Home page
ع
A man and a woman shake hands in front of a blue background

AUC, Tübingen Launch Joint Degree

By Katie Marie and Dalia Al Nimr December 02, 2023
Global Connections

The Master of Arts in comparative and Middle East politics and society (CMEPS), a joint program offered by AUC and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen in Germany, marks the first official joint degree between AUC and another university and the first master’s degree in political science accredited in Germany, Egypt and the United States –– a distinct offering of its kind. 

Founded more than 500 years ago, in 1477, Tübingen is one of the oldest and most prominent universities in Germany. It is ranked among the world’s top 100 and is known for its excellence and innovation in research and teaching, as well as its longstanding research expertise in the Middle East and North Africa. Likewise, AUC’s political science academic programs leverage Cairo’s position as a key political, intellectual and cultural hub at the heart of the region and center of the Arab world. 

“Our collaboration with Tübingen spans 10 years, and this is a vote of confidence in AUC,” said Nadine Sika ’97, ’00, associate professor of comparative politics and director of the CMEPS program at AUC. “The international structure allows students to be exposed not only to a wider variety of course topics but also to different classroom dynamics and cultural exchange.”

Exchanging International Expertise

The CMEPS program stands out for its immersive approach to teaching comparative political science. Students in the two-year program study at both universities, completing one semester away from their home university at the partner institution, which includes Arabic and German language study. 

 “My time as a CMEPS scholar was an unforgettable experience that I am very thankful for,” said Yasmina Elazazy ’16, ’21, coordinator of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Graduate Program at AUC and a CMEPS alum. “I really appreciate the interactive learning experiences offered through course workshops and field trips. I attended all of them and didn’t want my exchange semester to end.

 

Woman smiles overlooking a city and lush green trees

Yasmina Elazazy

“Our collaboration with Tübingen spans 10 years, and this is a vote of confidence in AUC.”

Echoing the same sentiment, Leonie Mühlbauer, a CMEPS alum from the University of Tübingen, said, “The exchange semester at AUC and staying in Cairo allowed me to make friends worldwide and practice my Arabic daily. Classes were challenging but incredibly rewarding and worthwhile.”

Program cohorts are small, with a maximum of 20 students per year. “This facilitates opportunities for closer exchange between students and the many out-of-classroom learning experiences organized throughout the program,” said Sika. 

“Over the past couple of decades, a truly transnational community of knowledge has emerged in social sciences that had long remained nationally based or at most transatlantic scholarly dialogues. CMEPS not only profits from that emergent community; it develops and fosters it in ways that future generations will benefit from deeply.”

Transnational Connections

Joint classes allow for dynamic interactions between Egyptian, German and other international students, and the University of Tübingen's Institute of Political Science ­­–– one of Germany’s top-ranked political science institutions –– teaches some of the modules. The program highlights the relationship between societies and states in the MENA region as well as the dynamics of social and political transformation, focusing on comparative politics and development with an emphasis on the politics, society, cultures and languages of the Middle East.  

“Over the past couple of decades, a truly transnational community of knowledge has emerged in social sciences that had long remained nationally based or at most transatlantic scholarly dialogues,” said Nathan Brown (CASA@AUC ‘84), professor of political science and international affairs at The George Washington University and an AUC trustee. “CMEPS not only profits from that emergent community; it develops and fosters it in ways that future generations will benefit from deeply.”

To promote the link between theory and practice, the program includes study trips to international organizations, development agencies as well as political and cultural institutions in both countries. “This allows our students to network with leading scholars in the field as well as professional experts and career diplomats,” said Sika. 

Real-World Experience

Besides the semester abroad, the program also constitutes a practicum module whereby students complete an internship with a public or private organization working in the field, usually in the host country –– gaining firsthand and cross-cultural experiences as well as boosting their employability and career readiness. In addition, the program includes a joint international research colloquium.

“CMEPS caters to both academia and practice, providing students with hands-on learning and a unique international profile, which paves the way for their success in a variety of professional pursuits,” Sika added. 

Indeed, program alumni have gone on to pursue careers in academia at respected universities in Egypt and around the world. Many have joined the ranks of global entities, such as the International Labour Organization and various UN agencies, while others have pursued careers in government, media, banking, research and civic service. “The focus on Middle East politics and societies paves the way for students to work in a wide range of careers, from development and diplomacy to NGOs and think tanks,” said Sika.  

And alumni testify to that. “Being a CMEPS scholar really opened doors for me in my professional and academic careers,” Elazazy said. “Earning a degree from two prestigious universities was a huge bonus. I built the connections and knowledge that enabled me to begin working as a research assistant in AUC’s Department of Political Science after graduation, publishing research with leading professors in the field.” 

 

Graphic reads: 6 Things to Know About the University of Tubingen, Ranked among the world's top 100 universities, Oldest and pioneering political science department in Germany, One of 11 German "Universities of Excellence", 500+ years old, 200+ academic programs, 11 Nobel laureates

Related stories

A woman waving the opposition flag with cars around her in a street in Syria
December 17, 2024

Syria's Al-Assad Regime Falls

On December 8, the 53-year reign of the al-Assad family came to an end as rebel groups took over Syria. The Syrian civil war has been raging for almost 14 years, starting in 2011, and many experts viewed the regime collapse as a sudden shift in the conflict’s power dynamics. We spoke to AUC Professor Bahgat Korany to better understand the causes, impact and future of Syria following the fall of the al-Assad regime.  Korany believes the speedy fall of al-Assad is significant in itself, demonstrating “our misconception of confusing the state’s fierceness with its strength. On the contrary, in this case, fierceness is much more a demonstration of the lack of legitimacy and acceptability, indeed of the state’s weakness.” Korany explained how al-Assad’s regime was mainly maintained through force, by counting on the Alawite minority and other groups through bribery, along with foreign support from Iran and Russia. “The decline of resources available at the disposal of the regime (lack of finance) or of its allies (increasing involvement of Russia in Ukraine and Iran devoting its main resources to conflict escalation with Israel) created serious economic problems for members of the Syrian army. Many simply abandoned the regime,” he said.Yet while the fall of the regime was welcomed by many, Korany said that “the attainment of political stability for Syrians is not for tomorrow. There are too many militias and warlords dispersed in Syria’s different regions, many with their independent base among the population.” Mohammed al-Bashir has been named interim prime minister, and a new government is expected to materialize by the time his term ends on March 1, 2025. “Though Bashar’s fall was really overdue, hard times are still ahead for both Syria and the Arab world as a whole. But the real process toward an alternative, though time-consuming, is now starting.”Still, Korany warns that “at a time when the need for national unity is crucial, Syria’s sociopolitical fragmentation will make coordination, consensus and coalition-building for a working national regime a real challenge.” He speculated that it will also take a long time for Syria to recover its position as an active regional power.Another point of concern has been Israel’s encroachment onto the newly liberated Syrian territory. Since the regime’s collapse, the Israeli military has carried out more than 480 strikes in Syria, allegedly destroying the majority of the Syrian army’s assets while seizing Syrian territory, breaching the border for the first time in decades.“At a time when the need for national unity is crucial, Syria’s sociopolitical fragmentation will make coordination, consensus and coalition-building for a working national regime a real challenge.” “The easy way Israel managed the destruction of Syria’s maritime/military infrastructure shows the new military hierarchy of the Middle East,” said Korany. “The ‘new Middle East’ will be essentially dominated by regional powers such as Turkey and especially Israel.”Korany concluded, “Though Bashar’s fall was really overdue, hard times are still ahead for both Syria and the Arab world as a whole. But the real process toward an alternative, though time-consuming, is now starting.”
Global Connections
Student wearing a suit and speaking at a podium
September 9, 2024

Youth for Impact

Political science senior Ibrahim Elsharkawy was part of the official delegation representing Egypt at the High-Level Global Forum on Youth Peace and Security in Amman, Jordan. Elsharkawy contributed his original ideas and initiatives to the forum, where he advocated for youth as "champions of peace" and called for the introduction of peace education into schools.“I was representing youth who are my age, and I felt that I was voicing their concerns to leaders from across the region..” The forum discussed an Arab strategy for youth peace and security, built upon the official agenda launched by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, which promotes youth participation in peacemaking. The resolution, and now the forum, has five main pillars: participation, protection prevention, partnerships, disengagement and reintegration. Elsharkawy shared his recommendations to help curate the forum’s final strategy. One of his suggestions was to create youth councils in member states to enable youth participation in decision-making processes. The significance of this goal, according to Elsharkawy, is to allow for intergenerational dialogue. The forum discussed another of his ideas: disengaging youth from armed groups and reintegrating them back into society.“I was representing youth who are my age, and I felt that I was voicing their concerns to leaders from across the region,” said Elsharkawy, who hopes to become a diplomat after he graduates.  “I was able to put the skills I learned throughout my years at AUC to good use and fend for those who cannot fend for themselves.” In addition to these contributions, Elsharkawy focused his speech on the need to “shift the narrative from perceiving youth as agents of chaos to champions of peace.” His emphasis on peace education, among his other initiatives, is a strong way to “raise a generation that is more tolerant and peaceful with each other in the future.”"I was able to put the skills I learned throughout my years at AUC to good use and fend for those who cannot fend for themselves."The forum was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah and the League of Arab States. Elsharkawy was part of the official Egyptian delegation headed by Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhy.
Student Experience
Students in class sitting at their desks and looking straight
September 16, 2024

New Cybersecurity Specialization Introduced

In an ode to AUC’s global citizenry and leadership in innovation, the University is offering a new cybersecurity specialization and welcomed the first cohort of its newly launched international joint degree program. Department of Computer Science and Engineering  The computer science and engineering department has introduced a new specialization in cybersecurity, in addition to embedded systems and artificial intelligence, which were introduced over the past two years.“These specializations are very well aligned with the local and international job needs,” said Sherif Aly '96, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. “They position our graduates to land high-quality, higher-paying jobs in the marketplace.” Aly further stressed the need for expertise in all three subject areas among fundamental industries, from transportation systems to healthcare to telecommunications. “These specializations are very well aligned with the local and international job needs. They position our graduates to land high-quality, higher-paying jobs in the marketplace. All of the digital infrastructure out there needs protection, and there is a huge shortage of professionals to do this."Emphasizing that the cybersecurity specialization will fill a much-needed niche, Aly noted, “All of the digital infrastructure out there needs protection, and there is a huge shortage of professionals to do this." Master of Arts in Comparative and Middle East Politics and Society (CMEPS) Currently in its inaugural year, CMEPS is a joint program offered by AUC and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen in Germany. The joint-degree program comes after 10 years of successful collaboration between the two institutions, and its inception marks a milestone as AUC’s first official joint degree with another university.“Applying for the CMEPS program was an excellent decision. The small cohort size allowed for close, meaningful interactions with professors, who were eager to provide valuable academic insights."Students in the program will complete their studies between the two institutions, including an internship, a semester abroad at the partner institution, as well as Arabic and German studies. The program is the first of its kind, offering a political science degree that is accredited in both Germany and the United States.“Applying for the CMEPS program was an excellent decision,” said CMEPS student Angelos Chatzigiannis, who was seeking a Middle East-focused master’s program. “Coming from the Tübingen side, I was impressed by the academically rigorous schedule that blended theory and practice. The small cohort size allowed for close, meaningful interactions with professors, who were eager to provide valuable academic insights."
Science and Tech
Share