Following two days of high-level dialogue and expert analysis, the inaugural IMF MENA Economic Annual Research Conference co-organized by the International Monetary Fund and AUC, concluded with a strong call for coordinated, evidence-based policy responses to the region’s old and new pressing economic challenges.
Held on May 18–19, 2025, the conference served as a critical platform for advancing rigorous research tailored to the realities of the Middle East and North Africa. It brought together global policymakers, academics, government officials and thought leaders to bridge the discussion on global economic issues with regional realities. The event marked a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the IMF and a leading University in the region, reflecting a shared commitment to deepening the link between academic research and policy development.
"This is about generating ideas that are globally informed but deeply rooted in the realities of our region."
Jihad Azour, director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, noted that trade tensions and increasing uncertainty affecting the global economy, alongside ongoing regional conflicts and climate risks, are creating new layers of complexities for MENA policymakers. Azour called for building a regional platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas that connects MENA to world-class research centers to provide reliable analysis and develop workable and innovative policy responses to old and new economic issues facing the region. “We are deeply grateful to President Ahmad Dallal and AUC for their commitment to fostering dialogue, research and policy innovation in the region,” Azour said.
AUC President Ahmad Dallal highlighted the event’s role as a vital platform in fostering collaboration between governments, academia and the private sector. "This is about generating ideas that are globally informed but deeply rooted in the realities of our region," Dallal noted.
Dallal affirmed that this type of multi-stakeholder engagement is at the heart of AUC’s mission and reflects the University’s commitment to research, education and open dialogue as drivers of stability, resilience and inclusive growth.
“We are deeply grateful to President Ahmad Dallal and AUC for their commitment to fostering dialogue, research and policy innovation in the region."
Under the theme “Steering Macroeconomic and Structural Policies in a Shifting Global Economic Landscape,” discussions centered on four pivotal issues shaping the future of the MENA region and the global economy:
Throughout the sessions, there was a clear consensus that the MENA region’s economic resilience depends on institutional reforms, cross-border cooperation, and investment in skills and innovation. Participants also underscored the importance of embedding policy in local realities — an approach that both the IMF and AUC pledged to champion moving forward.
In addition to prominent global and regional academics, as well as economists and government officials from across the region, and representatives of international and regional organizations, the conference brought together policymakers, including Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat '95; Youssef Boutros-Ghali, member of the Specialized Council for Economic Development; Mahmoud Mohieldin, United Nations special envoy on financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; and Martin Galstyan, governor of the Central Bank of Armenia.
As Nigel Clarke, IMF deputy managing director concluded, "This conference is a milestone demonstrating the IMF's commitment to deepening engagement with the research and academic community, as we strive to ensure that the IMF support is not only responsive to the needs of member countries, but also built on rigorous tested analytics and importantly, it's aligned with local realities. Through this kind of multi-stakeholder dialogue, we aim to better understand how all our expertise and resources can be directed towards the most pressing challenges of the region.”
Visit the conference website for more details and to watch Day 1 and Day 2 of the discussions.
Mahmoud Mohieldin, United Nations special envoy on financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat '95; and Youssef Boutros-Ghali, member of the Specialized Council for Economic Development
“My interests in this region have been instilled in me since my childhood through conversations with friends, peers and family, and hearing about it on the news,” said Allan Feldman, an economics and Middle East studies junior on an exchange semester from Brandeis University.
Feldman’s interest in the Arab world took on an academic fervor when he began studying the region at his home institution. “I decided to take Arabic classes at Brandeis and enjoyed the challenge of the language, which naturally grew into my being more interested in the local Arab culture and people,” he said.
Living Egypt
When he decided he wanted to move to the Middle East to immerse himself in the Arabic language for a semester, he knew he wanted to be at a high-quality institution where he could continue taking diverse courses in his fields of study; this helped him choose AUC. Now, Feldman is not only a student but also a research assistant for Professor Mona Said in the Mohamed Shafik Gabr Department of Economics.
