The MoU was signed by Eng. Kareem ElHennawy, Secretary General & CEO of ESLSCA University, and Amr Mansi, CEO & Co-Founder of El Gouna Film Festival, in the presence of Hayat Aljowaily, Director of CineGouna Emerge & International Engagement, and Andrew Mohsen, Artistic Director of GFF. 

At the heart of this partnership are the students of ESLSCA University’s School of Visual Arts & Creative Industries, under the leadership of Dr. Mervat Abou Oaf, Dean of the School and Academic Advisor to the Festival. The partnership reflects a vision aimed at strengthening the integration between academic education, professional practice, and the creative industries, while creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with filmmakers and industry professionals. 

After three years of collaboration, the School’s participation in the festival is expanding across its Cinematic Studies and New Media & Communication departments. Cinematic Studies students will receive full Festival passes to attend screenings and events, while New Media & Communication students will take part in covering their peers’ contributions and relevant festival activities, giving students from both departments direct professional experience at the heart of the event. 

A key long-term pillar of the partnership is the provision of two annual scholarships, each covering full tuition for three years, with the aim of attracting promising filmmakers from different Egyptian governorates and connecting emerging talent with ESLSCA University’s Cinematic Studies program. 

Two students will also receive full funding to participate in CineGouna Emerge. Students will have opportunities to attend Meet the Experts and engage directly with film industry professionals, while up to ten students may be nominated to participate in Emerge Perspectives coverage. 

ESLSCA University will also host an Industry Reception at The Island in El Gouna as part of the festival program, bringing together students, faculty members, and industry professionals. The reception will showcase selected work by Cinematic Studies students and introduce the University’s future plans in the field. The official program will also feature an ESLSCA × Thndr Workshop exploring the relationship between creative career paths, entrepreneurship, and financial independence. 

Under the leadership of Dean Dr. Mervat Abou Oaf, this partnership represents an important stage in the School’s continued development. The School continues to strengthen the integration between academic education and the creative industries, alongside the ongoing development of the New Media & Communication Department, chaired by Dr. Amira Abdel Hamied, and the Cinematic Studies Department, chaired by Dr. Ahlam Younis, with Ms. Reem El Miligui as Associate Chair. This further strengthens students’ connection to professional practice, academic education, and the creative industries, opening broader opportunities for creativity and professional development. 

The event will also witness the announcement of the launch of Egypt’s first Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Filmmaking, under the supervision of Dr. Wael Khairy, Director of Graduate Studies in the Department. This pioneering academic step responds to a long-standing need in film education and aims to prepare a new generation of specialized filmmakers by combining academic knowledge, advanced technical expertise, and professional and creative practice, contributing to the development of the film industry in Egypt and the region. 

From scholarships and full Festival access to meetings with industry professionals, student showcases, and direct professional engagement, this partnership opens new opportunities for students to extend their learning beyond the university environment, present their work to film industry professionals and potential investors, build meaningful professional connections, and begin establishing their place within the filmmaking community.