Egypt's court grants one Zewail building to Nile University students

Ahram Online, Sunday 18 Nov 2012

Court settles fight over the Nile University campus, giving one building to the university and the other to prominent chemist and nobel prize winner, Ahmed Zewail

Nile University
Central Security Forces surround Nile University's sit in on September 17 to disperse sit in by force (Photo: Dr. Mahmoud Allam)

Egypt Administrative Court ruled Sunday in favour of Nile University by allocating one of two disputed buildings to the university along with LE150 million ($25 million) in compensation.

The court ruling stated that the other part of the land will be dedicated to Zewail City for Science and Technology (ZCST), which was managed by prominent chemist and Nobel prize winner Ahmed Zewail shortly after the January 25 Revolution.

The court's ruling was issued by Judge Ibrahim Ismail, head of the court and deputy head of the State Council, and five other judges.

The dispute over the land ensued as Nile University students were left without a campus after former prime minister Ahmed Nazif, who had granted their university its land, was imprisoned facing corruption charges.

On 28 August, students and faculty members of the private, not-for-profit university started a sit-in to demand their campus back after it had been transferred to Zewail for his science facility.

The sit-in was violently dispersed by security forces on 17 September; around four students were arrested and dozens injured during the raid.

Short link: