Twenty public and private Egyptian universities have joined the Brics Network University, a consortium of higher education institutions from the Brics bloc established to foster collaboration in education and research among member nations, according to a statement by the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU). The move is one of many recent developments that point to the country’s efforts to internationalize the higher ed sector, with a handful of universities rising in one of the most widely recognized university rankings globally, some looking to set up abroad, and others updating their curricula.

Background: Egypt joined the Brics Network University back in June after inking a protocol of accession at a Brics Education Ministers meeting. During the session, participants also agreed to expand the alliance by increasing the number of member universities to 20 in each participating country.

What this means for the local higher ed sector: Joining the alliance opens the door to new partnerships and academic programs that will help improve the quality of education, keep pace with global developments, and graduate students who are better prepared for the global labor market, said President of New Mansoura University (NMU) Meawad El Kholy, who represented Egypt at the Brics Universities Rectors’ Forum in October.

Some Egyptian universities are gaining ground in global rankings: Nineteen Egyptian universities made it to the 2025 QS World University Rankings, up from 15 universities in 2024, according to the SCU statement.

ICYMI- Advancing local universities in international rankings is a key part of Egypt’s education strategy. The government is working towards having at least 28 Egyptian universities on the QS World University Rankings by the end El Sisi’s third term in 2030.

A Brics ranking university system is in the works: Brics representatives met in Septembertodiscuss the creation of a new university ranking system.

A handful of public Egyptian universities are expanding overseas: The SCU has approved Alexandria University’s decision to establish branches in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, Iraq, and Greece, according to the SCU statement. Ain Shams University is also working on agreements to set up branches abroad, a source told us, indicating that it may look beyond the Gulf. Meanwhile, Cairo University is in negotiations to establish a branch within UAE’s Ajman University, a source at the top Egyptian university said. This follows earlier approvals for Cairo University to open campuses in Riyadh and Qatari capital Doha.

The private sector is getting in on the action, too: Future University in Egypt has received an offer to open a branch for postgraduate studies in the UAE, university president Ebada Sarhan told EnterpriseAM.

It’s a two-way street, with foreign universities also eyeing Egypt. The government is actively encouraging international universities to set up in Egypt as part of its strategy to internationalize higher education, raise academic standards, and position Egypt as a regional education hub. Egypt currently hosts nine international university branches and more are on the way.

More global partnerships are on the agenda: Egypt wants to establish an alliance of Arab universities to facilitate partnerships with other international institutions, El Kholy said. Egyptian universities are increasingly partnering with schools abroad, he said, citing NMU’s own partnerships with the University of Louisville, University of East London, William Paterson University, and a Canadian university. A student delegation from NMU will soon travel to UofL as part of an academic exchange program, he added.

The partnership model is prompting local universities to review and refine their curricula, adopting programs that focus on applied learning and cater to industry-specific needs, El Kholy said. Universities are shifting away from traditional curricula and towards double majors, interdisciplinary programs, and more in-depth courses, he explained. To better support these partnerships, Egypt needs to boost investment in smart university infrastructure, El Kholy said. This includes digital tools and smart classrooms.

Your top education stories for the week:

  • Egypt plans to establish seven new national universities in Sohag, Kafr El Sheikh, the new capital, 6th of October, Beheira, Suez, and the New Valley as part of the state’s plan to raise the total number of national universities to 32 nationwide.
  • The Higher Education Ministry will kick off the second International Conference on Technological Education tomorrow, bringing together some 2.2k participants from academia, government, and industry under the theme “education today for tomorrow’s jobs.” (Higher Education Ministry statement)
Tags: