Senior cabinet ministers, Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini, ambassadors, university leaders, and research representatives attended the launch ceremony.
UNESCO–Egypt cooperation agreement
During the event, Madbouly witnessed the signing of a landmark cooperation agreement between Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and UNESCO, represented by Minister Ayman Ashour and Giannini.
According to a cabinet statement, the deal will promote joint research, postgraduate programmes, and academic exchanges, as well as student and faculty mobility.
It also includes plans to establish a new UNESCO Chair in Egypt and support applied research in areas such as heritage conservation, sustainability, and emerging technologies.
Madbouly said the agreement underscored Egypt’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub of knowledge and expertise.
“This Academy is not just another educational institution; it is a platform that combines theory with practical experience and engages with global best practices to build sustainable cities that protect our identity and respond to modern aspirations,” he said.
Partnerships with European universities
Alongside the UNESCO accord, the IAAU signed memoranda of understanding with three leading European institutions: the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble (France), Sapienza University of Rome (Italy), and the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands).
The agreements aim to pave the way for dual degrees, joint postgraduate programmes, and applied research collaborations, ultimately establishing the academy as a regional centre of excellence in architecture and urban planning serving Egypt, the Middle East, North Africa, and the wider African continent.
Linked to Vision 2030 and development strategy
Madbouly tied the academy’s mission to Egypt’s Vision 2030 strategy, which prioritises sustainable urban development and advanced education, as well as the recently launched National Narrative for Economic Development.
He cited flagship projects, including the New Administrative Capital, New Alamein, the revitalisation of Historic Cairo, and nationwide social housing and slum-upgrading programmes, as part of a broader transformation agenda.
“Today we add a research and knowledge dimension to these efforts by launching the Academy as a center for science, creativity, and global partnership with universities and the private sector,” he said.
Higher education priorities
Higher Education Minister Ayman Ashour described the IAAU as a flagship project under Egypt’s National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research, launched in 2023.
He said the academy will serve as a hub for excellence, producing highly qualified architects and planners while also offering internationally accredited training for professionals already in the field.
Ashour noted its capacity to grant dual degrees with top international architecture schools in disciplines including architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, and planning.
“The Academy’s mission is not only to graduate outstanding architects and urban planners but also to upskill professionals already working in the field,” he said.
Short link: