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ELITE Vol.1, Issue 33, July 2021 Express freely
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Moving on, we asked Mr. Laurent to share with us his thoughts Adding up, we had to know how does Mr. Laurent you think
over the newly opened research unit, and why he thinks it’s students of the faculty can benefit from this MRU? With FEPS’
important. He started off by expressing a ton of positive thoughts, students having the chance to hold huge governmental positions in
followed by explaining the purpose of the MRU. Back in 2018, the near future, Mr. Laurent strongly believes that they should be
when he first arrived to Egypt and started acting as chief of fully aware of the migration scene in the state; in other words, it’s
mission, IOM Egypt had already had a MRU in CAPMAS for over an indirect investment in the dynamic of migration. They need to
a year, and a recently opened one in AUC. Mr. Laurent believed be able their powerful roles in implanting laws and regulations
that it was vital to link between academia and IOM’s practical that would benefit migration and migrants, and the first step
work; such a research unit would provide priceless researchers and towards that is by engaging in the MRU. Through the online
policies based on evidence, that would greatly benefit the library that is provided by the MRU, all the students could access
organization on every single level. Therefore, he spent a year literature books, research papers and articles thoroughly
exploring all his options, and FEPS was picked from a wide range discussing migration, giving them all what they need and more to
of leading academic institutions, due to its achievements and fully comprehend the migration scene in the area. This research
excellence in the fields of education, scientific research and unit will provide migration analysis like no other, and thus, it’s
community services. After discussing with FEPS and having them also the go-to for any student interested in this cause.
on board with such a beneficial project, money was raised, in the Lastly, we gracefully asked Mr. Laurent what advice would he
name of supporting the merge of academia and the government give to faculty’s students? One of the most important issues that
into IOM’s working our life, and the desired unit successfully set Mr. Laurent wanted to shed the light on is youth unemployment,
up, as we witnessed stating that younger generations should be aware that migration
Following up, our next question for Mr. Laurent was what are your isn’t the only best solution for it. He would also like to shed like on
impressions on the MRU so far? and what are your expectations migration as a whole, stating that it isn’t a temporary
for it? Mr Laurent first expressed his tremendous impression with phenomenon, that would fade away by time. Migration is will
those in charge, stating that they are very engaging, reassuring and continue to grow each and every day, so instead of looking at it
that they share his interests in the importance of creating such a radically or in any way based on discrimination, we should focus
unit amongst every institution of Cairo and beyond, ministries on making the best out of it, whilst providing proper living
included. With that being said, those impressions fulfilled on of Mr. conditions for those migrants, and studying how it could benefit
Laurent’s most important expectations, which is bringing together us and our society.
academic people policy makers and the government, whilst having
them sharing the same future interests and goals. His other
expectations fall under the umbrella of making a migrant’s life
better; Mr. Laurent would love for people to look to migrants as
people who can really contribute to the society, not as just
numbers. The strong global stigma that defines migrants as poor
individuals that take advantage of the society should disappear. He
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believes that the researches and policies to be conducted by the
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MRU could be a bridge that allow migrants to unleash their full
ﺤ ﺒﻋ Egyptian society; our faculty, in
potential and benefit the
particular, could use an economic or socioeconomic approach in
making Mr. Laurent’s vision come to life.

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