Ashour, emphasized the diverse international student body in Egyptian universities, noting increased enrollments from various countries which includes students from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, India, and Nigeria, highlighting the global appeal of Egyptian higher education.
The count of foreign students enrolled in Egyptian universities for the 2023/24 academic year has surged to 26,000, marking a remarkable 117 percent increase from the 12,000 recorded in the 2019/20 academic year as revealed by Minister of Higher Education Ayman Ashour.
Rise in international student enrollments
In a meeting between Ashour and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Cairo on Dec.12, the officials discussed the notable increase in foreign student enrollments for the academic year 2023/24.
Ashour, emphasized the diverse international student body in Egyptian universities, noting increased enrollments from various countries which includes students from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, India, and Nigeria, highlighting the global appeal of Egyptian higher education.
The minister outlined plans to attract students from specific countries, including China, Malaysia, Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain, to study at Egyptian universities in the future.
Study in Egypt initiative
The “Study in Egypt” initiative, launched in 2021 with a dedicated website and mobile app, streamlined the application process for international students.
Ashour highlighted the implementation of electronic nomination quotas for each nationality within Egyptian universities, contributing to the efficiency and transparency of the admission process.
The meeting also covered the acceptance status of students from Russia, Ukraine, and Sudan. Additionally, they discussed the recently initiated Egypt Scholarship and Educational Tourism Initiative, designed to offer scholarships to outstanding foreign applicants.
The minister disclosed that this year’s admissions to higher education institutions reached a total of 979,485 students. Humanities constituted 72 percent of acceptances, followed by medical studies at 14 percent, engineering at 9 percent, and sciences at 5 percent.
Ashour discussed the establishment of the second batch of technological universities, emphasizing the importance of forging partnerships for both local and international investments.
Leaping in international research publication output
Egypt experienced a surge in international research publications in 2022, according to a report from SCImago, which was recently highlighted by Minister of Higher Education Ayman Ashour on May 6.
The country now ranks 24th among 233 countries with 44,219 international research publications, 388 h-index laboratories, and 42,493 citations.
Egypt climbed two spots, contributing 1.13 percent to the world’s output of international scholarly publications in 2021.
For the third consecutive year, the country has led Africa, ahead of 58 other countries, with South Africa and Nigeria ranking second and third, respectively, according to Ashour.
Egypt accounts for 27 percent of Africa’s total output in international publications.
Strengthening ties with the US
Egypt and the United States are cementing their partnership in the field of higher education and scientific research.
Ashour has expressed the ministry’s commitment to enhancing collaborative efforts with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Ashour conveyed these sentiments during a meeting with Sean Jones, the newly appointed Mission Director for the USAID in Egypt, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting took place in the presence of other officials from the Higher Education Ministry.
The minister expressed his appreciation for the USAID’s assistance in implementing the National Strategy for Higher Education 2030.
He cited the significance of internationalizing higher education and fostering collaboration between Egyptian and American universities to advance Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy as outlined in Vision 2030.
Ashour also highlighted the launch of the Egyptian Initiative for Scholarships and Educational Tourism, aimed at promoting Egypt as a top destination for international students seeking higher education opportunities.
The American-Egyptian discussion covered significant projects supported by USAID. One project involves the creation of professional development centers in Egyptian universities, with plans to expand this initiative to include 46 centers in the upcoming phase.
