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By Yasmin El-Beih

Today, more than 180,000 users in Egypt have replaced their short-distance car, cab or ride-hailing trip with an electric scooter or electric bike at least once, thanks to Rabbit Mobility, a clean-tech startup with the ambition to revolutionize how we take short-distance trips while bettering the planet in the process.

Co-founders Kamal ElSoueni '13 and Mohamed Mansoury '14 came up with the idea in 2019 after working for a couple of years in global management consulting firms based in Dubai and London, respectively. Returning to Egypt for vacation, they both noticed an increasing reliance on cars, even for short-distance trips.

Mansoury and ElSoueni hope to expand Rabbit's operations outside of Egypt

"When you're traveling a lot and you come back home, you really feel the difference," ElSoueni described. "We started to notice a grayish black cloud forming over the city, which we had never noticed when we lived in Egypt, and we were always complaining about traffic. In 2018, while visiting the United States, I came across a massive electric scooter company, and that's when we started thinking about applying similar solutions in Egypt."

ElSoueni and Mansoury held focus groups through their own networks to tackle transportation-related inquiries that might aid their blossoming business idea. They found that regular cycling wasn't highly popular given the hot weather for much of the calendar year in Egypt, making it an uncomfortable option for commuters. "I myself used to cycle to AUC for a semester or two as a student, but I always had to shower once arriving to campus before heading to class, so I was able to relate to the feedback we got from the focus groups," said ElSoueni. "We thought that if we removed the element of effort, it would make life easier. We also learned through some of the ride-hailing apps operating in Egypt that around 50% of the trips are for a distance less than 3 kilometers, while 70% are for a trip that is less than 8 kilometers."

The data posed a tremendous opportunity for a business idea -- and for the environment. By mid-2019, ElSoueni and Mansoury had both quit their management consulting jobs to make Rabbit a reality.

"By replacing car rides with electric scooters or electric bikes, you're relying on electricity instead of fossil fuels," Mansoury said. "From this simple shift, you save a lot of carbon dioxide emissions. We estimate that we've saved more than 50,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions just this year."

Although their fast-growing userbase is mostly comprised of riders under 40 years of age, a reflection of the growing youth population in Egypt, up to 10% of their customers are over 45.

User segments also differ in every governorate or city where Rabbit operates. In Tanta, they found that nurses at the public hospital were taking a couple of rides every day between 1 and 2 pm. Through making a few feedback calls, the Rabbit team realized that the nurses were not only using Rabbit bikes and scooters for their daily commutes, they were also going back home for lunch using the eco-friendly vehicles, as they found them safer, faster and more cost-effective than taking a taxi.

Besides a relentless vision to become the go-to solution for any trip under eight kilometers, be it commutes, first-mile/last-mile or delivery services, Rabbit has other audacious goals on the horizon.

"For us to achieve this vision, it's going to require a lot of expansion into many locations, as well as development to our tech," said Mansoury. "Right now, we only have electric scooters and electric bikes, but our short-term plan is to also introduce electric mopeds. We've already brought in our first prototypes and are working on this."

The co-founders have shortlisted potential countries for expansion, with urban issues and infrastructure similar to Egypt. Rwanda, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are new markets Rabbit has set its eyes on. In many of these locations, Rabbit has already begun securing international partners to support their process.

Mansoury and ElSoueni credit the milestones they have achieved to their supporters and mentors, a tight-knit community of fellow startup founders. From Ayman Ismail '85, '87, associate professor in the Department of Management and AUC Venture Lab founding director, to former AUC President Lisa Anderson, there are many who have assisted in their journey, along with the networks, resources, global experts, advisers, research papers and reports at their disposal -- much of which came through their access as former management consultants.

They also have a third co-founder, Bassem Magued, whom they call a "borderline genius." Magued helped in restructuring Rabbit as it took off and in nailing the app's geographic accuracy.

"We see a lot happening, with the potential for much more, not only in clean transportation but also clean tech across the Middle East and North Africa," asserted ElSoueni.

 

By Dalia Al Nimr

In his book, Age Is Just a Number, the late Charles Eugster recounted his experiences as a retired dental surgeon. He revived his passion for competitive rowing at age 63, ventured into bodybuilding at 87 and embraced sprinting for the first time at 95. His remarkable achievements include securing 40 gold medals in World Masters Rowing, claiming world championship titles in 200-meter indoor and 400-meter outdoor races, and setting world records for his age group in various sports. Eugster died in 2017 at age 97.

While not everybody can be record- breaking athletes at an older age, it's up to each individual to make the most of their time in this life. "Age is really just a number," said Mohamed Salama, professor at AUC's Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology. "Healthy aging is all in the mindset."

This year, Salama is launching "AL- SEHA [Health]: A Longitudinal Study of Egyptian Healthy Aging," the first nationally representative panel study on aging in Egypt. The first of its kind in the Middle East, the study aims to fill knowledge gaps to help set policies and effective healthcare strategies that improve the lives of the country's elderly population.

AUCToday spoke with Salama on AL-SEHA and what it takes to be happy and healthy.

What is healthy aging?

The word "health" in itself does not connote the absence of disease. Healthy elderly people still have illnesses. The true definition of health is improving one's quality of life. This notion of health is becoming correlated with the term "happy aging," whereby as people age, they are content, independent and engaged in community activities while maintaining a good physical quality of life.

A 2023 paper published in Cell journal argues that aging is a reversible process, based on experiments with mice. Can aging be reversed? Can the body "reset itself?"

Reverse aging is too ambitious. Such experiments have been successful with reverse aging in mice through gene manipulation in a controlled experimental setting. However, humans have different exposures and ways of living. So theoretically yes, the body can reset itself in a controlled environment, but realistically, this can't happen because you can't control all of the variables around you. This is the problem with basic research: oversimplification.

What's a more realistic approach?

Applied research, which is more accurate and aims to improve quality of life while postponing or slowing down the aging process. It's normal to have a decline in cognitive and other functions as you get older. Our role as scientists is to postpone this to 80 or 90 years of age, especially since life expectancy is increasing. So we're looking at a gradual, not sharp, decline that can be accommodated and doesn't hit elderly people hard.

How does that happen?

There are two tracks to study aging: purely biological, which ignores the complexity of human beings, and a social science path, where scientists study human experiences throughout life. The best approach merges both tracks, and this is where longitudinal studies come in.

How does the AL-SEHA study work?

Before getting into the aging phase, which begins at around 45 or 50 years of age, we follow up with individuals who are in good physical and mental health. We do this every couple of years for a decade or two. At age 60, we examine when the decline happens and identify possible contributing factors: Is it specific experiences they went through, such as work, diet, sports or marriage? Is it where they live or how much education they have completed? Embracing the complexity of human beings is a main pillar in longitudinal studies, and such determinants provide us with real-time data to analyze.

"We need to embrace aging and understand its determinants. It's a normal process."

How do you use this data to assess cognitive aging?

We identify modifiable risk factors. So far, there are 12: lower levels of education, physical inactivity, air pollution, excessive alcohol, smoking, head injury, infrequent social contact, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression and hearing impairment. If we can control them, we'll probably be able to postpone, decrease, slow down and, in some cases, eliminate the risk by up to 40%. We basically match each of these lifestyle aspects with biological factors.

Can you illustrate this from everyday life?

Take education, for example. The number of years of education is directly proportional to cognitive functions. The more educated you are, the lesser the chance of cognitive decline. Continuing education and graduate studies are even better. Also, people who are skilled in memorization have a high cognitive reserve, meaning their brains are resilient to new demands and damage and are therefore less likely to develop cognitive diseases later on. Family coherence, or the degree of love from primary caregivers, also affects cognitive functions among the elderly. Even coffee can protect against neurological diseases and cognitive decline. Studies have shown that four cups of coffee a day could help prevent Parkinson's and dementia. On the other hand, stress, trauma and pollution can negatively affect cognitive processes.

Why are aging studies important?

There has been a growing global interest in healthy aging studies because they reveal the challenges and opportunities that will face the world in the future, especially in low- and middle-income countries that suffer from a lack of data in this field. Aging studies can help prevent the development of major diseases, such as cancer and dementia, including Alzheimer's.

What is different about the study you're conducting?

AL-SEHA is the first to apply the U.S.- based health and retirement survey, which has been implemented on a global scale, to the Middle East. With longitudinal studies, it's important

to understand the human condition in one's own country versus others. For example, a study conducted in a war-torn country will be different from one where there is no conflict because human experiences and exposures stand in stark contrast.

Why start with Egypt?

Egypt is the most populated country in the Middle East and the third in Africa. Although the country's population is relatively young, the number of elderly people is rising. Egypt is in an ideal position to prepare its population for healthy aging to help reduce access inequities and age-based discrimination while facilitating the evaluation of current health policies.

How big is the project?

It started in 2021 with a pilot study in coordination with AUC's Social Research Center and will expand to include about 20,000 participants aged over 50, representing all of Egypt's governorates. The study will span at least 10 years, with researchers following up with participants every two years to track changes in their health. We will collaborate with government agencies, civil society and nonprofit organizations in Egypt, in addition to the SHARE project, which researches the connection between policy and quality of life for European citizens and beyond.

What's the main message you wish to convey through this research?

Aging is not a disease. If people view aging as a biological problem or illness, their life expectancy falls back four years. There is still a misconception that the elderly should retire and stay at home. On the contrary, working reduces the chances of a sharp decline in health and cognitive functions. We shouldn't make the elderly feel like they have a problem. There will be some decline, of course, but one can remain healthy at 70, 80 and even 90 years of age. We need to embrace aging and understand its determinants. It's a normal process and shouldn't be accompanied by major morbidities or lethal diseases.

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By Claire Davenport

Carbon is a major indicator of climate change. In the last century, the amount of carbon in our air has exponentially risen to a record high of over 400 particles per million -- a level reached on Earth only millions of years ago. Yet while carbon emissions have a volume measurable in units of metric tons, calculating the amount any given country, organization or even person is emitting yearly is a difficult task.

Tarabieh is leading a team of faculty experts to create AUC's Data Hub for Climate Change Mitigation, photo by Omar Mohsen

When AUC initially decided to measure its carbon footprint in 2011, it faced similar challenges. However, since the first task force was commissioned to assemble this data, the University has lowered its energy consumption by 35% and published six climate footprint reports. "We measure everything in these reports, from our water and electricity use down to our composting and recycling activities," said Khaled Tarabieh, University architect and associate professor of sustainable design in the Department of Architecture.

AUC is a pioneer in Egypt and the region in terms of measuring and publishing its carbon footprint. The University's desire to share its knowledge in this area is what inspired the idea to create AUC's Data Hub for Climate Change Mitigation -- a new initiative that is in its initial phase and will bring together AUC faculty from diverse disciplines to share measurement tools with higher education institutions in the region.

As Tarabieh, the project's principal investigator (PI), noted, "The dream team of Co-PIs is formed of faculty who are experts in their specializations and in what they can contribute to this ambitious project: Nouri Sakr '13 (computer science), who is a leader in building data hubs; Ali Awni (business), who specializes in operations management and environmental policy; Omar Abdelaziz (mechanical engineering), who focuses on building mechanical and energy systems; Ahmed El-Gendy (construction engineering), whose work centers on environmental and water resources; and Sherif Goubran '14 (architecture), a sustainability expert and one of the key contributors to AUC's carbon footprint report."

In 2016, AUC's carbon emissions in one day corresponded to 42,808 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year and 117 MTCO₂e per day (pictured above), based on the 2015 published report of campus-wide emissions. In 2021, AUC's carbon emissions totaled 94 MTCO₂e per day and around 2.97 MTCO₂e per capita -- a considerable decrease in overall campus emissions due to implemented policies and in line with global standards.

Despite AUC holding instructional events with other universities to share how it puts together its climate footprint report, there weren't tangible results, Tarabieh said. "This is not due to a lack of interest, but rather to a lack of resources for collecting information and conducting data analysis in a validated and institutional way," he noted.

The data hub overcomes these barriers by allowing AUC to create a centralized database across higher education institutions in Egypt and beyond. AUC faculty members will train other institutions on how to collect their energy data, analyze the information, and pass on insights and learnings. "Through the hub, we will be able to scale the methodologies and best practices we've successfully piloted at AUC, equipping other institutions across Egypt and North Africa with the ability to measure their carbon footprints and take action. It will also help us aggregate and assess trends over time as well as across universities and countries while compiling best practices in tackling climate change."

Data hubs can operate as a mechanism for accountability. Once other institutions are presented with their climate impact, they will have more of an incentive to make a change. Tarabieh believes this will create channels for universities to collaborate in the fight against climate challenges.

"We hope that a data hub like this could ultimately inform how many institutions -- banks, hospitals and airports -- measure their carbon footprints, drawing on the hub for best strategies to lower their emissions," he said. "The more measurable data within the hub, the more institutions can learn how best to be energy-efficient and, most importantly, know the areas of their operations to control their daily emissions. This way, sustainability is more than a goal. It becomes a value."

He added, "For me, this topic isn't just strategic for our operations but for our future as well. It's not about competition. It's about the achievement of a higher level of building performance and data acquisition, and what a consortium of higher education institutions can put together for others to follow."

 

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By Yasmin El-Beih and Abigail Flynn

As major flooding wracks Pakistan, droughts choke much of East Africa and wildfires raze Australia, it is becoming clear that the consequences of climate change are not distributed equally across the globe. Industrialized countries in the Global North, particularly those with strong colonial histories, have the worst carbon emission records. Yet it is the Global South, with relatively lower emissions, that is bearing the brunt of the resulting environmental catastrophes.

Awni: "African universities and networks have a major role to play." Photo by Omar Mohsen

Ali Awni, professor of practice in the Department of Management and director of AUC's John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, Civic Engagement and Responsible Business, explains the need for a "just transition" to address this inequality.

A just transition can be defined as "a fair and equitable process of moving toward a post-carbon society," said Awni, using the words of researchers Darren McCauley and Raphael Heffron. This approach to cutting carbon emissions prioritizes fairness and equity in global justice concerns, especially pertaining to ethnicity, income and gender. It considers the realities of marginalized communities while recognizing that the solution must be globally connected and systemic. "The transition to net-zero emissions means a fundamental change in the current fossil fuel-based growth model to a more regenerative and sustainable economy," said Awni.

These changes will not be subtle. A just transition intends to do much more than patch one hole in the boat. It aims to build a newer, stronger ship. The way we work, live and develop public policy will all need to change. A just transition ensures that no one gets left behind. This will require an intricate balance of environmental, socioeconomic and political concerns, explained Awni.

"This is what we mean when we talk about climate justice," Awni said. "Climate change affects various sectors of society differently. A just transition is about making the shifts more equitable across societal segments so that some aren't more drastically affected than others."

For instance, individuals who work in the fossil fuel industry must be taught new skills and provided with new employment opportunities. The costs of economic adjustments must be distributed fairly between the privileged and underprivileged. The way future generations may be disrupted by this transition must also be considered and prepared for. In short: It won't be easy, but it is necessary.

Climate change catastrophes are no longer a speculation; they are a proven reality. Egypt itself is facing problems with water scarcity, land degradation, desertification and mass migration as a result of global climate change. While larger economic decisions about carbon emissions remain in the hands of governments, solutions can also be found in universities.

AUC's research on climate change solutions is expansive. To address water scarcity, the Center for Applied Research on the Environment and Sustainability is exploring how to recycle wastewater from fisheries to act as fertilizer for plants. The Department of Physics is using light waves to identify pollutants in water reserves. These are only a few examples of a multitude of AUC projects that can be used to fairly address local and regional impacts of climate change through their implementation in underprivileged communities. A just transition will use these projects and build upon them with larger, systemic and multidisciplinary approaches.

AUC's Gerhart center helps to connect projects across Africa, including the Johannesburg-based Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment. "African universities and networks have a major role to play, given the need to change the mindsets of individuals, culture and the way we conduct research," Awni said. "African universities don't only create and disseminate knowledge. They also produce a generation of young people who are aware of sustainability and climate issues, as well as the injustices that surround them."

 

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By Katherine Pollock | This story appeared in the July 2017 edition of AUC Today.
This is the cover story for the July 2017 edition of AUC Today.

"It was a huge responsibility. In school projects, if something goes wrong, the worst-case scenario is that you'll get a bad grade. But as real-life architects, there is no such thing as a bad grade. Money, time and people's lives are at risk."

This is how Shaymaa Hesham, a graduating senior majoring in architecture, described her experience in the Sustainability in Architectural Design Studio class, taught by Khaled Tarabieh, assistant professor of sustainable design. In the class, students were empowered to create their own architectural designs based on real-life community needs. They were challenged to not only create the architectural designs, but also develop a holistic plan that includes financials, feasibility studies and other practical concerns.

"It helped a lot to focus on the financial aspect of my design, not only the aesthetic part of it," said Farah Wahdan, a graduating senior majoring in architecture.

Students completed two major projects in this class: one drawing heavily on Cairo as an extension of the classroom to address community needs, and the other using the New Cairo campus as a field site for practical learning. "Both projects engaged students in experiential, hands-on education that enhances their creativity, adaptability and professional skills," said Tarabieh. "This learning-by-doing approach makes all the difference."

 

El-Teseen Street

The first project was a community design initiative for New Cairo, whereby students surveyed community needs and site conditions at various locations across El-Teseen Street. Based on their community needs assessments, the students proposed projects ranging from an outpatient medical clinic and community center to a government services building.

Emphasizing the real-world application of such proposals, the student projects were submitted to the LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction, the world's premier sustainable design competition. Each student in Tarabieh's class submitted an entry to the competition, with AUC representing 33 submissions out of 120 entries from Egypt and 620 from the Middle East and Africa. This year, AUC was also chosen to host the regional jury cycle of the awards, becoming the first University in the region ever to do so.

"Because we were taking part in the LafargeHolcim Awards competition, we made extra sure our projects were practical, buildable, culturally compatible and, of course, sustainable," said Sara Seyam, who is majoring in architecture. "The idea of ensuring practicality and cultural compatibility in one's design is vital, as it produces projects that are realistic and capable of responding to human needs with the addition of experiential spaces. We developed an eye for detail that drove us to produce thorough, well-thought-out designs."

"Researching new technologies, materials and means of sustainability while customizing them to suit our environment and target group was both challenging and rewarding." - Hadeel Koura To read more about what architecture students had to say, scroll down.

As many students noted, the El-Teseen Street project was not without its challenges. "It was my first sustainable design project," said Wahdan. "It was really challenging to research and come up with an innovative and sustainable technology that would simultaneously fit with the context and environmental conditions here in Egypt."

"The best part of this project is that students were left on their own to interact with the
client as professional architects. They were given a request for proposal, and they presented it in a typical manner conducted by real-life professionals."

Hadeel Koura, another architecture student, added, "Researching new technologies, materials and means of sustainability while customizing them to suit our environment and target group was both challenging and rewarding."

Architecture student Rawan Sohdy noted that the project taught her to "include sustainability in every aspect of the design process: economic sustainability through entrepreneurship, social sustainability through multi-use, and environmental sustainability by including environmental techniques in the making of kinetic walls and roofs, instead of the typical solar panel add-ons."

For Sohdy, taking part in the LafargeHolcim Awards competition was a dream come true. "Last January, I found myself scrolling through Google for student architecture competitions," she recalled. "Despite my enthusiasm, I gave up on the idea since I had no guidance and didn't know where to start. A couple of weeks later, I found myself in class, with Dr. Tarabieh saying, 'Guess what? You're the lucky batch who will participate in an international competition for this semester's studio project!' No words can describe how rewarding it was to break out of my comfort zone and find myself, almost four months later, clicking the submit button when my project was done and compiled."

"From participating in an international competition and presenting publicly to a client to designing in groups and taking costs into consideration, the class brought me closer to what real-life architecture is like." Rawan Sohdy"What was rewarding about this project is that I saw an end goal to it; the design could actually be executed in real life. ... It was a huge responsibility." Shaymaa Hesham"It was a truly fulfilling experience to interview 'real clients' and create a design based on their needs and preferences, while also adding our opinions and design ideas." Farah Wahdan"The idea of ensuring practicality and cultural compatibility in one's design is vital, as it produces projects that are realistic and capable of responding to human needs with the addition of experiential spaces." Sara Seyam

Campus Craft House

The second class project was a simulation of a client-architect project, where the students were asked by AUC's Office of Residential Life and Office of Facilities and Operations to design a craft house in the entry courtyard of the University Residences. The craft house had to be sustainable, accessible and creative, allowing dorm residents to learn and enjoy various crafts as a break from academic pressures. The designs had to focus on sustainability, both in the types of crafts available for dorm residents and in the design, construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of the craft house itself. Some of the sustainability ideas proposed by students in Tarabieh's architecture class include installing green walls and solar panels in the craft house as well as recycling material for different purposes, such as: using clay, wood, rice-straw and paper tubes as building materials; soda cans as tin bricks; car tires and cardboard to make furniture; and aluminum cans to make screen walls.

"The trickiest part was being both sustainable and economic," recalled Sohdy. "Hence, my group and I relied on touching down on Egyptian heritage by using clay. Through research and by following up with Dr. Tarabieh, we learned to design a small-scale building that can operate completely without mechanical systems such as air conditioners and heaters."

At the end of the Spring 2017 semester, students presented their proposals to a jury of University experts in design and sustainability as well as AUC President Francis J. Ricciardone. Proposals ranged from designing a craft house entirely constructed of cardboard to an architectural plan that included dynamic walls that can move to create different spaces for dorm residents.

"The best part of this project is that students were left on their own to interact with the client as professional architects," said Tarabieh. "They were given a request for proposal, and they presented it in a typical manner conducted by real-life professionals."

And the students felt the same way. "The highlight of the class was definitely the client meeting for the craft house project," said Wahdan. "It was a truly fulfilling experience to interview 'real clients' and create a design based on their needs and preferences, while also adding our opinions and design ideas."

As Sohdy noted, "With a client, it stops being just about how accurate our drawings are, but how we manage to sell our ideas and their potential to the client, despite being limited by client requirements."

In designing a craft house for the University Residences, students proposed innovative sustainability ideas, including using paper tubes to design a system of mobile wall panels that can be moved around to create multiple rooms or room settings.

In one project proposal, Warshetna (Our Workshop), the students were able to rethink and redesign the cardboard material into a sustainable and innovative means for construction. Their detailed proposal had a conceptual approach that used cardboard to "reflect the freedom of expression of the activities performed inside of it."

"The biggest challenge was our chosen building material of cardboard tubes,'" said Wahdan. "We had to read many journal articles and talk to professionals in order to identify the structural capabilities of this unconventional material to convince our clients of our choice."

Another student proposal for the craft house, titled Studio Circle X, utilized recyclable materials to create a flexible space with convertible and adjustable walls to adapt to student needs and maximize the natural environment. In their presentation, the students emphasized that "every space hosts an activity" and that no room should be under-utilized.

"What was rewarding about this project is that I saw an end goal to it; the design could actually be executed in real life," explained Hesham.

In designing a craft house for the University Residences, students proposed innovative sustainability ideas, including using upcycled painted car tires to be used as flower pots.

AUC as a Living and Learning Lab

Reflecting on the larger concept and purpose inspiring his class, Tarabieh noted, "We are using our campus as a living and learning lab, a concept promoted by AUC's Research Institute for a Sustainable Environment. Using student expertise to provide solutions to the University, especially in creating a sustainable, energy-efficient environment that minimizes waste, is an overall effective strategy that can further position AUC as a sustainability leader in Egypt and the region."

In addition to advancing AUC's reputation as a regional leader in sustainability, Tarabieh emphasized the importance of helping students gain real-world experience. "It is critical for students to be trained as professionals and to interact with clients before they graduate," he said. "This gives them an edge in the market and allows them to understand market needs and the professional language of practice."

 

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By Claire Davenport

Breaking Silos

Large global issues such as climate change are difficult to tackle across sectors. Scientists, politicians, local governments and corporate industries often get isolated in their efforts to address environmental challenges, coming up with solutions that are narrower or smaller in scale.

Laila El Baradei with Public Policy Hub members, photo by Ahmad El-Nemr

"When you're just adopting the views of a single entity or governorate, you focus on its needs only," explained Laila El Baradei '83, '85, professor in the Department of Public Policy and Administration and director of AUC's Public Policy Hub. "But environmental issues, in particular, cut across all boundaries, and there is a need for different ministries to talk to one another and figure out the responsibilities they have to shoulder in order to achieve their common objectives."

The Public Policy Hub at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) bridges the divide between research and implementation, offering well-researched solutions to Egypt's policy dilemmas around climate change and beyond.

Policy Proposals

The Public Policy Hub was co-founded by El Baradei in 2017 to advance evidence-based policy recommendations that meet the needs of government organizations. Participating graduate students and alumni from AUC and other universities work in teams to tackle policy issues identified by Egyptian government bodies, developing creative and cohesive policy solutions to the problems Egypt faces.

The hub is currently focused on climate change policy issues, which include examining the effects on agriculture and tourism in Egypt, mitigating the impact of climate change on Egyptian cities, studying the localization of climate change alleviation and adaptation efforts, as well as evaluating the current impact of these strategies.

When creating a public policy recommendation, there is a lot for the researchers to consider: existing data, how other countries have tackled similar issues, what is administratively feasible and politically acceptable, affordability and any challenges they foresee.

After a weeklong intensive training and four months of research on a given subject, each group is assigned a mentor and works to create a policy research paper, policy brief and advocacy tools, such as graphics and animated videos, to raise broader awareness. The groups then present their work at an annual conference held by GAPP, an event often attended by sector leaders and government representatives.

A Hub for Impact

By allowing government agencies to propose issues for the researchers to tackle, the hub has a unique ability to affect government decisions and have its policy recommendations taken into consideration.

"What's unique about our Public Policy Hub is that we follow a demand-based approach, and we are very proud of that -- so it's not us the researchers and academics who decide what the policy issues or research problems are, but it's the government agencies that do so," explained El Baradei.

To date, the hub has published 40 papers that have more than 8,200 downloads across 112 countries, and it has tackled issues as diverse as child marriage and care for the elderly.

Beyond the hub's impact on influencing policy decisions and legislation, it is also an incubator for the next generation of policy leaders.

By putting together reports and taking part in the day-to-day operations of policymaking -- from navigating scheduling to parsing through data -- researchers leave the hub well-equipped to enter the policy sector and bring their climate insights to bear through their future work.

"We hope that the focus on climate change is continuous and sustainable," said El Baradei.

 

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Today, I wear two professional hats: one as director of Transport for Cairo (TfC), a strategic advisory consultancy enhancing urban mobility in emerging cities; and another as road transport co-lead of the UN Climate Champions, a group working to gather state and non-state actors, such as local governments and banks, to tackle climate change. The work is highly connected. I bring my expertise in improving mobility to conversations about improving our climate, focusing on how to have sustainable transit systems in Africa's emerging markets.

Mohamed Hegazy '12

After graduating from AUC, I worked on creating a map of all public transit systems in Cairo for trip planning, then worked with the World Bank for the benefit of the Ministry of Transport with a front-row seat to the changes happening in the sector. Egypt has more than doubled its investment in the transport sector in 2021, creating a huge opportunity for innovators in the space to access funding.

I got connected to the UN Climate Champions through an article I wrote for Project Syndicate, "Electrifying African Transport," about the options to make the continent's transit systems more electric and more local. And the solution isn't only electric vehicles. It's about traveling differently -- leaving your car at home and taking your bike or public buses. It's also about traveling less and having shorter commutes, or investing in informal transit like microbuses.

Our work as transit consultants is all about driving the government toward such projects by creating knowledge and contributing to the debate on what sustainable transit can look like, along with tangible strategies to get there. TfC finished 45 projects so far in Egypt and six other countries in Africa. We added Egypt's public transportation to Google Maps, working to make transit information more accessible to the public. And we've put together Egypt's first Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), which assesses the mobility needs of a city and opportunities for improvement. We need more SUMPs in cities across the country and in emerging markets because such reports result in bankable project ideas and investment opportunities for the sustainable mobility transition.

COP27 is another opportunity to drive not only investment but also awareness of climate change as a reality that we must design for and navigate. We now need everyone to participate and appreciate the size of this challenge as well as maintain the stubborn optimism that we bring to our work. That change is possible, and we can accomplish it together.

An economics graduate, Mohamed Hegazy '12 is the founder and director of Transport for Cairo and an associate of the UN Climate Champions, where he is developing a transformation strategy for road transport systems in Africa.

 

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By Claire Davenport 

The Egyptian government has minted AUC's centennial coin, designed by five AUC students.
 

The student design team: Ahmad Khalil (back, center), Mariem Abutaleb (center, left), Mariam Ibrahim (center right), Lana Kurdi (bottom left) and Ingy Fawzy (bottom right)

This accomplishment was the culmination of a summer of work, research and brainstorming for graphic design students Ahmad Khalil, Ingy Fawzy, Lana Kurdi, Mariam Ibrahim and Mariem Abutaleb. Aiming to highlight the impact of the University's architecture on AUCians past and present, the minting of the coin finally made the group's vision a reality. 
 

To create a coin for AUC's centennial, the five students took part in a mentored workshop supervised by Nagla Samir, associate professor in the Department of the Arts and co-chair of the Materials and Collateral Taskforce for the centennial, and Ghalia ElSrakbi, instructor in the Department of the Arts. "They are the dream team," Samir exclaimed. "Ahmad and Mariam are seniors, Lana and Ingy are juniors and Mariem is a sophomore, so the team brought three-generation perspectives to the design." 
 

The team conducted extensive research before beginning the design process. Over the summer, they administered an online survey to determine what the campus meant to old and new AUCians. They then held multiple focus groups, narrowing down their designs until the two finalists were shown to President Francis Ricciardone. The final selection embodied what AUCians had expressed in the survey: that everyone related to AUC's architecture, specifically its idiosyncratic arches and portals. "We worked throughout the summer, mainly on research," explained Khalil, one of the student designers. "We went to the library and the archives, and this is where the design stemmed from. We wanted to base our design on AUC's architecture, so we looked at books about that and studied photos of the campus." 
 

For the students, it was very important that the coin would resonate with the AUC community. "This wasn't just a theoretical project; it was something that was going to be made," said Ibrahim, another student designer. "Your eyes and your professor's eyes are not the only ones that will see this. Everyone has to understand it, and it has to be of value for all. Architecture is the connecting dot between all the generations." 
 

Explaining what he hopes people would envision when they look at the coin, Khalil noted, "I hope they get a feel of the heritage of this institution and realize that's it's been there for a very long time."
 

The final coin features two striped arches on one side, one slightly smaller than the other, bowing together to create an impossible bridge where they alluringly meet in the middle. "We picked the old and the new arches and morphed them together," Ibrahim said, explaining how they used a rendition of AUC's classic arch to connect the old with the new. It seemed fitting to ElSrakbi that the campus would be the inspiration behind the coin's design. "The campus is where everything happens, where people meet, where people study, and where faculty and students spend time together. The campus itself is a kind of time capsule," she said. 
 

Besides reflecting the values and history of AUC, the coin's design also carries symbolic weight. "The arches connect the past to the future, and the portals take on another meaning. They become a portal to the past, where 100 years ago, people walked through the first arched portal to AUC," Samir explained. 
 

Beyond the design, the five students who worked on the centennial coin also got exposure to the technical side of the design process. They had to make sure the coin's design -- including logo size, spacing and lettering -- all conformed to government standards. "Working on a coin is not something you get to do every day. It was cool because we got to see the technical part of it," said Kurdi, a student on the design team. Samir and ElSrakbi both believe that creating the coin and going through the minting process gave the students valuable real-world work experience. "It was the first time I produced something that would go out into the world; it's very meaningful," Khalil expressed. 
 

The students also designed a unique packaging for the coin. While it has not been finalized, the essential concept was to make the package interactive, with fold-out flaps containing information about AUC and 100 years of its events. "It's not designed to go into a drawer. It's designed to stand," Samir explained proudly. 
 

"The campus is where everything happens, where people meet, where people study, and where faculty and students spend time together. The campus itself is a kind of time capsule."

