As climate change continues to degrade the environment, disrupt people’s livelihoods and threaten social stability, it has become increasingly important to analyze its impacts and solutions through an intersectional lens. Examining gender, generation, class and more, AUC master’s student Nayrose Abd El-Megid advocates for a nuanced approach to climate justice, which she discussed in her keynote speech in a video campaign hosted by the  Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation (FES) which was circulated at COP27.

During her speech and panel discussions on gender equality at the conference, Abd El-Megid utilized her academic background from AUC. As a current master’s degree student in the University’s Cynthia Nelson Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies, she is working on a thesis incorporating intersectional identities. Her research interests focus on gender, development work, the refugee crisis, climate justice and communication. Her studies explore how a person’s background may alter the way climate change affects them. 

“The consequences of the climate crisis are related to power dynamics that affect more marginalized and vulnerable individuals, including women. So, women face heightened vulnerability, as they are more likely to have smaller incomes and depend more on natural resources,” Abd El-Megid explained. “The power dynamics of gender affect decision making within a family, opportunities, needs and access to the land and public spaces. Thus, gender inequality affects a woman’s ability to adapt to climate-induced emergencies.”

Abd El-Megid was selected by FES to represent Egypt for their video campaign series, during which she gave a speech on climate justice. Additionally, she attended COP27 and provided insight during panel discussions about how gender, other factors of an individual’s identity may impact their experience of the climate crisis, such as physical location, age, socioeconomic status and nationality. For instance, economically disadvantaged women who contribute to the agricultural workforce face a unique challenge in balancing their roles as breadwinners and household managers.

“Additional pressures on girls force them to leave education in order to help their families in facing these burdens. In some communities, factors such as early and forced marriage, street harassment and disease and malnutrition decrease attendance rate in schools,” Abd El-Megid states. “These sociocultural norms and lack of access and time for education and training resources leave women less able to face crises.”

Abd El-Megid emphasizes that the climate crisis does not only affect women, but that women’s disadvantaged position in society means their struggles must be addressed when creating solutions. This intersectional and holistic approach would account for these aspects of identity like class and gender. 

“We can't achieve climate justice without gender equality. Governments need gender transformative adaptation tactics and national plans to mitigate these challenges and risks, including violence against women,” Abd El-Megid said. “Institutions need to be held accountable and governments need to introduce legislation that encourages adaptive, appropriate and sustainable behavior, as well as a mindset change.”

In addition to the legislative level, personal activism is also needed for this social transformation. “Women's full and equal participation in climate issues empowers society as a whole. Youth-led climate action and showing transparency, accountability and agency must be an individual commitment. ” Abd El-Megid stated. 

Abd El-Megid developed her passion for climate justice and gender equality at AUC. “My undergraduate research concentrated on gender analysis for television ads and my master’s degree is specialized in gender and women’s studies in the Middle East and North Africa,” Abd El-Megid explained. “My studies allowed me to dive deep into contemporary gender transnational perspectives, and how they are encoded in social, cultural and political quotidian practices. I am dedicated to combining the knowledge gained from the program and my professional experience to contribute to the AUC community and Egypt’s 2030 vision as an alumna.”

In the future, Abd El-Megid plans to work as a gender communication expert in the development and humanitarian field. She intends to begin research projects that will help lead her community towards positive change, in addition to continuing to attend international events, campaigns and webinars.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded The American University in Cairo (AUC) $86 million for USAID Egyptian Pioneers, a new program that provides scholarships and training to Egyptian students with emphasis on sectors that can advance Egypt’s climate goals. Through a nine-year cooperative agreement, AUC will administer the program in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of International Cooperation, and private and public sector institutions. Prioritizing women’s empowerment, diversity, inclusion and climate resilience, the USAID Egyptian Pioneers will build and develop the capacity of a cross-disciplinary network of public, private and academic entities. The program includes:

• Scholarships for at least 700 young Egyptians (50% women) from underserved communities to obtain undergraduate degrees in Egypt
• Scholarships for at least 60 midcareer government professionals to obtain master’s degrees in the United States or Egypt
• Scholarships for at least 50 midcareer government professionals to pursue postdoctoral studies in the United States
• U.S. and Egypt-based technical training for at least 280 midcareer Egyptian government professionals and at least 220 mid-career professionals from non-public entities

Accordingly, more than 500 Egyptian women will engage in leadership and professional training, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, and study-abroad programs in the United States.

AUC President Ahmad Dallal said, “Leading the USAID Egyptian Pioneers program is a great honor for AUC. We commit to extending our longstanding leadership and excellence in education, capacity development and training to ensure the sustainable integration of the public, private and academic sectors. Egyptian Pioneers will surely leave an enduring impact on Egyptian society, advancing Egypt’s economic development and progress toward its Vision 2030. We thank the U.S. government and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as we endeavor together on this partnership journey,” 

USAID Deputy Mission Director Margaret Sancho stated, “Climate change is an enormous challenge for all people, all over the world. But we also know that women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of its impact. Despite this, women and girls are leading climate change solutions in their communities. That is why USAID’s Egyptian Pioneers program will include leadership and professional training, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, and study-abroad programs in the United States for more than 500 Egyptian women."

The United Nations recently announced that the world population has exceeded 8 billion, meaning that 1 billion people have been added to the global population in just 12 years. We spoke with Sungsoo Chun, professor at AUC's Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, about this milestone, the challenges it poses and its impact on our climate future.

What caused the population rate to skyrocket in the last 12 years?

The countries with the highest population growth since the 1980s have been lower- and middle-income countries. After the world population reached 7 billion around 2010, the populations of low-income countries increased rapidly, and the populations of middle-income countries stayed high. This rapid growth is due to health support programs in low-income countries, along with the improvement in nutritional status and health services for these populations. These programs have significantly reduced the mortality rate of entire populations, including infant mortality. On the other hand, fertility rates remain high, contributing significantly to population growth.

Is the growth rate slowing? What should we expect the global population to be 10 years from now?

Considering that the population percentage of lower- and middle-income countries accounts for 52% of the world’s population and that the population of high- and upper-middle-income countries is still increasing, population growth over the next 10 years is expected to increase at the same rate as the past 12 years. Although the rate of increase in population is gradually decreasing, it is still expected that the world population will exceed 9 billion in about 10 years.

What is the growth rate in countries like Egypt compared to the global population growth rate?

As of 2021, Egypt's population growth rate is 1.86, which is significantly higher than the average rate of lower- and middle-income countries of 1.34, and higher than the average rate of 1.71 across the MENA region. Looking at this indicator, it seems that for the time being, Egypt's population size has continued to show a rapid growth trend, as it has for the past decade or so. Considering that the population of Egypt as of 2021 was about 104 million and the current population growth rate, the population is expected to exceed 120 million after 10 years.

What are the economic, climate-related and sociological challenges posed by this growth rate?

Population growth is an essential factor in overall economic growth. The relationship between population growth and economic growth is controversial. Low population growth in high-income countries is likely to create social and economic problems, while high population growth in low-income countries may slow their development. In low-income countries, rapid population growth is likely to be detrimental in the short and medium term because it leads to large numbers of dependent children. In the longer run, this population can boost the economy as these young people become productive adults. 

But rather than looking at the problems caused by population growth by country, it’s better to approach the issue from the perspective of how many people the Earth can support. Earth's carrying capacity is a critical variable that can determine the future of humankind. There is no disagreement that about 10 to 12 billion people are the limit of the Earth's population support. But it is estimated that the population will exceed 10 billion by 2060, reaching 12 billion by 2100. 

What do you predict some of the policy outcomes of this growth rate will be globally?

Population policy is an integrated policy, considering health, economic and social structures, immigration, culture and the environment. Population policy can’t just serve one nation, but the globe. Over the last few decades, population policies were mainly developed case by case for each country's needs. Now we recognize that the population issue isn’t a problem within a single country but a global issue, and we expect population policies to be established globally, taking into account the capacity Earth has to support population growth.

What do you see as the best course of action?

