New agreement promotes links with leading Egyptian university

The University of Essex has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ain Shams University in Egypt to promote joint programmes, academic exchanges, and shared research initiatives in the coming years.

The MOU will build on the success of the UK-Egypt Higher Education Mission to Egypt earlier this year which saw the University of Essex and other leading universities visit Egypt to foster transnational education partnerships, strengthen research links and support student mobility.

The Egyptian Government is looking to develop a sustainable model for the future of higher education in the country and one of its priorities is to establish new partnerships with international universities like Essex.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Maria Fasli, who took part in the Mission, said: “Our visit to Egypt and signing the MOU gave further momentum to our work to deepen ties with Egypt and gave us invaluable insights into Egypt’s higher education landscape and the potential for partnership working.

“This MOU gives us a strong foundation for building our connections with Ain Shams University across education and research in the years ahead.”

The Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Professor Mohamed Ayman Ashour and His Majesty’s Ambassador to Egypt HE Gareth Bayley witnessed the MOU signing.

During the Mission, University of Essex Vice-Chancellor Professor Maria Fasli took part in a panel discussion with other education leaders from universities in Egypt and the UK plus the British Council, while Dean of Partnerships Dr Annecy Lax contributed to a session on developing collaborations between institutions in the UK and Egypt.

Director of Partnerships (Education and Research) Louise Blair was also interviewed on national television in Egypt about our new partnership and work to support higher education in the country.

The group visited Ain Shams University, European Universities in Egypt (EUE), New Cair Technological University, and the new Ain Shams campus being built in the New Administrative Capital.

The visit was organised through a partnership between the British Council, the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau, the British Embassy in Cairo, the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA), Universities UK International, the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce, and the Supreme Council of Universities.