The collaboration between Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)
In the context of strengthening the cultural and scientific ties between France and Egypt, a new partnership was forged between the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) www.cnrs.fr , the largest government-funded research organization in Europe under the administrative authority of France’s Ministry of Research, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA). Both parties have outlined their collaboration in the research domain and the production of information, its use and conservation in a convention signed in Paris recently between Dr Ismail Serageldin, Director of the BA and Catherine Bréchignac, President of the CNRS.
The partnership between the BA and CNRS looks forward to linking researchers from both institutions on joint research programs, as intended in the wide scope project between both parties to design a 3D-visualization for Karnak temple in Luxor. Furthermore, this partnership aspires to reach out for inclusive collaborations with CNRS subsidiaries. This is manifested in the collaboration between the BA and CEDEJ (Center for social, legal and economic documentation studies)- a CNRS subsidiary- where they meet in a joint venture to digitize the Egyptian press since 1976 and avail it to the public using advanced technologies.
The collaboration between the BA and CNRS is regarded essential in terms of preserving heritage and advancing scientific research, where the areas of cooperation were outlined to include the exchanging of experiences between the two eminent institutions in designing and implementing documentary online databases, carrying out studies and analysis to some issues, as well as working collaboratively on managing the common research results and their use in terms of dissemination of knowledge.