Since the impacts of population policy aren’t felt for a long period of time, it’s essential to unify our global policymaking by taking future projections into account. Beyond religious, cultural, social and economic perspectives, integrated policies to save the entire Earth must be discussed and practiced

More than 150 students from Cairo, Tanta, Port Said and Aswan walked across the stage at AUC last month to celebrate their graduation from the English Access Microscholarship Program, commonly known as Access.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the U.S. Embassy in Egypt, Access is a global scholarship program that provides a foundation of English language and 21st century skills to promising but disadvantaged high school students. The two-year program involves a variety of experiential tracks that develop cross-cultural understanding in addition to soft skills. The aim is to empower participants to pursue better educational and career opportunities and compete for future exchanges and study in the United States. 

Kareem Mohamed, a graduating Access student from Cario, reported feeling determined as he finished the program. “I want to do something useful for my community — the kind of work that is written in history books. It may sound ambitious, but I believe we can do it and I will do my best to achieve it,” he said.

Since its inception in Egypt in 2006, more than 5,000 students have participated in the Access program. AUC’s School of Continuing Education (SCE) has delivered classes to over 2,000 of these students in more than 16 cities around the country. 

“AUC has a long history of collaborating with the U.S. Embassy on a variety of projects. However, we have always had a soft spot for the Access program,” said AUC President Ahmad Dallal. “We thank our partners for having the vision to create such an impactful program and for their continued confidence in AUC to deliver it to its full potential.”

In addition to English language learning, the Access program includes an immersive skill-building camp and a community service project. This year, students focused on initiatives that complement Egypt’s environmental goals against the backdrop of COP27. They also performed a series of theatrical skits that demonstrated the significance of climate action. 

This particular cohort will also be eligible to benefit from the upcoming Bridges Plus Program, which will facilitate for them a smooth transition to college life.

“The Access students are a constant source of inspiration and optimism for all of us at the School of Continuing Education,” said James Ketterer, dean of SCE. “They represent hope and possibility for their families and for the future of Egypt, and I thank parents and teachers for their constant support.”

For the first time, AUC’s School of Business hosted the 2022 CEMS Annual Events and Master of International Management (MIM) graduation ceremony at the Pyramids of Giza, celebrating the graduation of more than 1,200 CEMS graduates representing 78 nationalities from 34 business schools around the world. 

“We are honored to host such a great event for the first time in Africa and the Middle East,” said Hakim Meshreki (MA ‘05), assistant professor and CEMS MIM academic director at the School of Business. “This event brings together all the CEMS family once again after two years off due to COVID-19.”

CEMS Global Alliance in Management Education is an international network comprising 34 of the world’s top business schools, 70 multinational companies and eight NGOs that together offer the CEMS Master in International Management. 

AUC joined CEMS in 2017, becoming the first business school from the Middle East and Africa to join the alliance. The University welcomed its first CEMS MIM cohort two years later. Today, 16 students have graduated from the first two cohorts, with the third cohort graduating this year. 

“We are proud to be the first business school from the Arab region and the African continent to join the CEMS network,” said Sherif Kamel '88, '90, '13, dean of the School of Business. “The CEMS program, with its unique mix of global exposure, rigorous syllabus and powerful combination of theoretical knowledge and experiential learning, is a perfect fit with the school’s goals and aspirations in developing truly global responsible citizens.” 

The CEMS Annual Events featured a series of plenary sessions, networking and corporate meetings for the CEMS global network and social events, which took place on and off AUC’s New Cairo campus.

Learn more about the CEMS network at AUC.

Watch the full graduation ceremony

Qatar is the first Arab country to host the FIFA World Cup, thrusting it into the global spotlight. Hosting has given Qatar the opportunity to grow its influence in the region and build a reputation internationally, but it has also brought criticism and controversy.

We spoke with Khaled Ezzelarab, associate professor of practice in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, to understand the significance of Qatar hosting the World Cup and the impact it’s had on the region.

What does it mean for Egypt and other countries in the region that the World Cup is being hosted in MENA for the first time?

Generally, there is a feeling of excitement that such a big event that is so closely followed by millions is being held for the first time in an Arab country. And politics aside, the World Cup is obviously about football, so the fact that three of the Arab teams that are playing in the World Cup have performed well has also contributed to this excitement.

What impact has Qatar hosting this World Cup had on the region so far?

I think it has contributed to the reconciliation between Qatar and Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, who have been boycotting Qatar since 2017. Last year, a reconciliation effort started to yield results, but the pace of this improvement has increased significantly over the last few months. And I think this is partially because Qatar was eager to have these issues resolved before the World Cup.

Economically, there has also been a significant impact, especially for the UAE – Dubai is hosting around 1 million additional visitors this month because Qatar is a small country with limited accommodations. And there are other ways the World Cup has affected the region. For instance, you have Saudi Arabia now floating the idea of presenting a joint bid with Egypt and Greece to host the 2030 World Cup.

Qatar has made internal reforms in the 12 years leading up to this event, such as abolishing the “kafala” system. Do you think such reforms will stick once international attention shifts away?

In terms of migrant workers, I think it will be difficult to undo these reforms. According to the International Labour Organization, there have been significant improvements, yet there are still many challenges in this area. But once you’ve done reforms, a significant segment of society has been affected by them. It would be difficult to take that away. And Qatar’s policy since at least 1995 has been to punch above its weight, and part of that is to maintain a good image globally. It would tarnish Qatar’s image significantly if it was to go back on these reforms. 

Many in the region feel that some of the criticisms and controversies in the media surrounding the World Cup have been unfair. Could you tell us more?

Social issues, such as the lack of availability of alcohol at the World Cup, touch a nerve in the region. There is always some coverage of political issues, internal politics, and social issues in host countries – we would expect that from any event on this scale. But my impression – and I can’t speak with absolute confidence until it is qualitatively assessed – is that there is an over-emphasis in Western media on these issues and that it is more than the norm. So, I think there is a feeling that it isn’t fair that the media is focusing so much on these problems.

How do you think the World Cup being hosted in Qatar will affect international perception of the Arab world?

If my impression is correct that negative coverage of the event is significantly higher than usual, then I think that international perceptions will be inadvertently affected. I wonder if Qatar has come to regret hosting the World Cup because of that. Earlier, I said there might be a bid by Saudi, Egypt, and Greece to host the 2030 World Cup, and I also wonder whether the international coverage of this World Cup will make them take pause.

Between the World Cup and COP27 last month, there seems to be a trend of more international events being hosted in the region. Do you think this trend will last?

I don’t know the answer, honestly. There are obvious benefits in playing host to some of these international events, but there is also this downside. The balance of power globally is changing, and countries outside of Europe and the US are becoming more assertive in the role they would like to play on the international stage. But it’s difficult to see where the cost-benefit analysis plays out at the end. Saudi Arabia has been hosting events that are not on the scale of the World Cup, but smaller-scale events such as golf tournaments and wrestling. Other countries in the region could host more of these types of events – an arrangement that minimizes the risk of negative coverage.

A former expatriate environmentalist accused of cyber terrorism, a Greek dance teacher and a dead body on an art thief’s property in central Texas set the scene of Confessions of a Knight Errant, a recently published novel by Gretchen McCullough, senior instructor in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition. The comedy explores cultural differences through its witty characters and engaging dramas.

So, what is Confessions of a Knight Errant about?

The story is set in 2011 and follows two men on the run. They arrive on the Friday of Rage during the Egyptian uprising, Dr. Gary Watson, an environmental activist and professor who is accused of being a cyber terrorist, and Kharalombos, a Greek dancing teacher wanted by the secret police. They are tempted by a job offer from a German tourist they met in Cairo. They end up in a girls’ camp in central Texas but find themselves entangled in another drama involving a dead body and stolen Middle Eastern antiquities.

How did you decide to write a comedy about an Egyptian and a former expatriate running around Texas?

These two characters actually met in another novella I wrote, where the American guy was an expat living in Egypt. This was the last novella in my story collection, Shahrazad’s Tooth, published in 2013. At the end of the novella they are invited to a German woman’s girls camp in Texas, so this novel was an exploration of what would have happened had they accepted the invitation.

Why Texas?

