Egypt’s higher education sector has undergone a remarkable transformation since 2014, with wide expansion and an increase in the number of universities and students, underscoring a strategic commitment to advancing educational standards.
In 2014, there were 2.3 million students enrolled in 50 universities nationwide, a 2023 study by the British Council in Egypt revealed. By the end of 2022, this figure had surged to 3.3 million students attending 92 institutions, including 28 public universities, 27 private universities, and 20 nonprofit universities partially subsidized by the government. The country’s higher education sector also saw the launch of 10 technology universities, with six opening their doors in the 2022-23 academic year.
According to Adel Abdel-Ghaffar, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), the government had raised the budget for higher education from EGP 24.5 billion (USD 503 million) in 2014 to EGP 85.7 billion (USD 1.76 billion) in 2023.
In 2023, 14 Egyptian universities were listed in the QS World University Rankings, an annual ranking that evaluates the top institutions on various criteria, marking an increase from five universities in 2017, Abdel-Ghaffar noted.
Cairo University led the list, securing a global ranking of 330, followed by Mansoura University at 364. The American University in Cairo ranked 609 globally, while Ain Shams University placed 695. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2024, 37 Egyptian universities were listed—an increase from just three universities in 2016.
According to a 2022 report by the SCImago Journal Rank, Egypt ranked 24th out of 233 countries, with 44,219 international research publications, 388 h-index laboratories, and 42,493 citations, driven by a significant rise in international research publications from its universities.
“Egypt’s scientific research centers and bodies have achieved remarkable progress in international publication,” Ayman Ashour, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, commented.
Beginning in the early 2010s, Egypt has undertaken a series of comprehensive education reform initiatives aimed at transforming its school education system. The first major initiative, Pre-University Education 2014-2030, was launched in 2014 under the slogan “Together We Can.”
It was soon followed by the 2018-2025 Education Reform Plan, developed in collaboration with the World Bank. As that initiative neared its conclusion, Egypt introduced a new plan for 2023-2027, with backing from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
Aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 plan, the past five years have seen a significant expansion of the higher education sector, according to the British Council report. This growth includes establishing national and technological universities designed to foster innovative thinking and equip students with crucial technical and technological skills, as the vision aims to create a high-quality education system that equips students with these crucial competencies.
One of Egypt’s Vision 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) strives to build an inclusive educational system that guarantees high-quality education and training for all, free from discrimination. This initiative seeks to establish an efficient, fair, and adaptable framework that not only cultivates creative thinking but also imparts essential technical and technological skills to students and trainees.
Abdel-Ghaffar revealed that Egypt aims to lead in higher education and research by pioneering a fourth generation of universities as part of its 2030 strategy.
“This strategy aims for a graduate workforce capable of meeting the demands of an innovative and creative job market,” he noted.
Egypt’s Vision 2030 outlines three primary goals for the future of education.
The first goal is to strengthen the integration of educational institutions with regional and economic activities. The second goal emphasizes the establishment of a solid international presence to attract educational investments. The final and third pillar focuses on empowering higher education and research institutions to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.
Seven more ambitious targets for 2030, set by MOHESR, aim for ten Egyptian universities to rank in the global top 500 rankings, address the graduate unemployment rate which marked 38 percent in 2021, enhance job satisfaction among alumni, and foster entrepreneurship among graduates.
The targets also include raising total enrollment in post-secondary education to 45 percent from 36 percent in 2023, ensuring accreditation for all higher education institutions by the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education (NAQAAE), and doubling the number of international students in Egyptian universities by 2030 to become 200,000.
The progress made in the past decade demonstrates a strong commitment to developing a top-tier educational environment, paving the way for ongoing growth and innovation in the future.
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