Our location in Cairo, in many ways the richest metropolis in the Middle East and only a short flight away from its capital cities, gives us a natural comparative advantage to bridge the gap for our students between the lecture hall and the social world. We capitalize on this location as well through our cultural activities and the many lectures and seminars at the university by scholars and artists from the region and elsewhere.

In this respect, we view the mission of the Middle East Studies Program as a vivid expression of the horizons that a liberal tradition of education creates. MESC is thus intended to provide students with the academic credentials and first-hand knowledge of the region to pursue careers in areas such as academia, diplomacy, and other government service. It also equips the students to work with NGOs, and in development, business, finance, public relations, journalism and cultural affairs.