American University in Cairo - Historical Development of The University

Historical Development of The University

The American University in Cairo was founded in 1919 by American Mission in Egypt, sponsored by the United Presbyterian Church of North America. It was dedicated to the cultural enrichment and modernization of Egypt.

For the initial 27 years, the university was shaped by its founding president, Dr. Charles A. Watson. The vision was to create an English-language university based on high standards of conduct and scholarship in order to contribute towards the intellectual growth, discipline, and character of the future leaders of Egypt and the region.

Originally, AUC was intended to be both a preparatory school and a university. The preparatory school opened to 142 students on October 5, 1920 in the former minister of education, Ahmad Khairy Pasha’s palace built in 1860’s and known as Khairy Pasha palace. The first diplomas issued were junior college-level certificates given to 20 students in 1923.

Initially, AUC was intended only for males and the university’s first female student, Eva Habib Masri, was enrolled in 1928. That same year, the first university class graduated with two Bachelor of Arts and one Bachelor of Science degrees awarded to the students. Master's degrees were offered only in 1950.

In 1951, the last class of preparatory students graduated, and AUC officially became a university-level institution. It was also in this decade that the government of Egypt claimed that the university's original name, The American University at Cairo, diminished the city. Accordingly, the university changed its name, substituting "at" with "in."

The university expanded its academic offerings; The Social Science Research Center was established in 1953. In 1956, the School of Oriental Studies was incorporated into the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as The Center for Arabic Studies and The English Language Institute was established. University degree work was consolidated into The Faculty of Arts and Sciences where programs in sociology, anthropology, political science, economics and an expanded natural sciences program were added to the curriculum.

Another landmark in the history of the university was the progression of educational programs to include the departments of engineering, computer science, journalism and mass communication, and management.

The American University in Cairo Press was established in 1960; today, it publishes up to 1,000 books annually. It is regarded as the Arab world's top English language publishing house.

In 1960, AUC enrolled approximately 400 academic students. By 1969, the university had tripled its degree enrollments. Within this period, the university opened the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA), which attracted students from around the world who wish to study Arabic. Adult education expanded simultaneously and now serves approximately tens of thousands of individuals each year in non-credit courses and contracted training programs.

The Desert Development Center was established in 1979 by AUC as a center for applied research and training to promote sustainable development in Egypt's reclaimed desert areas. Growth continued throughout the 1980s and it was during this time that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education granted full accreditation to AUC. AUC's first bookstore opened in 1985.

In 1993, the academic programs offered through 13 departments were organized into three schools:

• Humanities and Social Sciences;
• Sciences and Engineering; and
• Business, Economics and Communication

In 2007, the university's Center for Adult and Continuing Education was renamed as the School of Continuing Education and in 2008, Adham Center for TV Journalism was renamed the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism, Training and Research.

In 2009, the university added three more schools with different academics:

• The Graduate School of Education,
• The School of Business and
• The School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP)

The founding dean for GAPP is Ambassador Nabil Fahmy, former Egyptian ambassador to the United States and an AUC alumnus.