A total of 111 universities and 181 public and private higher institutes operating under the Ministry of Higher Education received 3.7 million new and returning students this academic year. 

Some 55,000 students enrolled in national and technological universities this year, up from 41,000 last year, an official at the ministry said. He attributed the rise in student numbers to their affordable fees and affiliation with public universities. 

The number of students enrolled in private universities increased from 72,000 to 75,000 in the past year following a decision by some universities not to raise tuition fees and the introduction of advanced programmes in information technology and artificial intelligence. This has positioned private universities as strong competitors to their national counterparts while continuing to attract a large student base due to their comprehensive academic offerings.

Technological universities saw a marked demand this year, with Egypt’s 10 such universities accepting 20,000 students — double the number of students already studying in these facilities. The first batch of students graduating from technological universities last year stood at 500, the official added. He noted that presidential directives were given to build 20 new technological universities across Egypt.

The increasing demand for technological universities, he said, is due to their specialised programmes which are regularly updated to align with the evolving needs of the labour market. The programmes include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and robotics technology, all of which are witnessing significant demand across various economic sectors. 

The Public Universities Coordination Office this year enrolled 850,000 students in public universities and higher institutes, with the total number of new students enrolled in Egyptian universities reaching one million. They include holders of secondary, technical, and foreign certificates.

Sayed Qandil, president of Helwan University, said that the university this year inaugurated the first Faculty of Nutrition Sciences in the country. Some 850 students were admitted through the national coordination platform, following the approval of the Council of State Universities. The faculty reached full capacity within three days, accepting students in therapeutic nutrition (in Arabic and English), community nutrition and nutrition sciences.

Following cabinet approval, faculties of physical education were renamed faculties of sports sciences. The move is meant to keep students abreast of international standards and allow the introduction of specialisations in sports investment, sports marketing, sports media and other fields that are increasingly in demand at home and in the international labour market, Qandil stated.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 17 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly