EUI Achieves New Milestone with Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award
Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) has achieved a new international milestone as Dr. Fatma Hamdy Mohamed Refaat, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Digital Arts and Design, has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Visiting Scholar Grant for 2026. The Fulbright Program is recognized as one of the world's most distinguished and competitive research fellowships. Dr. Fatma earned this distinction following a highly competitive international selection process involving researchers from numerous universities worldwide.
Professor Ahmed Hamad, Acting President of Egypt University of Informatics, praised the achievement, emphasizing that it reflects the academic standing that the university and its faculty members have successfully established, particularly in the field of scientific research. He noted that the award represents the culmination of continuous efforts over the past five years since the university's establishment and the launch of its academic programs in 2021.
He explained that Dr. Fatma Hamdy's selection by the Fulbright Commission followed strong international competition with researchers from various universities. Her successful application was further supported by official Invitation Letters from several prestigious American universities, reflecting the international recognition of both Egypt University of Informatics and her interdisciplinary research project.
Among the universities that extended official invitations was Rutgers University, ranked among the top 50 universities in the United States and among the top 20 public universities according to the US News rankings. Rutgers hosts a highly regarded School of Arts and Sciences and a Computer Science Department recognized as one of the leading departments in the United States in artificial intelligence and interdisciplinary research. Rutgers University was selected as the primary host institution for the fellowship.
Dr. Hamdy also received an invitation from Harvard University, ranked among the top five universities globally according to US News. Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences is internationally recognized for its advanced programs in science, arts, computer science, and artificial intelligence. In addition, she received an invitation from Western Michigan University, classified among America's leading public research universities (R2) according to US News, and renowned for its strengths in arts, technology, and applied research.
Professor Hamad added that this achievement reflects the success of the vision upon which Egypt University of Informatics was founded—a vision centered on building strong educational and research partnerships with leading international universities and research centers. The university adopts curricula aligned with those taught at these institutions, enabling students and researchers to build upon the latest global advancements in knowledge, narrow the gap with developed nations, and contribute to transforming Egypt into a producer of science, research, and innovation rather than merely a consumer.
He reaffirmed the university's commitment to providing full support to its students and faculty members in pursuing international study opportunities and participating in collaborative research projects. Such initiatives strengthen the research ecosystem, enhance Egypt's position in future sciences, and support the utilization of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence.
He further explained that Dr. Fatma Hamdy's Fulbright project will be implemented as a collaborative research initiative between the School of Arts and Sciences, represented by the Department of Computer Science, and the Mason Gross School of the Arts. The research period will take place at Rutgers University–New Brunswick for nine months, from February through October 2026. The project is titled: “SemioAI: Integrating Semiotic Principles into Deep Learning and UX/UI for Enhanced AI Interactions.”
For her part, Dr. Fatma Hamdy expressed her deep appreciation for the continuous institutional support she has received from Egypt University of Informatics, which ultimately contributed to her receiving the Fulbright Grant. She noted that this success was the result of a long-standing support system that began with an official Letter of Support from the late Dr. Reem Bahgat, the university's Founding President, and continued under the leadership of Professor Ahmed Hamad, with the support of Professor Ashraf Zaki, Dean of the Faculty of Digital Arts and Design.
She emphasized that this support reflects the university's vision of empowering academic talent, promoting scientific research, and building effective international partnerships that contribute to enhancing both the university's and Egypt's standing on the global academic stage.
Dr. Hamdy added that the research project is being supervised by Professor Ahmed Elgammal, Professor of Computer Science at Rutgers University and Founder and Director of the Art and AI Lab. Professor Elgammal is internationally recognized as one of the pioneers in the field, having led groundbreaking projects that bridge human creativity and machine intelligence. His notable achievements include contributing to the completion of Beethoven's Tenth Symphony using artificial intelligence, as well as developing advanced techniques for analyzing artworks and detecting forgeries through the examination of billions of brushstrokes.
It is worth noting that Dr. Fatma Hamdy was among the first faculty members involved in the establishment of Egypt University of Informatics. Working alongside the late Dr. Reem Bahgat, she played a pivotal role in designing and developing the curricula of the Faculty of Digital Arts and Design in alignment with the academic standards of leading British universities ranked second globally according to US News.
As part of this vision, the university has hosted several academic visits from prominent British universities. During these visits, delegations commended the exceptional quality of the faculty's students and the university's educational model, which successfully integrates artistic creativity, critical thinking, and modern technologies.
Dr. Hamdy also contributed to the design of the Master of Digital Arts & AI Design program, an advanced academic degree that combines digital arts and artificial intelligence while keeping pace with the rapid global transformations occurring across the fields of creativity and technology.