North Africa 1st University Focused Cardano Education Center

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

North Africa 1st University Focused Cardano Education Center

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

58000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

4

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

The Arab region lacks structured, accessible Cardano education. Most programs are vendor-neutral, leaving students and professionals without guidance or resources to learn or build on Cardano.

[Proposal Summary] Supporting Documentation

Supporting links

• https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1143804-20250923
,
• https://fintechnews.co.ke/forging-menas-fintech-future-inside-the-cairo-blockchain-summit/

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

Please provide details on the intellectual property (IP) status of your project outputs, including whether they will be released as open source or retained under another licence.

Open Source

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

Community Outreach

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano?

The primary audience for this initiative includes students, junior developers, and early-career technology professionals in Egypt and the broader MENA region who are actively exploring opportunities in blockchain and emerging technologies. Many individuals in this demographic express interest in Web3 but lack access to structured learning environments, localized guidance, and direct interaction with industry experts.

Outreach will take place through established academic channels at AASTMT, university communication systems, student associations, innovation hubs, and developer communities. Pravica and ABC will also leverage their local and regional networks, including blockchain meetups, fintech groups, and online community platforms, to encourage participation and raise awareness.

This target group is important to Cardano because it represents the next generation of technologists who will shape blockchain adoption in the region. Creating pathways for Cardano to enter universities, developer ecosystems, and innovation programs ensures that Cardano becomes embedded in both the academic and professional landscape. This early exposure lays the groundwork for future builders, contributors, and adoption partners, advancing ecosystem decentralization and global participation.

Provide a list of key activities of your project:

The project will follow a structured delivery approach over a 4-month period, consisting of the following core activities:

1. Introductory Learning Sessions (Bilingual: Arabic & English): Foundational presentations introducing blockchain concepts, the Cardano ecosystem, its governance model, and real-world applications.
2. Technical Workshops and Developer Training 3 days crash course * 3: Hands-on sessions led by Cardano practitioners where participants learn how to set up wallets, explore Cardano developer tools, interact with test networks, and engage with dApps.
3. Guided Onboarding to Cardano Infrastructure: Participants will be supported through wallet creation, first transactions, and exploration of open tools, enabling practical engagement beyond theory.
4. Innovation Sprint: A short, guided sprint providing structure and mentorship to help groups propose and prototype regional use cases aligned with local needs and opportunities.
5. **Creation and Publication of Open Educational Resources: **A bilingual Cardano starter guide, along with recorded sessions and workshop material, will be openly shared so institutions and communities can continue using them after the program concludes.
6. **Awareness and Engagement Campaigns: **Communication activities to strengthen visibility of Cardano in Egyptian and MENA educational environments and to support ongoing community momentum.

What are your success metrics?

The success of the project will be measured through participation, engagement quality, resource reuse, and demonstrated on-chain interaction. The following measurable targets will be used to evaluate progress and outcomes:

• Participant Reach: A minimum of 100 individuals engaged across introductory and technical sessions
• Wallet and On-Chain Interaction: At least 50 participants successfully setting up wallets and completing their first on-chain action.
• Technical Track Completion: Between 40–60 participants completing the developer workshops and demonstrating applied understanding.
• Innovation Output: 5–10 innovation sprint submissions exploring regionally relevant Cardano use cases.
• Institutional Uptake: A minimum of two universities or learning hubs adopting or reusing the materials after project completion.
• Public Outputs: Publication of one bilingual open-access guide and full session recordings accessible to communities and institutions.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

The proposed solution is to establish the Cardano MENA Education Sprint, a structured, university-aligned training and onboarding initiative designed to introduce Cardano to students and early-stage developers in Egypt and the wider MENA region. The program directly addresses the lack of localized, institution-led Cardano education by delivering in-person and bilingual learning experiences, supported by accessible training materials and guided practical engagement.

Over a 4-month delivery period, the initiative will combine educational workshops, technical training, and experiential learning. Participants will move through a structured pathway beginning with foundational blockchain concepts and progressing into Cardano-specific tools, ecosystem components, and real-world use cases. The inclusion of supervised wallet onboarding and hands-on interaction with Cardano test environments ensures that learning progresses beyond theoretical exposure into practical engagement and early ecosystem participation.

To embed Cardano within existing educational structures, the program will be delivered in partnership with AASTMT, leveraging the institution’s academic network and student communities. Pravica, a regional blockchain infrastructure organization, will contribute technical insight, practical guidance, and ecosystem context, helping participants connect learning with real deployment environments and regional innovation priorities. The Arab Blockchain Center (ABC) will lead content development, delivery coordination, and program design, ensuring alignment with Cardano educational standards and regional accessibility.