My parents have a second home in central Texas in an area called the Hill Country where they have a lot of posh sleepaway camps for kids, the type where they stay for five weeks and do activities. One day while my mom was at the house painting there were suddenly helicopters flying overhead and police cars rolling up.

What happened?

There had been a murder at an adjoining property right behind my parent’s house. Apparently the guy who bought the property had paid for it in cash and had a collection of very expensive antique cars. He was mysterious and had hired some shady characters to maintain the cars who all did drugs. So, all of that played into the plot with the character in the book who is an art dealer.

How did you work that into the plot?

In the book, there’s a character who is an antiquities dealer. He’s basically an art thief. The long and the short of it is that there’s a murder on his property and Gary and Kharalombos get roped into the drama and end up on the run again.

Your novel features a lot of interesting personalities. What inspires your characters?

I’m inspired by the people I meet. The antiques dealer is an obvious one, but characters like Gary and Kharalombos are also inspired by my experiences as an expatriate living in Cairo. And there’s an Irish cook who is inspired by a woman I met in Monaghan County near the border of Northern Ireland.

In a story with such diverse characters, what message do you want your readers to walk away with?

I’m frustrated with this idea that comes from globalization — the idea that every place is the same. Since technology can transport us so quickly to different places and we can communicate more easily, people often have the misconception that all places are the same. But in reality, every place is local and cultural differences will still play out.

How do these cultural differences play out in your novel?

The novel is playful. It’s a comedy exploring the gaps between globalization and local cultures, the tensions there. In my previous writing I explored how foreigners react to living in Cairo and now I want to explore what it's like for expatriates to return to their home country. People have a really hard time adjusting and reintegrating when they come back. Gary, even though he’s an American, rebels against the very scheduled and uniform system of the girls’ camp, as does Kharalombos.

How has your time at AUC influenced this novel?

Living in Egypt and studying Arabic has been very important. I had many marvelous teachers in the Arabic Language Institute who encouraged me to learn Arabic.

My first collection of stories, Three Stories from Cairo (2011), was inspired by many of the stories I heard in Garden City. My husband, Mohamed Metwalli, a poet and translator, translated three of the stories into Arabic. The collection is bilingual. Three stories in English, then you flip the book, the same three stories in Arabic. 

How has AUC supported your writing process?

AUC has supported my writing. Two story collections, Three Stories in Cairo (2011) and Shahrazad’s Tooth (2013) were the fruit of a leave in 2006. The books were published locally by Afaq Publishers. I finished Confessions of a Knight Errant during a leave in 2016. I will be on leave in spring of 2023 to work on a book project set in West Texas in the 1930’s during the Depression, inspired by my grandfather’s life. I also have discovered that many Syrians immigrate to Texas through Mexico and I want to weave that into the new novel.

Besides the leaves, the university has granted me support to attend numerous writing conferences. This was an opportunity to meet writers and get feedback on my work.

What are some of the challenges that come with writing a novel?

Writing a novel and becoming an author is a very long process. I worked on this book for five years and received a lot of feedback and then I had to find a publisher. You really have to be internally motivated to write a novel because there’s no guarantee that any publisher will take it.

As a published author and a professor, what advice would you give to people who want to start writing?

Start small. Find local opportunities. Students will come to me and say, “I want to write a book,” and I say “How about an article? Or a short story?” I wrote a full length novel at the University of Alabama and didn’t publish it, which was disappointing. This is very common. Many novelists have “a novel in the drawer.”

A friend at the time gave me some really good advice; he told me to set aside the novel and work on smaller projects. Writing shorter essays and publishing them gave me a lot of confidence. I regularly publish essays, reviews and translations in venues like: World Literature Today, The Literary Review, Brooklyn Rail in Translation, the LA Review of Books.

Things don’t happen overnight. It’s risky.  It’s a little like being a marathon runner. You just have to keep persisting.

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to decimate Ukrainian cities and the lives of people on both sides of the conflict, as well as the global economy, News@AUC spoke to Ibrahim Awad, professor of practice of global affairs and director of AUC’s Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, about the latest developments, recent calls for negotiations and ultimately, the way forward.

It’s been nearly a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. How have global attitudes changed since the start of the war?

Globally, attitudes toward the war have not changed in any significant way. You’ll find that the United States, European Union member states and states within NATO all support Ukraine as they have since the invasion of Ukrainian territory by Russia. 

In the Global South, you’ll find more complexity in attitudes toward the invasion. The majority of states reject the invasion because it is flagrantly against international law and because this part of the world has witnessed multiple attacks and annexations throughout history. They believe that their silence can open the door for them becoming the victims of invasion or annexation tomorrow. At the same time, some of these countries are unable to completely align themselves with NATO. This is due to the fact that they have interests with both parties.

What other factors determine attitudes toward the war?

History plays an important role in determining attitudes. These states have memories of past colonialism from some states of the North Atlantic Alliance, prompting them to wonder why Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is rejected so categorically without any prospect of possible settlements, while some states of the North Atlantic Alliance have previously conducted similar invasions without the same repercussions. There also is the question of double standards. In the Middle East, de jure and de facto annexations have not been met with the same vehement rejection by the North Atlantic Alliance.  

What has been the most significant change in U.S. rhetoric toward the war?

What has changed in the past few weeks are references from U.S. President Joe Biden to possible talks with Russia. This, of course, will open possibilities for reaching a settlement. A settlement of sorts is important to avoid extending further detriment to the Ukrainians, first and foremost, and also to the rest of the world, which has been affected by disruptions in international production and trade.

What might have prompted this change?

There are a few possibilities, the first being global inflation and the subsequent increase in costs of living putting pressure on world leaders to push for a settlement. This is made more urgent by the rise of populist movements in Western countries. An increase in living costs could result in more popularity for the movements, which reject ideas of the liberal party systems in Europe and whose victory could lead to tremendous repercussions — something leaders are likely taking into account. Change is possible when those in power in the world’s largest countries realize that their attitudes may result in detrimental or dangerous consequences. 

How has Egypt been affected by the ongoing war?

Egypt is the largest importer of wheat; 80 percent of the country’s supply comes from Russia and Ukraine. Therefore, at the onset of the war, the price of wheat and other products, such as fertilizer, increased tremendously. They have since fallen.

There is also the impact in terms of tourism, which is very vital to Egypt’s economy. With Russia and Ukraine both as large sources of tourism for Egypt, the lack of tourists has negatively impacted the economy. 

Finally, the ongoing war has directly impacted inflation in the global economy, which has further damaged the country, as well as others. There are indeed other factors that have contributed to the situation Egypt is in today, but the war in Ukraine certainly hasn’t helped.

Does this have the potential to turn into a world war?

No one is interested in starting a world war, and Russia is taking good care to not provoke a reaction under NATO’s Article 5. This is evident when you look at the military support from the United States to Ukraine. Generous as it may be, not all weapons are allowed to enter the country in order to avoid open hostility. I don’t think there is currently a possibility of NATO countries mobilizing against Russia. However, if you ask me six months from now, perhaps things will have changed. But hopefully by then, there would have been talks and the hostility would have come to an end.

Will negotiations happen? What is the way forward? 

Can Ukraine prevail? I don’t think so. Russia is not using all of its military might, and provoking it to do so is in no one’s interest. Can Russia prevail over Ukraine? As long as it continues to stay within the limits of the military force it has thus employed, it cannot.

Therefore, it's not a matter of whether negotiations will happen or not. The question is when will they happen. I don’t know if there is any other solution.

We may also wonder whether Russia, with its latest military action in Ukraine, is putting pressure in order to have Ukraine join negotiations. It is difficult to say for certain, but I don’t believe Ukraine will make a decision alone on whether to sit at the table for negotiations.

Overall, negotiations will not be easy — especially after Russia annexed four areas of Ukraine, which is unacceptable. I do believe, however, that there can be a way to overcome this conflict and find an avenue of coexistence between Russia and Ukraine.

AUC is the only University representing Egypt and Northeast Africa in the newly established African Engineering and Technology (Afretec) Network, a collaboration between African universities to drive inclusive digital transformation across the continent.

