Nermin Dossouky

Nermin Dessouky is an international development and research and innovation professional with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of urbanism, sustainable cities, technology, policy, research, and institutional development.

She currently serves as Executive Director of the EU Liaison Office for Research and Innovation at Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, where she works to strengthen Egypt’s participation in European research and innovation programmes and build stronger connections between academia, government, industry, and international partners.

Previously, Nermin worked with UN-Habitat, leading urban development initiatives across areas including urban policy, housing, mobility, local economic development, urban innovation, and sustainable city development. Her work has included engagement with emerging urban technologies and the evolving relationship between cities, technology, and the built environment.

Her experience also includes working on the first Sustainable Community in the Middle East, where she contributed to designing interventions and “nudges” that encourage more sustainable behaviours and make sustainability part of everyday community life.

Trained as an architect and urban geographer, Nermin holds a PhD in Urban Geography from the University of California, Davis, and an MSc in Sustainable Development from the American University in Cairo. She has worked across Egypt, the United States, and the UAE, and has taught and mentored students and professionals.

She is particularly interested in how technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship can reshape cities and improve the way people interact with the built environment from PropTech and urban innovation to more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities.