Egypt’s higher education push abroad is about to get its biggest test yet, with Alexandria University (AU) preparing to open a campus in Abu Dhabi. Egypt is entering one of the most competitive education markets in the world: the Gulf. The key question is whether Egyptian universities can carve out a viable niche — on price, programs, or target students — in a market already dominated by Western and regional heavyweights.

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AU is now in the final stages of preparing its Abu Dhabi branch, with the university set to begin welcoming students in a temporary branch in Spring 2026, hosted by the Khawarizmi International Academy building until the main campus in the UAE is completed in five years, a source at the university told EnterpriseAM. The campus will offer both undergraduate and graduate programs in health, engineering, computer science, business, and the humanities, alongside professional courses and joint degrees with American, British, and European partner universities, AU President Abdelaziz Konsowa said.

The move comes as part of a broader government-backed strategy to expand Egyptian universities abroad. The Madbouly government gave the green light for Cairo University, Alexandria University, and Ain Shams University to establish overseas branches — in a bid to bolster Egypt’s academic presence in the Gulf, Africa, and Asia and to promote education as an export industry. Cairo University has already secured approvals to open branches in Qatar’s Doha and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, while Future University in Egypt has received an offer to establish a postgraduate branch in the UAE.

Penetrating Abu Dhabi’s higher education market will be no easy task, with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) currently listing 28 authorized higher education institutions operating in the emirate — a mix of public universities, specialist academies, and prominent international branch campuses. The list features New York University Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, INSEAD Abu Dhabi, and IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi, alongside national flagships, such as Khalifa University, Zayed University, and the United Arab Emirates University. That’s a crowded, globally connected field for any new entrant.

Getting a foot in the door in Abu Dhabi isn’t just about building a campus — it means clearing ADEK’s strict entry requirements. Any new provider must first obtain a no-objection letter from the department, which is only issued if the proposal aligns with Abu Dhabi’s strategic education priorities and passes review by an external expert panel.

ADEK explicitly requires a partnership with a highly ranked, reputable higher-ed institution in the fields on offer. Only after meeting these conditions can providers apply for program accreditation with the UAE’s federal Commission for Academic Accreditation — a two-layered process that weeds out unserious players.

Abu Dhabi is just the first stop on AU’s international expansion, with the university nearing the completion of the final preparations for its Malaysia branch due to open in October 2026, our source at the university told us. The branch is hoped to attract the interest of students from across the East Asia region and contribute to the university’s goal of increasing the establishment’s competitiveness on a regional and international scale by offering a high-quality education, our source added.

AU is also preparing to establish three more international branches, including one in Saudi Arabia in partnership with Cairo University, as well as in Iraq and Greece, Alexandria University International Students Office Director Hala Mokled told EnterpriseAM. The regional expansion plan also includes branches in Sudan and Chad, “helping to extend the university’s global footprint and strengthen academic and cultural exchange with the region,” she added.

Alongside AU’s expansions abroad is a push to bring international students to study here in Egypt, with the university now hosting 18k international students from 71 different countries, Mokled told us. This represented a 3x increase since 2019, helped in part by the Study in Egypt initiative, she added.

Your top education stories for the week:

  • Public schools opened their doors for the fall term yesterday, likely making your morning commute a little worse.
  • Nahdet Misr’s edtech-focused VC Edventures invested in AI-powered educational content startup LRNOVA. The fresh funds and practical support from Edventures will help the edtech expand in the region, with Saudi Arabia being the top priority.
  • The UK’s Anglia Ruskin University is looking to set up an overseas branch in the new capital, which will be hosted by Universities of Canada in Egypt under a cooperation agreement inked between the two.
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