Manuel Muñiz, rector and professor at the Spanish IE University, previously the champion of the “Global Spain” initiative that sought to raise the country’s profile internationally, said in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly that his university’s relationship with Egypt’s education system is far from a one-way transfer of European standards and instead is a sophisticated “bridge of collaboration” designed to integrate Egypt’s vibrant intellectual ecosystem into a global framework.
Muñiz’s vision is rooted in “co-creation”, working alongside Egyptian foundations, universities, and corporate leaders to build an educational model that is both technologically advanced and locally relevant.
What are the most important outcomes of your visit to Egypt?
Egypt is a country that is looking to the future and is very committed to its education landscape, particularly higher education. I discovered how much change has been brought to that space here, with new private and national universities being designed and a lot of investment in bringing international institutions to Egypt.
The country is dynamic, and the education space is a real priority. Egypt is looking to develop this with its own resources, but also by bringing international institutions through partnerships and engagements into the mix. We will leave with two or three very promising projects.
We are thinking of building something we’re calling a “3-plus-1” or a “4-plus-1” programme. This would be a project to identify high-potential Egyptian students during their undergraduate studies, most likely in STEM areas of science, technology, and engineering. We are thinking of bringing them to IE for one year to do a Masters in management, finance, or an MBA. They could then come back to Egypt with knowledge of both technical and business areas to work or create companies. We are also going to mobilise resources and financial aid so that there are scholarships available for Egyptian students from very different backgrounds.
The other project is that we want to continue to work with Egyptian corporates on high-level corporate education. We are a big corporate education provider, and we want to work with the Egyptian economic and business world. We have already expanded a partnership we have with Elsewedy, but we’ve also had meetings with a number of other Egyptian firms to explore this.
We run a big entrepreneurship gathering called the South Summit. These are huge gatherings of entrepreneurs, startups, and investors. It is a very large event of some 30,000 people. We run it in Spain, Brazil, and Korea, and we are looking for a location in this region. Cairo has a booming entrepreneurship landscape and a startup ecosystem, and we are thinking of running a South Summit here. This would entail partnering with the government and the telecommunications ministry.
Given your distinguished career in diplomacy and international relations, how can education strengthen the bilateral relations between Spain and Egypt?
Our engagement with Egypt should be understood as part of a broader effort to deepen an already strong and evolving bilateral relationship between Spain and Egypt, particularly in the field of higher education. At this stage, our focus is on building partnerships and engaging in a process of dialogue with Egyptian institutions, foundations, and corporate actors, with the aim of identifying areas for meaningful and long-term collaboration.
IE is, by design, a deeply international institution. We bring together more than 10,000 students across undergraduate and graduate programmes, with over 160 nationalities represented on campus and a network of more than 84,000 alumni in 185 countries. This global scale and diversity shape how we approach partnerships and international engagement.
IE already has a meaningful connection with the country. We currently have more than 120 Egyptian students across undergraduate and graduate programmes, and a community of approximately 250 alumni based in Egypt. Since 2020, around 445 Egyptian students and graduates have been part of our institution. What this phase is about is building on that foundation, strengthening institutional ties, engaging with key stakeholders, and exploring avenues for deeper collaboration that can contribute to talent development and knowledge exchange between our two countries.
Why has IE University chosen Egypt as its next global hub for 2026?
We see Egypt as a country of enormous strategic relevance, both regionally and globally. Its demographic dynamism and its strong academic base make it a natural partner for an institution like IE, which is consistently ranked among the top universities globally by The Financial Times, The Economist, and QS [world university rankings], and others, and is deeply focused on talent, innovation, and global connectivity.
Our approach at this stage is to identify areas where collaboration with universities, foundations, and industry can generate meaningful and lasting impact. This phase is very much about engagement and co-creation, working alongside local partners to define the most effective forms of collaboration.
Given the current geopolitical climate, how do you view Egypt’s position as a hub for global education?
Egypt has historically attempted to play a role of stabiliser in the region. This has been the case in the Palestinian conflict, where Egypt has tried to mediate and to be an active proponent of peace and a supporter of the existence and flourishing of a Palestinian state and the two-state solution. It has consistently tried to play this role in other conflicts as well.
I am concerned with developments in the region because I believe that what we have witnessed in the attack on Iran is a clear weakening of international law and international legal frameworks. I fear that we are about to learn why these international norms, particularly the respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states, were important principles to start off with.
People forget, but these international law principles were born out of the experience in Europe of centuries of constant warfare. The fact that there are rules about what justifies aggression, defence, and the use of force is the product of a hard-learned conclusion: if we live in a world that is devoid of norms, we also enter a world where the use of force is much more prevalent. It is very disorderly and there is more conflict.
You can have a very negative opinion of the regime in Iran and still believe that it is good for us overall for there to be restrictions on the use of force against a country, unless you have been directly attacked or there is an imminent threat to national security. Only a very strict list of reasons could justify the level of aggression that we have seen on Iran. I find the precedent to be problematic, and I think there is a risk that the region pays a high price for this, and it already is on the energy, infrastructure, tourism, and transportation fronts.
My hope is that Egypt continues to play a role in attempting to bring a quick, swift, and hopefully stable end to the conflict, so that the region can return to the path of economic growth, investment in education, and investment in human capital. Egypt can play an active diplomatic role because it is a peacemaker with bridges of dialogue across parties, a strong relationship with the US, and a very clear regional anchoring.
You previously held the post of Spanish secretary of state for “Global Spain”, referring to Spain’s efforts in nation branding and international image enhancement. Do these initiatives also serve as a bridge for the transfer of European innovation and scientific excellence to the heart of the Middle East?
Through our engagement with Egyptian academic institutions, foundations, and corporate partners, we are exploring ways to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and talent. This is very much aligned with the spirit of Global Spain: building forward-looking, mutually beneficial connections.
This is a two-way exchange. Egypt brings a vibrant academic and intellectual ecosystem and integrating that into our global network is as important as what we contribute.
Beyond academics, how can IE foster deeper cultural understanding between the youth of Spain and Egypt? Are there plans for cultural-exchange programmes or Spanish language integration?
Education, in our view, is inherently a cultural experience. IE’s classrooms are already deeply international, with more than 160 nationalities represented and over 90 per cent of students coming from outside Spain. This diversity creates a natural environment for cross-cultural understanding.
Our programmes are primarily delivered in English, reflecting the global nature of our student body, but language learning is an important part of the IE experience. Students are encouraged to develop additional languages, including Spanish, and increasingly other languages relevant to their professional trajectories, such as Arabic in this context. Language, in this sense, becomes both a professional asset and a bridge between cultures.
In Egypt, we are exploring opportunities for joint academic initiatives, exchanges, and collaborative projects that further strengthen these people-to-people connections.
How has your team studied the Egyptian labour market to ensure that IE graduates are sought after by regional and international employers?
Our understanding of the Egyptian ecosystem is informed by two complementary elements. First, our own community of Egyptian students and alumni, many of whom are already integrated into leading organisations both locally and internationally. And second, our ongoing dialogue with companies, academic institutions, and foundations. At IE, employability is not an outcome; it is a design principle embedded in our programmes, combining academic excellence with real-world application, global exposure, and close engagement with employers.
How does IE plan to integrate Egyptian students into its global network of 160+ countries?
International exposure is a defining feature of the IE experience. As we explore collaboration opportunities in Egypt, incorporating a global dimension through interaction with our campuses and international network is naturally part of how we think about education. The specific formats will evolve as partnerships take shape.
IE is famous for its “liquid learning” approach. How will Egyptian students benefit from this hybrid education model compared to traditional methods?
IE’s model is built around flexibility, innovation, and global connectivity. This includes a technology-enabled learning environment, a highly diverse classroom, and a methodology that combines academic rigour with practical, real-world applications. As we engage with partners in Egypt, we are exploring how elements of this model can be shared through collaborative initiatives, always adapting them to the local context and ensuring they enhance the learning experience.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 2 April, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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