“The faculty at AUC and the economics department are great. If you look at the research these faculty members have produced, they’ve done really reputable work for organizations like the Economic Research Foundation and other international research institutions. They’re very experienced,” said Feldman. “In my interactions with Dr. Mona Said and Dr. Abeer Elshennawy, my Economic Development course professor, both were super welcoming,” he added.
“You can make a lot of connections here if you put yourself out there. I found that all the professors were very willing and happy to help me out.”
The Brandeis student was also impressed by the networking opportunities on offer at AUC — even the implicit ones. “You can make a lot of connections here if you put yourself out there. I found that all the professors were very willing and happy to help me out,” he said. As a matter of fact, Feldman first connected with Said for his assistantship through the faculty network.
In his free time, Feldman volunteers with the student group Help Club, packing food boxes for those in need during Ramadan and working with underprivileged children.
Feldman was also a member of AUC’s track and field team last semester, which trained four days a week. In an impressive feat, Feldman placed third in the 3000-m track event at Cairo Governorate regionals and fifth at nationals in the 5000-m event. He also ran a spontaneous 10,000-m event around the Saqqara pyramids with another AUC track and field member.
A Cairene Summer
Since finding his footing at AUC, Feldman has gone on to secure opportunities in Cairo that will extend his stay into the summer. He also wants to continue studying Arabic and move downtown for greater immersion. “I want to meet more locals,” Feldman said.
For this summer, Feldman won a $10,000 grant from Middlebury College’s Davis Projects for Peace program to work with an Egyptian transportation startup. The company, Tink, graduated from the AUC Venture Lab and will create a program this summer addressing female sexual harassment through automobile and mobility workshops located in Cairo, the North Coast and potentially one more governorate for now.
“Since coming to AUC, my interest in Arab culture has only grown.”
“Through this program, I hope to gain experience doing community programming in Egypt, working with a startup and meeting as many people as I can,” said Feldman. He also shared his hopes to reach Egyptians across different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Another summer goal for Feldman is to immerse himself in the local cycling community. He recently invested in a bike and began riding with Egyptian teenagers and adults in the Cairo Crit Club, a local club that meets every Friday morning at 5 am. He has also ridden with an expat-based club, the Cairo Cycling Club.
Cairo and Beyond
Alongside his studies, Feldman has gotten to explore Cairo and learn from the locals, feeling welcomed by Egyptian people’s deep family values, relaxed attitude and collaborative ambiance.
“One thing that shocked me was the pure chaos of the city juxtaposed with people’s extreme kindness. People are not afraid to just interact with you on the block, spontaneously, and I think they do that out of love,” said Feldman, who felt a personal need to talk to as many locals as possible coming into his exchange semester — a goal he feels he has accomplished.
“I had a few experiences during Ramadan where I was invited to iftar with some Egyptian friends and their families, and that was both enriching and fascinating because I could see really how important this family gathering was. To be part of that has been very special,” he said.
After graduating from Brandeis next year, Feldman envisions himself focusing on the region in his career, be it through economic research or public and private sector work. In the long term, Feldman aspires to familiarize himself with Arabic’s various dialects while continuing to learn Modern Standard Arabic. “Since coming to AUC, my interest in Arab culture has only grown,” he said.
Last fall, economics junior Ahmed Ayman quickly fell into step with Milan’s unique rhythm of life. “Milan is more than just a city; it’s a mood. Mornings start with a quick espresso, afternoons are spent strolling through streets rich with history, and nights are filled with energy.”
Whether enjoying an enthusiastic football game at the San Siro or having a deep conversation about life in Navigli, Ayman’s experience was nothing short of exceptional.
Ayman spent the Fall 2024 semester studying at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, exploring Italy’s rich history and, of course, indulging in the food.
Thrilled to immerse himself in another culture, Ayman was led across the Mediterranean Sea by his philosophy on learning: “I’ve always believed that real learning happens when you step out of your comfort zone, and what better way to do that than studying abroad?”