Focusing on fostering collaboration across Africa in areas related to information and communications technology, the network was created to support initiatives that address three main pillars: teaching enhancement, knowledge creation and pathways to opportunities (entrepreneurship). AUC will contribute to the network’s activities through joint training, collaborative research, sharing best practices, and student/staff/faculty mobility, among others.

The network’s creation could not be more timely, with Egypt and much of Africa in the midst of massive digitization campaigns. “The aim is to create dignified jobs in the emerging African technology market,” said Karim Seddik, professor and associate dean for graduate studies and research at AUC’s School of Sciences and Engineering. “This is done through activities focused on teaching, research and entrepreneurship across the network members.” 

According to Seddik, the collaboration will involve AUC undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines through competitions, training, topical workshops and research projects, to name a few. “While the focus of the network is information and communications technology, solutions from this field of work can be applied to many sectors, such as health, agriculture and transportation — so the collaboration will greatly benefit from all of AUC’s disciplines.”

After a rigorous review of the University’s research capacity and resources, as well as a site visit from Carnegie Mellon University Africa, AUC was selected to join the network, which currently consists of seven universities and will only grow by three more.

“This collaboration will strengthen AUC’s ties with other African universities, leading to more opportunities,” Seddik said. “Afretec will be a great tool for exploring collaboration inside Africa on many fronts. The network will also provide many funding schemes to support its members to produce regional and international impact.”

Inclusive digital transformation, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s 2021 Development Co-operation Report,“is ensuring that digital technologies are universally available, accessible and adopted and that they enable meaningful and safe use of the internet and digital services for all.” It also considers, protects and empowers vulnerable and underrepresented populations, striving to eliminate inequality while working to meet a country’s digital transformation goals.

The Afretec Inaugural Conference, hosted by CMU-Africa in Kigali, Rwanda earlier this month, gathered faculty members and staff from participating universities. “The event was amazing. It was an eye-opening experience for all of us — the potential of this network and our collaboration with African peers is expected to have a huge impact on AUC,” said Seddik.

Building on its success in empowering Egyptian youth for the job market, the USAID-funded University Centers for Career Development project — implemented by AUC in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research - is now expanding to offer career guidance services to approximately 2.5 million students through 46 UCCDs in 27 Egyptian public universities, three technical universities and four not-for-profit universities throughout Egypt by 2026.

Since 2018, project partners have been empowering youth through 20 sustainable UCCDs at the universities of Ain Shams, Alexandria, Assuit, Aswan, Beni-Suef, Minia, Mansoura, Menoufia, Tanta, Sadat City, Sohag and Zagazig.  UCCDs at Suez, Kafr El-Sheikh and Luxor universities will be operational before the end of 2022. 

“The project extension is great news not only for the graduates and students who will be empowered and have better chances for better futures, but also for the employers who will have better equipped graduates to work for them,” said Maha Fakhry, UCCD Chief of Party. “In the past four years, we have seen what the Egyptian young people are capable of doing when empowered and how impressive their dedication, innovation and hard work can be."

According to Fakhry, this project will ultimately help Egypt reach its 2030 sustainable goals.

UCCDs have been improving Egyptian university graduate and student job prospects by providing specialized training and career mentoring. As of September 30, a total of 293,310 students have benefited from employability, skill development, entrepreneurship, and English language training, through career development workshops, information sessions, individualized career advising sessions and other services. Stressing inclusivity, 106 UCCD staff members have attended a formal Disability Equality Training, focusing on serving students with disabilities and inclusion in career services.

UCCDs link students to private sector networking and employment opportunities, with UCCD staff at partner universities having announced more than 24,000 job and internship opportunities to university students and graduates.  

The centers have also played a vital role in creating and sustaining relationships between universities and external stakeholders in industry, business, the nonprofit sector, and civil society. Through private-sector engagement efforts across UCCDs, more than 500 employer-run information sessions, workshops, and seminars were conducted and attended by a total number of 45,882 students. The UCCD project held three Career Fair Expos in 2022 to link students and graduates with employers from various sectors. An additional career fair is planned for March 2023.

To ensure sustainability of the career development centers and its career services, the AUC team trains and certifies the staff as Career Service Providers who are capable of providing career guidance services to university students.