Studies, College of Engineering and Technology

10:00 – 12:00 | Session I – The Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Food Systems
Session Chair: Prof. Yehia Youssef

Prof. Behnam Taidi (Professor of Industrial Biotechnology, LGPM, CentraleSupelec, University of Paris Saclay, France)
“What does the circular economy look like in the Lab?”
Mr. Kris Heirbaut (Heirbaut agriculture, Belgium)
“Farm versus playing field of innovation”
Prof. Alla Silkina (Senior Researcher and Project Leader in algal biotechnology, Swansea University, UK)
“Industrial Algal Biotechnology for the Circular Bioeconomy: From Waste Streams to Biofertilisers, Food and Feed”
Prof. Mohamed BOUAZIZ (Senior Researcher, Project Leader in Agri‑Resource Valorization, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sfax, Tunisia)
“Recovery of Bioactive Compounds from olive by‑products and added‑value applications for innovative functional foods and therapeutic application”

12:00 – 12:30 | Discussions and networking around a coffee & EU Project Dissemination
12:30 – 14:30 | Session II – Advancing Circular and Digital Solutions for Agriculture and Energy: Lessons from EU Collaborative Projects
Session Chair: Prof. Mostafa Abdelgileil

Prof. Mohsen Assadi (Professor in Energy Technology, Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, Norway)
“Enabling Energy Access in the Global South by Bridging Circular Economy and Sustainability”
Prof. Congduc Pham (Professor of wireless & IoT systems and embedded AI applications for IoT, University of Pau, France)
“RESILINK – PRIMA Project”
Dr. Mohammad Mansouri (Associate Professor in Energy Systems Engineering, University of Stavanger, Norway)
“AI-SEI Project”
Prof. Rasha Abdelaziz (Professor of Information Systems and Digital Business, Head of the Business Information Systems Department, College of Management and Technology, AASTMT, Egypt)
“Beyond Materials: Circulating Knowledge, Leadership and Policy Innovation in Sustainable Universities”
Mr. Mark Frederik (Founder of Amped & Local2Local, specialist in the transition of food systems, Netherlands)
“EU4ADVICE – Horizon Europe Project”
Dr. Najla Trabelsi (Assistant Professor, Center of Biotechnology of Borj Cédria – Laboratory of Olive Biotechnology, Tunisia)
“FoWRSaP – PRIMA Project”
Prof. Nahla Ezzeldin Zakzouk (Head of Electrical and Control Department, College of Engineering and Technology, AASTMT, Egypt)
“GreenOlive project”
Dr. Rania Assem (Associate Professor, Electrical and Control Department, College of Engineering and Technology, AASTMT, Egypt)
“Rest4Green Project”
Dr. Ahmed Abdelrehim (Assistant Professor, Electrical and Control Department, College of Engineering and Technology, AASTMT, Egypt)
“Speed Project”

14:30 – 15:00 | Session III – Hope for the Future – Young Scientists Session
Session Chair: Prof. Behnam Taidi

Dr. Hiba Rajcha (Lecturer and Researcher in Bioproduction, SupBiotech – Engineering School of Biotechnology, Paris, France)
“Transforming Agri‑Food Waste into High‑Value Bioactive Ingredients for Cosmetic, Food, and Pharmaceutical Applications”
Ms. Malak CHHIMI (PhD student in process engineering, Université Paris‑Saclay CentraleSupélec‑LGPM and FAST laboratory, France)
“Dynamics of mixing generated by phototactic motion of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in a photobioreactor”

15:00 – 15:30 | Closing Session

CERES Hosts Side Event at S-Access 2026 to Showcase Campus-Based Solutions for Zero-Emission Transitions
2026-04-08 09:00 - 11:30 (Europe/Rome)
On Wednesday, 8 April 2026, from 9 to 11:30 h, the CERES project (Centers of Excellence for Resilient Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Solutions) will organise Side Event 1 within the framework of S-Access 2026, hosted by the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB).
CERES is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg NEXT MED Programme and supports the development of innovation ecosystems and resilient entrepreneurship by promoting cooperation, capacity building and the uptake of sustainable solutions across the Mediterranean region.
The Side Event, entitled “Spotlight on Campus Zero Emissions – Knowledge Transfer for Energy and Digital Transition”, is designed as a technical and experiential activity that combines expert presentations with a guided visit to real-life demonstration facilities on the UIB campus.
Participants will be introduced to the Campus Zero Emissions initiative, a comprehensive approach to energy transition that integrates renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, energy storage, sustainable mobility and digital management of energy systems. The visit will showcase concrete solutions such as photovoltaic and solar thermal installations, district heating and cooling systems, large-scale battery storage, smart charging infrastructure and vehicle-to-grid applications.
The event will demonstrate how university campuses can act as living laboratories and Centers of Excellence, enabling experimentation, validation and transfer of innovative solutions to businesses, public authorities and other territories. This approach is fully aligned with the objectives of the CERES project, which seeks to accelerate sustainable and resilient development through knowledge transfer and cooperation.
The Side Event is open to participants registered for S-Access 2026, with places reserved during the conference registration process.
More information