Ayman was drawn to study in Italy due to the country’s unique economic positioning as part of the European Union economy. He also wanted to learn from a different academic perspective and interact with international faculty. “I didn’t just want to read about different cultures; I wanted to experience them,” Ayman said. “And let’s face it — who wouldn’t want to spend a semester in Milan?”
“Studying abroad didn’t just teach me about Italy; it taught me about myself."
The Milanese balance between tradition and modernity was what Ayman most loved about the city. “It’s visible in the architecture, the way people dress and even in how they party.”
While abroad, Ayman took every chance to visit other sites in Italy like Lake Como, Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre and the Dolomitic Alps — “all nearby yet each offering a different slice of Italy’s magnificence.”
“AUC has this way of making you feel like you’re already part of a global community before you ever set foot outside Egypt."
He also viewed studying abroad as a way to challenge himself and prove that he could thrive in a completely new environment. “I became more independent, learning to navigate everything from public transport mishaps to cultural misunderstandings. I learned the value of spontaneity: My best experiences happened when I ditched the plan and went with the flow,” Ayman said.
Ayman credits the International Programs and Services Office and Office of Student Financial Affairs and Scholarships for securing his trip’s logistics. “They guided me through the application process and ensured I had everything I needed before departure. Even when my experience became stressful (because, let’s be honest, no international process is ever without stress), IPSO had my back,” he shared.
But it was AUC’s global focus that most prepared him for life abroad. “AUC has this way of making you feel like you’re already part of a global community before you ever set foot outside Egypt,” he said. From the diverse student body and discussions about international affairs to an emphasis on critical thinking, Ayman said, “AUC gave me the confidence to adapt quickly in Milan.”
AUC’s liberal arts education was also an asset. “I learned to approach topics from multiple perspectives beyond my major, which helped me navigate courses taught from a completely different angle.” Socially, being a resident adviser and interacting with students from different backgrounds also made it much easier to connect with people in Italy, “even if it sometimes meant throwing in some broken Italian here and there,” he said.
Unexpectedly, being abroad even strengthened Ayman’s love for Egypt. “I became more appreciative of home. There’s something about being away that made me realize the beauty in my own culture too,” he said.
Overall, Ayman’s takeaways were wide-ranging and life-changing. “Studying abroad didn’t just teach me about Italy; it taught me about myself,” he said.
Along with the Sawiris family, AUC celebrated the naming of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business in a special ceremony on the New Cairo campus on January 6.
The school was named in honor of the late Onsi Sawiris, a titan of business in the Middle East, founder of the Orascom Group and patriarch of the family, in appreciation and recognition of a transformative gift from the Sawiris family. The single largest philanthropic gift in the institution’s history, it provides funding to support excellence in business education.
“For the first time, a school at the University is to be named, and it is fitting that it honors Onsi Sawiris — a man who embodied a deep love for Egypt, visionary business acumen and an unwavering commitment to education,” said Mark Turnage (ALU ’82), chair of AUC’s Board of Trustees, at the ceremony. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend our deepest admiration and appreciation to the Sawiris family: We thank you for your extraordinary generosity, your trust and your partnership.”
“For the first time, a school at the University is to be named, and it is fitting that it honors Onsi Sawiris — a man who embodied a deep love for Egypt, visionary business acumen and an unwavering commitment to education."
AUC President Ahmad Dallal also paid tribute to the enduring Sawiris legacy. “We are here to honor the late Onsi Sawiris — a visionary leader of industry and business whose legacy is carried forward by his three sons, grandchildren and the thousands of people who have been touched by the Sawiris family. Onsi Sawiris was not merely a businessman; he was a pioneer who transformed the way we think about business, leadership and innovation. Despite the many obstacles that lay in his path, Onsi saw opportunities where others saw only barriers.”
The funding will impact the school and its different stakeholders in several ways. It will provide scholarships for students, facilitate interdisciplinary research for faculty, establish a professorship in artificial intelligence and data science, and support visiting faculty and student exchange programs with several leading U.S. business schools and universities, including the University of Chicago –– one of the top worldwide. These collaborations will enable AUC and partner institutions to tackle pressing global issues, such as climate change and economic fluctuations, through multidisciplinary research and best practices, producing graduates who are globally informed, culturally sensitive and driven by innovation.
“Our partnerships with leading American universities will create pathways for students of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business to develop a global mindset, a nuanced regional understanding and interdisciplinary skills essential to tackling the challenges of the future,” said Dallal.
"Bonds with AUC have also served to reinforce and extend the historic connection between Egypt and UChicago."
Melina Hale, dean of the College at the University of Chicago, highlighted the transformative impact of the Sawiris Scholars Program at UChicago and other U.S. universities: "The University of Chicago has been fortunate to witness while we are celebrating here today the extraordinary and long-standing commitment of the Sawiris family to the cause of education," she said.
Hale also commeded the University of Chicago's well-established ties with AUC: "The American University in Cairo has played an important part in the Sawiris Scholars program from the start. With two successful students from AUC in its first year., the program was soon opened to other universities and increased numbers of students. Bonds with AUC have also served to reinforce and extend the historic connection between Egypt and UChicago. With your prestigious institution, we look forward to supporting The American University in Cairo and the Onsi Sawiris School of Business in its bright and impactful future."
“Our partnerships with leading American universities will create pathways for students of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business to develop a global mindset, a nuanced regional understanding and interdisciplinary skills essential to tackling the challenges of the future.”
This gift is made possible through the generosity of the NNS Foundation, the Naguib Sawiris Charitable Fund, Naguib Samih Sawiris, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Orascom Construction.
Nassef Sawiris, executive chair of OCI Global, reflected on his father’s belief in the importance of education for future generations. “Not only did my father believe in the value of education for his children, but he also recognized the benefits of providing similar opportunities to talented and deserving students across Egypt and the capacity for bolstering Egypt's economic competitors in so doing,” he said. “As a result, 25 years ago, my father established the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program, which was unprecedented at the time, to promote academic excellence and achievement.”
“Seeing the potential within the AUC community –– the tenacity, curiosity, creativity and drive to succeed within the student body. Our family looks forward to continuing the support to AUC and its mission to be a global leader in education and excellence.”
The program has thus far provided full-tuition scholarships to 99 Egyptian students to pursue bachelor's or master's degree at prestigious U.S. universities, including the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Stanford and MIT. “The only stipulation my father made in return was that recipients returned to Egypt upon graduation to immediately begin reinvesting their talent and entrepreneurial skills to advance Egypt's economic standards for future generations,” said Nassef Sawiris.
So why is the Sawiris family creating new educational opportunities through the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at AUC? “Seeing the potential within the AUC community –– the tenacity, curiosity, creativity and drive to succeed within the student body,” said Nassef Sawiris. “Our family looks forward to continuing the support to AUC and its mission to be a global leader in education and excellence.”
“Today’s school naming honors the past and inspires the future."
Through scholarships, research, professorships and exchange programs, the Onsi Sawiris School of Business will continue on its path to driving educational excellence in Egypt, the region and worldwide. “Today’s school naming honors the past and inspires the future. It celebrates our shared vision to create a learning environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking and ethical leadership,” said Sherif Kamel ’88, ’90, ’13, dean of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business. “Here’s to the future, the endless possibilities that lie ahead and the enduring spirit of our beloved school of business.”
Photo caption: The Sawiris family, including Engineer Naguib Sawiris, Engineer Samih Sawiris and Mr. Nassef Sawiris; AUC President Ahmad Dallal; Board of Trustees Chair Mark Turnage; Dean Sherif Kamel; Dean of the College Melina Hale at the University of Chicago; Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahmen as well as senior AUC leadership, ministers, ambassadors and other notable figures at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business celebration
A generous gift by the Sawiris family supports scholarships, research and global exchange at top U.S. universities.