A central component of the solution is the creation and publication of an open-access bilingual Cardano starter guide, along with recorded sessions and workshop materials. These resources will enable long-term reusability by universities, developers, and local communities, extending the program’s impact beyond the initial cohort and allowing the initiative to serve as a foundational building block for future Cardano educational and innovation efforts in the region.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

This project will generate meaningful and measurable impact for the Cardano ecosystem by establishing Cardano education and onboarding within academic and developer communities in a region where structured access to Cardano training remains limited. By engaging students, early-stage developers, and emerging technology professionals in Egypt and the broader MENA region, the initiative creates new entry points for participation and contributes to the decentralization and geographic diversification of the Cardano community.

The program strengthens the ecosystem in three key ways:

• Building Regional Knowledge and Talent Pipelines: Through structured workshops and technical sessions delivered in collaboration with a leading academic institution, the project supports the development of new learners who understand how to interact with Cardano tools, participate in its ecosystem, and eventually contribute as developers, researchers, or innovators.
• Driving Practical Adoption and On-Chain Participation: By guiding participants through wallet setup and first transactions, the program ensures that learning results in measurable ecosystem engagement. This includes students interacting with test networks, exploring open Cardano resources, and gaining the confidence to use Cardano tools independently after the program ends.
• Creating Reusable, Open Educational Infrastructure: The bilingual starter guide, recorded sessions, and workshop materials will remain publicly accessible to universities, community leaders, and independent learners after the 4-month sprint concludes. This enables continued use, replication, and expansion; allowing the initiative to serve as a foundation for future Cardano learning programs across the region.

In addition to immediate learning outcomes, the initiative lays the groundwork for deeper institutional engagement, future research collaboration, and long-term ecosystem growth. By introducing Cardano education directly into academic environments and supporting students as they take their first steps into the ecosystem, this project contributes to a sustainable, locally anchored presence for Cardano in the MENA region; supporting builders, ideas, and adoption pathways well beyond the scope of the initial delivery.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & Feasibility

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

The project will be delivered by the Arab Blockchain Center (ABC) with strategic support from Pravica and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AASTMT). Together, these organizations bring proven experience in blockchain education, community engagement, and program delivery in the MENA region.

ABC has previously coordinated blockchain-focused training initiatives, educational programs, and ecosystem engagement activities across the region, working with both industry and academic stakeholders. The organization has experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships and delivering structured programs aligned with international learning standards. Pravica contributes regional Web3 expertise, demonstrated product deployment, and practical knowledge of Cardano-aligned infrastructure, ensuring technical elements are accurate, current, and actionable. AASTMT provides a trusted institutional environment, academic oversight, and direct access to university networks, ensuring strong participation and operational feasibility on campus.

Operational feasibility is further strengthened by the project’s modular structure; starting with foundational workshops and progressing toward technical delivery and an innovation sprint. This staged approach enables early validation through participant attendance, quality of engagement, and feedback from initial sessions before advancing to more advanced modules. Throughout the program, attendance tracking, learner progression metrics, participant surveys, and recorded engagement data will be used to evaluate performance and inform continuous improvement.

The project design intentionally leverages existing Cardano educational materials, open-source tools, and local delivery capacity, reducing execution risk and ensuring alignment with the wider ecosystem. By combining regional expertise, institutional support, and publicly accessible content, the initiative is both practical to deliver and positioned for replication and long-term sustainability.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Project Setup & Institutional Coordination

Milestone Outputs

• Finalized delivery schedule with AASTMT academic coordination
• Confirmed venues (physical and/or hybrid) and delivery format
• Recruitment and onboarding of trainers and facilitators
• Outreach plan and communication assets prepared (English + Arabic)

Acceptance Criteria

• Partners confirmed in writing,
• full session calendar set, delivery model approved,
• and all outreach, registration, and communication tools fully prepared for program launch.

Evidence of Completion

• Partnership confirmation letters/emails
• Final schedule document
• Screenshots or links to registration pages and outreach materials

Delivery Month

1

Cost

8000

Progress

10 %

Milestone Title

Bilingual Educational Material Development

Milestone Outputs

• Bilingual Cardano starter guide (Arabic + English)
• Workshop slide decks and instructor materials
• Recorded introductory overview video content
• Accessible documentation repository for participants

Acceptance Criteria

All training materials are fully developed, reviewed, and finalized, with both language versions uploaded, publicly hosted, and easily accessible to participants, partners, and universities for ongoing use and future reference.

Evidence of Completion

• All published materials and access links are organized and publicly available, supported by a version-controlled repository for updates.
• All recorded sessions are uploaded online and accessible for learners, partners, and universities.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

10000

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Delivery of Training Sessions and Workshops

Milestone Outputs

• Introductory Cardano sessions are delivered in both online and in-person formats, followed by technical developer workshops.
• All participants are onboarded to wallets and testnet tools, with attendance, progress, and engagement fully recorded.

Acceptance Criteria

• At least 100 participants actively take part in the program sessions,
• with a minimum of 50 successfully completing wallet onboarding.
• Between 40 and 60 participants finish the full set of technical workshops and hands-on training activities.

Evidence of Completion

• Attendance logs and analytics
• On-chain participation screenshots/logs
• Workshop recordings and participant feedback reports

Delivery Month

3

Cost

18000

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Innovation Sprint & Applied Use-Case Exploration

Milestone Outputs

• An innovation sprint is held where teams explore practical Cardano use cases, supported by mentorship sessions with industry experts.
• Participating teams submit prototypes, proposals, or concept outlines demonstrating their ideas.

Acceptance Criteria

• A minimum of 5–10 innovation sprint submissions are completed, with each team providing a documented presentation or demo.
• All participants receive structured feedback along with clear guidance on potential next steps for developing their ideas.

Evidence of Completion

• Sprint submission repository
• Sprint demo recordings
• Evaluation panel summary and participant reports

Delivery Month

4

Cost

12000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Final Reporting, Publication & Knowledge Transfer

Milestone Outputs

• Final project report including metrics, outcomes, lessons learned
• All materials and recordings published for public reuse
• Handover package for universities and developers
• Future ecosystem engagement plan for regional continuity

Acceptance Criteria

• A comprehensive report is submitted to Catalyst, with all resources fully published and accessible.
• At least two institutions formally acknowledge their intention to reuse the training materials in future programs or academic activities.

Evidence of Completion

• Final report
• Public links to all educational content
• University reuse confirmations or letters of intent

Delivery Month

4

Cost

10000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: Program Setup & Coordination

• Administrative setup, scheduling, outreach materials, registration support

• Cost: 8,000 ADA

Milestone 2: Bilingual Content Development

• Creation and translation of the Cardano starter guide, slides, and instructional material

• Cost: 10,000 ADA

Milestone 3: Training Delivery & Workshops

• Instructor fees, technical support, session facilitation, and hybrid venue logistics

• Cost: 18,000 ADA

Milestone 4: Innovation Sprint

• Mentorship, event coordination, student support, and recognition for submissions

• Cost: 12,000 ADA

Milestone 5: Reporting & Open Publishing

• Final report, hosting educational resources, and knowledge transfer to universities

• Cost: 10,000 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

This project represents strong value for the Cardano ecosystem because a single, time-bound investment results in long-term, reusable educational infrastructure for a region with growing interest in blockchain but limited localized pathways. The program not only delivers direct training and measurable onboarding outcomes, but also creates bilingual resources, recorded content, and institutional relationships that continue beyond the funded period.

By establishing Cardano education within a university environment and engaging emerging talent through structured training and hands-on participation, the initiative accelerates adoption, develops future builders, and expands Cardano’s geographic reach in a strategically important and underserved region; all at a cost proportionate to impact and longevity of outputs.

[Self-Assessment] Self-Assessment Checklist

I confirm that the proposal is a non-technical initiative, with ≤20% of the budget for tech support.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal provides verifiable evidence (portfolio, links, reports) of the team's ability to deliver the project.

Yes

I confirm that the proposer and all team members are in good standing with prior Catalyst projects.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal includes clear objectives with both Output Metrics (what proposal did) and Adoption-Focused Metrics (what effect proposal had).

Yes

I confirm that the proposal clearly explains the user journey and provides a credible plan for how the project will equip and motivate users for future on-chain activity.

Yes

I confirm that the initiative clearly demonstrates how it will grow the Cardano ecosystem or onboard users.

Yes

I confirm that the project plan and timeline (≤ 12 months) are realistic and well-defined.

Yes

I confirm that the proposal commits to public outputs and justifies any exceptions.

Yes

I confirm that the budget adheres to all policies: it is for future work, follows the merchandise rule, and excludes establishing local treasuries, incentives/giveaways, re-grants.

Yes

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

I Agree

Yes