AUC has been selected to lead the “Invest with Confidence-De-risking Tech Startups Alliance, part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s Alliance and Development initiative. Spearheaded by AUC’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business and the Center for Nanoelectronics and Devices at the School of Sciences and Engineering, the initiative aims to accelerate innovation and enhance Egypt’s competitiveness in the electronic design and manufacturing sector.

Over the past decade, Egypt’s startup ecosystem has experienced remarkable growth, fueled by national strategies like Egypt Vision 2030, a young and dynamic population, and increasing venture capital investments. Despite this progress, deep-tech startups face significant challenges, including high capital requirements, limited access to specialized equipment, and shortages of skilled talent and expert support. The DTS Alliance addresses these gaps by bringing together key stakeholders to create an integrated ecosystem, positioning Egypt as a regional leader in electronics innovation.

Yehea Ismail, director of AUC’s Center for Nanoelectronics and Devices, noted that the project does not just focus on software development but addresses Egypt’s potential in designing and manufacturing hardware technology — filling a critical need in the local technology landscape. “We have been working with regional stakeholders on this scope, and now it is time to go full scale in our beloved country Egypt and support our private sector to compete globally and attract foreign direct investment,” Ismail said.

“[This initiative] is the perfect opportunity to bring in different stakeholders from our network toward such a promising and strategic national objective."

The DTS Alliance brings together nine local partners across academia, the private sector, public entities, investors and enabling organizations. These include AUC; Zagazig University; Elaraby Group; EMASS startup; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), Flat6Labs, Den Venture Capital, Startup Factory and Meska AI. 

Hala Barakat '98, director of AUC’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, highlighted the significance of this collaborative network. “[This initiative] is the perfect opportunity to bring in different stakeholders from our network toward such a promising and strategic national objective,” she said. “We formulated internal and external partnerships to ignite innovation in Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and untap academia’s potential in research commercialization.” 

“We have been working with regional stakeholders on this scope, and now it is time to go full scale in our beloved country Egypt and support our private sector to compete globally and attract foreign direct investment."

The alliance focuses on strengthening the electronics sector by localizing design and manufacturing to promote import substitution, supporting export growth and building capacity to meet industry demands. It encourages innovation through hackathons, develops industry-aligned curricula, advances artificial intelligence applications in electronics, and facilitates intellectual property creation and protection. Additionally, it integrates startups into new markets, promotes research spinoffs and attracts foreign direct investment, driving sustainable growth and competitiveness across the industry.

Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour stated that the Alliance and Development presidential initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to innovation through collaboration between higher education and industry. He added that the initiative seeks to harness research and entrepreneurial potential to build competitive economic sectors, demonstrating the power of cross-sector partnerships in promoting sustainable development.

Coptic Lives, a Core Curriculum course, offers students a gateway into what it would be like to live in historical Coptic society. Investigating history through archeological methods, students discover key elements of Coptic society: from what they ate to what they wore to what they believed. 

Mennat-Allah El Dorry ‘05, assistant professor and chair of Coptic studies at AUC who has trained as both an Egyptologist and archeologist, works to paint a lush tapestry of Coptic lives for her students by guiding them to investigate more than just key historical moments, but also the intricacies of everyday life. 

“The course helped me reconnect with my roots in a deeply personal way and see Coptic lives as lived, enduring experiences rather than distant narratives."

“A very large part of Coptic studies is about the history of the church, persecution, Coptic art and monasticism,” said El Dorry. “But I am intrigued by the daily lives of average people away from this traditional history of Coptic Egypt. We, as Egyptians, have a rich, long history of Coptic culture that is a part of this long and continuous fabric. While politics and religion change, I am interested in looking at the lives of people like myself — and like the students as well.”

In El Dorry’s class, students experiment with the tools historically used by Copts and visit important locations, such as the Coptic Museum and Coptic churches. With a mix of lectures, research and experiential learning opportunities, students paint a full picture of Coptic life, including food, language as well as arts and crafts. The course has no prerequisites and aims to get students at the start of their academic journey excited about archeology and history through the lens of the unique Coptic culture.

 “AUC's Egyptology program features something that few other international programs have: direct access to archaeology and culture.” 

“Coptic Lives didn’t feel like studying history; it felt like being invited into a story of resilience, faith and unwavering resolve,” said student Islam Nadim. “The course helped me reconnect with my roots in a deeply personal way and see Coptic lives as lived, enduring experiences rather than distant narratives. Dr. El Dorry’s passion and personal connection to the subject made that experience truly impactful.”

For El Dorry, the hands-on nature of the class is what makes it so special — the ability to bring Coptic culture to life. “AUC's Egyptology program features something that few other international programs have: direct access to archaeology and culture,” she affirmed. “I want us to focus more on these strengths and for AUC to become an important hub of Coptic archaeology — somewhere students and researchers who want to work specifically on Coptic archaeology can come to as their first choice.”

The Coptic studies program at AUC works to blend the fields of Egyptology, art history, science and religion through the lens of Coptic history. El Dorry herself first became interested in Coptic studies during her time at AUC. “When I was an Egyptology undergrad, a Coptic art class was being offered,” she explained. “The professor who taught it, Gawdat Gabra, was the first chair of Coptic studies at AUC, and he opened my eyes to such a fascinating world. It is an incredible honor to come full circle and now hold the position that first inspired me and to follow in the footsteps of such a scholar.”

When creating his AUC senior film thesis, Mark Ayman ’25 was concerned with one thing: telling a good story. He spent two years developing Cone, a short film that features a small argument between a garage worker and a professor that keeps getting bigger and bigger until the professor eventually spirals into madness. Little did Ayman know, his student film project would be one of 20 selected out of 2,500 submissions to premiere at the Cairo International Film Festival and one of only four Egyptian films selected. 

“The AUC film program helped me gain the conceptual skills I needed."

“The AUC film program helped me gain the conceptual skills I needed,” Ayman said. “Through open student workflow and critique sessions, I learned how to rework and rewrite my project, which is clear in the final product. Many young filmmakers just want to skip to the thrilling part and start shooting, but AUC taught me now to be grounded in development to make a stronger film.”

Cone was developed across three different classes in AUC’s film program, where Ayman studied. “A lot of classes have shaped this film. The script itself was written in a screenwriting class with Professor of Practice Tamer El Said, who supervised the project,” Ayman explained. “I continued developing the film and working on it after the class. Then I brought it into the film production course, where I met Zeina and Karma, and we continued working on it as part of the Senior Film Project class.”

Karma Abu Aly, ‘25 and current AUC senior Zeina Ramy served as the producers for the film throughout its development and filming. Ramy and Ayman met at the AUC Film Association. Ramy noticed Ayman would consistently take pictures of garages, prompting his friend to wonder just exactly what he was plotting. “He explained the idea of the film, and I really liked it. Then we had so much fun in the production course. Afterward, we just continued working on the film,” Ramy described.

“Working with the AUC film program had lots of privileges,” Ayman stated. “They provide equipment and shooting permits. We filmed part of the movie on campus, and they were super accommodating. I also was supported by my adviser throughout the entire project.” The shooting took three days, both at AUC and in Garden City. The crew consisted of 25 people, a mix of AUC students and professionals.

After filming wrapped, Ayman submitted it to the Cairo International Film Festival. “When I learned we were accepted, I was overwhelmed with happiness. The only thought that I had in mind was what I would say to the crew,” he explained. 

Ramy laughed, sharing how Ayman lied to the crew and told them they weren’t selected, just to quickly yell out “just kidding.” Ayman continued, “A lot of people have put so much effort and time into helping me. It’s incredible to have people who trust you with their time, expertise and effort, and then having it pay off.” 

Cone premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival on November 16, 2025. The cast and crew got to walk the red carpet, watch their film in the Cairo Opera’s Grand Hall and participate in a Q & A session. “Sharing my work with people who are interested in cinema and film is always great, especially the audience of the Cairo International Film Festival,” Ayman shared. “The screening of the film was very exciting, as I would hear the audience reacting to the different parts of the film either with shock, laughter or whispering words of excitement. To have your film seen among a hall of people is definitely a rich experience.”

“It’s so incredible to have the film featured in one of the oldest festivals in the region and the world, with something that started as simple as a student film,” he added. 

“It’s so incredible to have the film featured in one of the oldest festivals in the region and the world, with something that started as simple as a student film."

From here, Ayman, Ramy and AbuAly are hoping to find a place for Cone’s international premiere. Through meeting other directors and producers at the festival, they’ve been able to expand their network and learn about new possibilities. “Meeting people after the screening to hear their impressions and experiences watching the film is something I cherish,” Ayman said. “I was overwhelmed with words of love and encouragement from a diverse audience. Whenever I think I used to be one of the audience members of this festival, sitting on the chairs and watching, I feel very grateful.”