Higher education
18 Nov 2010
On this page
- Short description of the higher education system
- Types of degrees
- Quality assurance and accreditation
- Recent reforms
Short description of the higher education system
Egypt has two types of higher education institution: universities (jâmi`a) and higher institutes (ma`had âlî). There are 19 state-run and 16 private universities in Egypt. One of the universities, the Al-Azhar University, is connected to the Al-Azhar Mosque. Egypt has approximately 115, mostly private, higher institutes. There is no entry exam for higher education; instead, individual faculties determine a minimum secondary education exam score that Egyptian students need to enrol in a higher education programme.
Types of degrees
Egypt’s universities offer academic and higher professional education programmes. Bachelor’s and licence degrees (the latter are offered in languages, law and sometimes education studies) normally take four years to complete. Bachelor’s programmes in medicine-related subjects and engineering last five years. Bachelor and licence degrees can be followed by a one or two-year course leading to a Diploma of Higher Studies, or by a master’s degree programme of at least two years. Doctoral degrees require three years of research and must be completed within five years.
The higher institutes offer four-year programmes in higher professional education leading to a bachelor’s degree. In most cases, Egypt’s Supreme Council of Universities considers this degree as being equivalent to a university bachelor’s degree. Three Higher Institutes of Technology offer three-year programmes leading to a Higher Diploma of Technology.
Quality assurance and accreditation
The quality of higher education is monitored by the Supreme Council of Universities. Officially, there is no hierarchy between universities in terms of quality and status. Nevertheless, the universities of Cairo, Ain Shams and Alexandria are regarded as the most prestigious institutions, with the best students and staff. To ensure a more balanced distribution of quality, students have only been allowed to enrol at a university in their own region since 1981.
Recent reforms
Current government reforms are aimed at reducing social inequalities in education and at making higher education more responsive to labour market needs. Other strategic aims include the development and improvement of human resource management and achieving more efficient management and administration of higher education. Institutional autonomy is also encouraged.
Egypt’s higher education reform strategy is being implemented through a series of projects in areas that include ICT, the strengthening of technical colleges, the modernization of faculties of education, faculty and leadership development, and the quality assurance and accreditation system.