AUC partnered with the Global Liberal Arts Alliance (GLAA), a consortium of liberal arts universities, to offer our students an interactive cultural exchange experience through globally connected courses. Enrolled students will virtually engage in international, multicultural discussions on critical issues of our world alongside students in other classrooms around the world.
Through a selection process, faculty from AUC traveled to the American University in Bulgaria in the summer of 2024 to meet with global faculty partners in other GLAA universities and plan the activities of their joint courses. Connected courses on all campuses were held face to face, with virtual interactions on shared coursework with global student partners, to span five to seven weeks of the course.
“This initiative supports our central goal of advancing the liberal arts learning outcomes through high-impact learning experiences that place our students at the center of academic discussions, bringing together students with multiple cultures and perspectives to grapple with complex issues that concern our societies today,” said Ghada Elshimi, dean of AUC’s Academy of Liberal Arts.
She added, “Students in these courses develop the skills to collaborate with [other] students from different backgrounds and reflect on their own values, identities and biases, as well as those of others. Transferable skills of global learning, deep listening, critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork are among the important outcomes that students gain.”
“Students in these courses develop the skills to collaborate with [other] students from different backgrounds and reflect on their own values, identities and biases, as well as those of others."
Let’s take a look back at the courses that were offered this fall and hear from their faculty and students.
Courses Offered in Fall 2024
Taught by:
Lobna Mourad
AUC’s Department of Biology
Connected with:
Jennifer Johnson, Kenyon College
Gaybe Moore, Oberlin College
This course connected with students at Kenyon and Oberlin colleges in Ohio. Students developed nutrition literacy, looking into global, food-related epidemic threats and the consumption of processed food from perspectives of different cultures and backgrounds. They discussed issues such as food politics, malnutrition and food waste.
"Never be afraid to have too many cooks in the kitchen.’”
Johnson appreciated the exchange of ideas and disciplinary perspectives on food with the other professors. “Meeting with my colleagues regularly to discuss our courses and students’ progress has been a highlight of my [work] this semester. Students tell me that they, too, value the relationships they’ve developed with peers from different universities. Some hope to keep these relationships going even after the course is over.”
Though adapting to different time zones and working styles can be a challenge, Johnson says that it was absolutely worth the effort for herself and her students. “In spite of the anxiety and frustration she felt at times, one student described how much fun she’s had and how proud she is of her group’s final project. Her advice to others? ‘Never be afraid to have too many cooks in the kitchen.’”
"Students tell me that they, too, value the relationships they’ve developed with peers from different universities. Some hope to keep these relationships going even after the course is over.”
While bridging three courses across different time zones was admittedly difficult, Moore said that “students were able to learn effective communication skills and integrate their classroom learning into real-world conversations about food, nutrition and public health.”
The results of global collaboration in the students’ learning were “made evident in their final project, a series of Public Service Announcements that could be distributed either in the United States or Egypt to address health disparities and provide education on topics related to our courses.”
AUC freshman Zeina Swiedan appreciated the diverse interactions. “I have been exposed to new cultures and ideas, and learned the importance of respecting other cultures that might not be in line with mine," she said, describing the experience as a fun challenge that she would repeat without hesitation if given the chance.
AUC course instructor Lobna Mourad shared similar sentiments: "This collaborative experience has been incredibly enriching for both myself and my students. I am confident that we all gained valuable knowledge and skills. Moreover, I am grateful for the opportunity to build lasting friendships with my AUC peers and professors from the United States. I look forward to participating in future global course connections. "
This year, the Core Curriculum features an exciting international dimension that brings the world to our classrooms and our students to the world.