There will be both a silver and a gold coin for sale. The silver coins will be available for sale at the AUC Bookstores, while some of the gold coins will be given as gifts to donors and trustees. The rest will potentially be auctioned off. AUC ordered 1,000 silver coins and 20 gold coins. The coins will be sold for a bank set value. Samir hopes that AUC will always keep one gold coin, "perhaps in a time capsule or in the University Archives," she said. 
 

The coin is ultimately a celebration of AUC's 100 years of learning, growth and service in and outside of the University walls. "As well as commemorating this important occasion, these coins will help raise money for student-related causes and scholarships," explained Lamia Eid '82, '92, head of the Materials and Collateral Taskforce for the centennial.
 

"One hundred years is a big thing, so commemorating this event is really important," added Fawzy, a student on the team. 
 

As ElSrakbi explained, the coin is a perfect vehicle because it withstands time. "The coin as a medium has been there for so long, as an object to preserve the memory of an event that happens," speculated ElSrakbi. "By collecting it, you preserve this event for the future, but you are also trying to talk about the past."
 

 

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By Dalia Al Nimr | This story appeared in the July 2017 edition of AUC Today.

Born in 1946 in Ramleh/Jaffa on the Mediterranean shores of Palestine, Souhail El Farouki '68 immigrated to Egypt in 1948, when the Arab-Israeli war broke out. In 1963, he graduated from Victoria College in Alexandria, then moved to the United Kingdom to complete his A-levels. For El Farouki, things in life did not come easy.

"Having been forced to leave my homeland in Palestine, I can relate to the refugee crisis plaguing our world today," reflected El Farouki. "When I went to the UK, I worked there during my holidays -- as a farmer; as a wheelbarrow porter transporting luggage and cargo at Folkestone Harbour Railway Station; and as a kitchen helper in restaurants. Being exposed to all these different types of jobs motivated me to do well in my studies."

El Farouki graduated from AUC in 1968 with a bachelor's in chemistry.

 

Following in the footsteps of his father, Ghaleb El Farouki '33, Souhail El Farouki attended AUC, where he met his life partner Abla Leheta '69, who is originally from Port Said.

"I still remember the year -- 1964," recalled El Farouki. "We were on a freshman trip to Al Qanater Al Khayria. My camera ran out of film, but I pretended to take pictures of the scenic environment whereas my focus was to talk to Abla. When she asked me later about the photos, I never lied; I admitted that I had run out of film. There was and continues to be a lot of mutual respect between us."

For both El Farouki and Leheta, their University years were all about hard work and perseverance. With the close-down of her father's business in Port Said and Suez, Leheta found herself obliged to work as a part-timer at AUC's mail office and at an airline travel office to partially help support herself and finish her studies. Similarly, El Farouki overloaded himself with credit hours and took summer classes to graduate quickly in order to join the workforce and help his father. "AUC instilled in us the motivation and desire to work hard, make our lives worthwhile and be the least burden on our families," said El Farouki.

"AUC inspired us and opened our eyes to the fact that there are no privileges except through hard work and knowledge acquisition, whether you own a Ferrari or commute using a second-class bus ticket, whether you dine at posh restaurants or eat foul and ta'meya, whether you wear the same or different clothes every day. All students are equal at AUC, independent of background, social class or status. AUC gave us a different outlook on life and taught us not to be distracted by petty issues."

AUC was a home away from home for both El Farouki and Leheta. Not only did their siblings and relatives join AUC, but the University carried special memories for both of them: from Am Abdou who greeted them every day at the University gate to their favorite campus spots such as the cafeteria, Ewart and Oriental halls, the library and hostel to entertaining activities such as theatre performances, sports games and social events.

El Farouki and Leheta first met at AUC in 1964, and have been together ever since.

Even the "demanding professors, the tough graders," whom El Farouki and Leheta described as their favorite because they learned the most from them, were an unforgettable part of AUC. And of course, there are the extracurricular activities, which were not only fun, but a fertile learning ground outside of the classroom. These included El Farouki serving as a sports manager for the freshman class and as a social manager for sophomores, and running for the position of head of the AUC student body. Leheta was also chosen as one of the finalists in the Miss AUC competition. "Each of these activities taught us something new," said El Farouki. On one occasion, during an AUC trip to the American University of Beirut, their travel was partially funded by carrying items with them that were later sold in Lebanon.

After graduation, armed with their degrees -- a bachelor's in chemistry for El Farouki and a bachelor's in economics and political science for Leheta -- the two alumni were ready to venture into the real world. "AUC prepared us for the real world and equipped us with an eagerness to learn, which gave us the courage to get married and apply for graduate studies abroad," El Farouki noted.

Soon enough, El Farouki received an assistantship to pursue graduate studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he received his PhD in chemistry in 1976. Leheta worked as a full-time librarian at the same university until she acquired her master's in educational administration. "We lived in low-income housing and used Salvation Army furniture," El Farouki said. "I used to hitchhike to the university until we were able to buy a second-hand car. I distinctly remember receiving a Teaching Assistant Award -- a $25 check -- in 1975 and taking my wife and young daughter, Roba, to a pizza parlor where I used to work for extra money."

Leheta and El Farouki at his graduation in 1968, four years after they first met.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the married couple moved to Saudi Arabia, where El Farouki joined the Juffali family business. The group's managing partner, the late Sheikh Ahmed Juffali, husband of the renowned philanthropist and AUC Advisory Trustee Suad Al-Husseini Juffali, had plans to add Dow Chemical Company to the organization's diverse business activities. El Farouki was offered a job as a salesman to introduce Dow Chemical products into the market. Over the next four decades, El Farouki helped develop the Juffali chemical business into one of the largest, most diversified private sector chemical operations in the region. His achievements were cited in numerous publications, such as Growth Company: Dow Chemical's First Century and the late Ahmed Juffali's biography, Ahmed Juffali: A Life in Business.

Both El-Farouki and Leheta actively give back to their communities, be it contributing to local and regional charitable organizations, serving on the boards of trustees of local international schools, and developing a passion for the culinary arts by heading the International Chaine Des Rotisseurs Jeddah Chapter and the Gourmet Club Saudi Chapter

Although El Farouki recently left the Juffali group, he is still active in developing his family's coffee and roasted nuts wholesale and retail business and building a personal chemicals platform in Jordan.

Throughout their life journey, El Farouki and Leheta were keen to pass on a valuable lesson to their three children and nine grandchildren. "We have tried to implant in them the importance of working hard -- daily and over a period of many long years -- and contributing to others," said El Farouki. "All our children have been encouraged to have part-time jobs while studying at university. Even our grandchildren are active in fundraising, charity calls and serving in refugee camps. It is through both hard work and contributions to others that people, looking back, can appreciate and value all they have achieved."

Leheta with AUC classmates at a friend's wedding.

Recognizing their accomplishments, AUC presented El Farouki with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999 and Leheta with a Distinguished Alumni Volunteer Award in 2004. Becoming forever a part of the New Cairo campus, the married couple named the Abla Leheta '69 and Souhail El-Taji El-Farouki '68 Courtyard.

"When we look back at our beautiful journey, we are grateful for what we have achieved," said El Farouki. "AUC was a stepping stone for us and helped us get to where we are now. We hope today's students who pass through this courtyard will have an even better journey than ours."

He added, "Giving to AUC was also part of my father's legacy, when he established the Ghaleb El Farouki '33 Endowed Scholarship in 1985 to support Palestinian students. I am very touched by the notes I receive from the scholarship recipients and want to do more for this University. AUC has a great snowball effect: It teaches us to excel in everything we do, and employers look specifically for AUC graduates because they have proven themselves in the job market. Then these employers, many of them big corporations, give back to AUC because of their gratefulness to it for producing such fine graduates."

To these fine graduates, El Farouki and Leheta advise: "Life is short. Live every moment. Work hard. Stay in touch with your classmates. Treat people with kindness, modesty and respect, no matter how much knowledge you have. This is the secret recipe for success."

 

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By Tess Santorelli | Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr

While AUC is celebrating its centennial, another important University birthday is happening this year -- the 10-year anniversary of the New Cairo campus. 
 

In 2008, AUC made history with the establishment of a new campus, designed from scratch, in New Cairo. After the decision to move from AUC Tahrir Square was made, the University purchased 260 acres of land in 1997 for its new home at the center of New Cairo. An international team of architects and planners made up of seven firms from three countries designed the campus. 
 

Throughout the planning phase, it became increasingly obvious that this would not be a process of simply moving the old campus to a new location. The New Cairo campus -- despite following the roots of AUC Tahrir Square -- would have its own unique identity and would continue to evolve and mature over time. 
 

In designing the campus, the team sought to capture the international identity of the AUC community as well as the multidimensionality of the liberal arts curriculum in an architecturally diverse space. Inspired by Egypt's history of advanced engineering practices, they revived traditional processes for cutting stone and sourced materials from Upper Egypt to build up the walls, bolstering the campus with the strength of a brilliant past. In 2009, one year after the relocation, the University received a special award from the Urban Land Institute for the design and construction of AUC New Cairo, now ranked as the top green campus in Africa. 
 

• AUC Portal
   
• AUC Portal

Built using 24,000 tons of reinforcing steel, as well as 115,000 square meters of stone, marble, granite cladding and flooring, the campus weaves Egyptian urban and architectural traditions into a modern campus and is designed to be accessible to people with disabilities. Sandstone for the walls of campus buildings is all from a single quarry in Kom Ombo, 50 kilometers north of Aswan. The stone arrived by truck in giant multi-ton blocks, which were cut and shaped for walls, arches and other uses at a stone-cutting plant built on the site. 
 

The new campus launched a wave of growth in New Cairo. What was once a slowly developing suburb flourished into a lively community with public performances, plays, exhibitions and special events, extending Cairo's rich arts scene to the area and making AUC a cultural hub. The growing campus life sparked the surge of a bustling urban landscape in the area, attracting the numerous businesses, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and residences that now populate the city, and in turn, contributing to the economic development of the New Cairo district. 
 

• AUC Library
• AUC Library

Abdelhalim Ibrahim Abdelhalim, principal of Abdel-Halim Community Design Collaborative, led the international team in executing the master plan and architecture principles for the design and construction of AUC's New Cairo campus. He said in his first encounter with the campus being used that he was worried his team "lost the way."

"[Now], the campus is realizing itself," Abdelhalim noted. "A community is being created, and I'm not sure that it's the same community that was in downtown Cairo. It's different, and I'm glad to hear that. During the planning process, we assumed that it is a must to follow the roots of the old campus, but we discovered that the new campus is actually much more complex than just simply moving the old campus. I think the campus is now entering its maturity. It has already evolved and will continue to do so." 
 

In its relocation, AUC foresaw an opportunity to foster increased engagement with its surrounding community and trigger the positive development of the New Cairo area. The historic move created a new frontier for AUC to continue to lead as Egypt's global University.