Dr. Sherif Fakhry Mohamed Abd-el-Naby, President of the Egyptian Russian University (ERU), announced that the “Pharmaceutics Department” at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the university organized the fourth cosmetics exhibition, under the title “The Fourth ERU Beauty Expo”, for the fourth year in a row. This comes as part of the annual practical students’ activities on campus, with the aim of supporting students’ practical skills and providing them with applied experiences that are related to their studies. This is in order to qualify them for the local and international labor market, and to enable them to enter the realm of entrepreneurship and contribute effectively to sustainable development, by motivating them to compete in creating pharmaceutical products from basic natural raw materials. It is one of the prominent applied projects implemented by the students of fourth and fifth years, with the aim of enhancing practical learning and honing their skills in the area of cosmetics. The exhibition was carried out with the support of Dr. Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees. It was attended by Dr. Essam Khamis, Advisor to the University President for Academic Development, Dr. Hanaa Abd-el- Rahman, Advisor to the University President for Student Activities, faculty members, industry professionals, and specialists.

On his part, Dr. Mohamed Ehab Fattouh, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the ERU, pinpointed that the exhibition was not confined to the preparation of the products only, but extended to preparing the visual identity for each set of products and choosing the suitable trade name for it. In addition, identifying materials were prepared for each product. Moreover, attention was paid to the final appearance of the product in terms of the choice of packs as well as its external appearance in a professional manner that conforms with the product’s identity, reflecting a complete understanding of the product’s journey from the idea to its final form that is ready for display.

The Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the ERU added that organizing the fourth ERU Beauty Expo comes as part of the university’s strategy to encourage and support all means of developing the students’ abilities and skills. He added that among the most important objectives of the exhibition are the following:

* Practical application: linking academic courses with practical applications and manufacturing finished products.

* Teamwork: developing a spirit of teamwork and cooperation among students in a simulated work environment.

* Sustainability: focusing on employing natural raw materials in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

* Vocational Training: preparing students to launch their own businesses in the industry of cosmetics.

On the same subject, Dr. Jamil Abdullah, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the ERU, stated that the cosmetics industry is one of the advanced branches within the field of pharmaceutical industries, and requires the integration of scientific knowledge with practical application. This makes pharmacy a core element in it, starting from the selection of raw materials and preparation processes, up to the evaluation of product quality and safety of use.

The Faculty Vice Dean highlighted that the exhibition was held under the supervision of Dr. Alaa Zaky, Head of the Pharmaceutics Department, and with the participation of Dr. Tasneem Mohamed, as well as Pharmacist/ Yumna Soliman and Pharmacist/ Mona Ayman, members of the faculty assisting staff. He added that, during the exhibition, the students were able to manufacture a range of cosmetic products within the faculty’s laboratories, while committing to the scientific standards and quality required in this field.

In the same vein, Dr. Alaa Zaky, Head of the Pharmaceutics Department at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the ERU, pointed out that the “Fourth ERU Beauty Expo” included a display of products which were completely manufactured by students within the laboratory, including: soap, nail serum, dry oils, lip gloss, skin moisturizers, hyaluronic serum, hair styling product, hair serum, face wash, and hand moisturizer.

The head of the Pharmaceutics Department at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Egyptian-Russian University added that, at the conclusion of the event, the university and faculty leaders awarded certificates of appreciation to the students in recognition of their outstanding efforts and participation, in addition to honoring the faculty members and the assistant staff for their effective role in supervising, organizing and supporting the students throughout the various work phases.