AUC Professor:
Yasmine Salah El-Din
AUC’s Department of English Language Instruction
Connected with:
Dawn Chisebe, Ohio Wesleyan University
In this five-week collaboration, students analyzed the concepts of leadership, (in)equalities and human rights through an intersectional framework of race, gender and class. They developed a campaign raising people’s awareness of a social movement in countries other than Egypt and the United States.
"The students demonstrated remarkable adaptability, learning from each other and finding innovative ways to work collectively.”
“Leadership in the Era of Black Lives Matter, the course I teach at Ohio Wesleyan University, is an upper-level, writing-intensive class,” said Chisebe. “This partnership has really encouraged our students to engage with one another’s perspectives and collaborate on group projects despite challenges like differing time zones. The students demonstrated remarkable adaptability, learning from each other and finding innovative ways to work collectively.”
For construction engineering freshman Emmy Nasr, the course was an eye-opener. “The program was a great opportunity to work with foreign students, and it helped me discover what teamwork is like between people with different backgrounds. I enjoyed how it allowed me to see [the way] others view Egypt and gave me the chance to clear some misconceptions about our culture.”
"I enjoyed how it allowed me to see [the way] others view Egypt and gave me the chance to clear some misconceptions about our culture.”
Her classmate, freshman Hana El Sherbiny, saw the course as "a path that linked diverse minds, cultures and ideas, fostering collaboration and mutual learning. The English liberal arts course opened my mind to diverse perspectives, enabling me to tackle different critical issues and stigmas through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals we addressed.”
Taught by:
Nellie El Enany
AUC’s Heikal Department of Management
Connected with:
Emmanuel Skoulas, The American College of Greece
Students and their peers examined the role of international NGOs, the issues they are tackling and the challenges they face. The connection provided an opportunity for students to explore the way NGOs operate as well as their functions and efforts to communicate important issues to the public sphere, thus legitimizing their cause.
“The experience with AUC has been a great one, and students were very enthusiastic about the connection and interaction with students [in Egypt]."
“The global course connections initiative reinforces its commitment to liberal arts education, bringing together faculty from across the world to forge new ideas, inspire one another to develop innovative [initiatives] and foster internationalization in teaching and learning,” said El Enany.
Her Greek counterpart Skoulas said, “The experience with AUC has been a great one, and students were very enthusiastic about the connection and interaction with students [in Egypt]. The teams of students from ACG and AUC have been working together toward a common assignment of finding an international NGO and identifying its mission, vision, key values and matching them with the sustainability goals set by the United Nations.”
AUC student Khadija Baheieldin noted, “Although we faced challenges in communication with the students in Greece at the start, we had developed a deeper understanding of each other and each other’s cultures by the end of the course.”
Taught by:
Ayah Amin
AUC’s Department of Rhetoric and Composition
Connected with:
María Ordoñez Alvarez, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
This course focused on the overlap between scientific language study and sociolinguistics. The goal was to orient students with inequalities related to language in local and global contexts. Students were exposed to a linguistically diverse classroom with classmates from Ecuador who speak an indigenous language, complementing many of the sociolinguistics topics that were covered in the class.
“Our GCC class experiment with the Ecuadorian students was all about connecting and sharing stories, ideas and cultures in a way that felt authentic and meaningful. It wasn’t just learning but an eye-opener to a whole different world.”
“The workshop in Bulgaria was the epitome of embracing diversity and intercultural dialogue,” said Amin.
Her counterpart Ordoñez said, “The experience has been very rewarding. Students in Ecuador had the unique opportunity to connect with Egyptian students, talk through their different lives and methods of approach to their studies and collaborate together on class-oriented activities.”
AUC economics junior Sandy Moaaz Mohamed commended the experience as a whole. “Our GCC class experiment with the Ecuadorian students was all about connecting and sharing stories, ideas and cultures in a way that felt authentic and meaningful. It wasn’t just learning but an eye-opener to a whole different world.”
Reliving our proudest moments of 2024, we showcase the AUC community's achievements, innovative initiatives, commitment to excellence and significant influence on the world.
