Egypt University of Informatics Secures €2 Million EU Grant for Africa-Focused AI Research

Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) has secured €2 million in funding from the European Agency for Health and Digital Affairs (HADEA). This funding is for a research project that's part of a larger European-African consortium. This consortium brings together universities, research centers, and startups from both continents under the 'GenAI For Africa' initiative, which aims to boost Artificial Intelligence applications across Africa. This significant funding comes after a tough competition involving 243 research proposals from over 40 countries, truly highlighting EUI's excellence and advanced standing in scientific research and modern digital technologies.

This achievement solidifies EUI's position as a key player regionally and internationally in areas like the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Artificial Intelligence, and digital services. It also strengthens the university's strategy for internationalization and global research collaboration, allowing it to join the Horizon Europe framework as a funded research partner. This opens up vast opportunities for exchanging knowledge and technology with partners worldwide.

The 'GenAI For Africa' project focuses on developing AI models that are locally adaptable, low-resource, and multilingual. The goal is to improve digital services in agriculture, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, while carefully considering the cultural, economic, and social aspects of both North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The project aims to increase access to AI-powered digital services by 40% and improve model performance by 25% in low-connectivity and edge computing environments. This really shows the practical value of scientific research in creating a tangible social and economic impact.

The consortium includes 13 partners from 9 countries, led by Sapienza University in Rome. It comprises universities, innovation centers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and civil society organizations. This diverse group reflects a comprehensive European-African partnership dedicated to deploying AI responsibly and ethically, by providing technological tools that are compatible with local infrastructures and languages.

The project also emphasizes a participatory and community-focused approach. It actively involves local stakeholders, including industry, SMEs, local governments, research institutions, civil society, women, and marginalized communities. This ensures that the technical solutions truly align with real-world needs and maximize their developmental impact.