Registration via the official S-Access 2026 platform.

MILenARI's Seminar: From immunotherapy research to production to access patients
2026-04-16 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/Rome)
On Thursday, April 16, Manel Juan, coordinator of the MILenARI project, will present the seminar entitled “From immunotherapy research to production to access patients: adjustments and discrepancies of a “different” model to try to avoid the current failure in the field”.
The seminar will have a hybrid format, in person in the Esteve auditorium of the CEK building (C/Rosselló 149-153, 08036 Barcelona), or online through this link.
The event will be hosted by Aleix Prat, director of the 4CB and head of the Translational Genomics and Solid Tumor Targeted Therapies group at IDIBAPS.

MEDinCHAMBERS Greek Info Day: Opportunities for Textile SMEs – online
2026-04-21 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome)
The MEDinCHAMBERS project will host an online Info Day in Greece on 21 April 2026 from 11:00 to 12:00 CET (12:00 – 13:00 local time), to present the project’s objectives and the support services available to Micro, Small and Medium‑sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) sectors.
Organized by the project partner CERTH, the session will provide an overview of the project’s main activities, including:

Technical assistance for SMEs.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of selected products.
Mentoring services and the upcoming Sustainability Bootcamp in Barcelona.

The event will also introduce the participatory process for establishing the National Focus Group, aimed at identifying key challenges, stakeholder needs and priority areas within the Greek TCLF ecosystem. The meeting will conclude with a summary of the main discussion points, upcoming actions and an open Q&A session.
This event is part of a wider series of national Info Days organised by all MEDinCHAMBERS project partners across participating countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain, Türkiye, Tunisia and Egypt. These coordinated events aim to engage local stakeholders at national level while contributing to a shared Mediterranean effort to support the transition towards more sustainable and fair trade practices in the textile sector.

Check the Agenda: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MEDinCHAMBERS-Agenda-Infoday.pdf
Join the online event: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/369867571027415?p=0bVd1srhVGm9oLhHEd Meeting ID: 369 867 571 027 415, Passcode: [REDACTED]

MEDinCHAMBERS Italian Info Day: Opportunities for Textile SMEs - online
2026-04-22 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Rome)
The MEDinCHAMBERS project is organising its Italian Info Day, scheduled to take place online on 22 April 2026 from 16:00 to 17:00 CET, online.
Titled “Opportunities for Textile SMEs”, the event is specifically addressed to Italian Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the textile sector (TCLF – Textile – Clothing – Leather and Footwear), providing a clear overview of the opportunities offered within the MEDinCHAMBERS initiative.
Organized by the project Lead Partner CUEIM, the Info Day will present the project’s activities and focus on the open call for MSMEs, offering practical information on how to participate and benefit from the initiative.
Participants will also have the opportunity to explore technical aspects related to sustainability, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA), tools that can support companies in improving their environmental performance and efficiency.
The programme will also feature a presentation of the international bootcamp in Barcelona, offering selected SMEs the chance to take part in a cross-border training and networking experience.
The event will conclude with a Q&A session and a final call to action, encouraging Italian SMEs to engage with the project and benefit from its services.
As part of a series of Info Days organised in each project country to present the project and its opportunities for SMEs, this Italian Info Day represents a valuable opportunity for national stakeholders to discover how the MEDinCHAMBERS project is supporting the transition towards more sustainable and fair trade practices in the Mediterranean textile sector.

Check the Agenda: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Interreg-NEXT-MED_MEDinCHAMBERS-InfoDay_22_04_2026.pdf
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefEphq6p2WmGvkN7_S62jz4six3tpy2W_nOXM5LXkdJ2Ut3A/viewform
Join the event on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89416818464 Meeting ID: 894 1681 8464

For more information: v.oliviero@cueim.it
