Ensuring sustainable and resilient water resources for Egypt requires the collective efforts of the education community working in partnership with public sector policymakers and private sector champions. The Center of Excellence for Water informs national and local water policy formation, promotes efficient water use, and develops innovative applied research solutions for issues such as irrigation, agricultural and industrial water use, groundwater management, desalination, wastewater management, urban water planning, water infrastructure, and governance. The Center is hosted by Alexandria University in partnership with the American University in Cairo, both internationally recognized leaders in water research.

This transformational partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is building the capacity and sustainability of water research and innovation in partnership with eight Egyptian and American universities. The Center links academic researchers with the public and private sectors to generate policy and applied research, develop state-of-the-art curricula, and provide scholarships to address imminent challenges in Egypt’s water sector. 

Implementing Partners: The American University in Cairo and Alexandria University (with Ain Shams University, Aswan University, Beni Suef University, and Zagazig University in Egypt and Temple University, Utah State University, University of California-Santa Cruz, and Washington State University in the U.S.); Life of Project: February 2019 – February 2024; Total Estimated Cost: $30 million; Governorates: Nationwide

GOALS

• Support research projects and expand curricula related to the water sector through new and enhanced course offerings, as well as certificate and degree programs that utilize state-of-the art pedagogical methods and topics
• Offer scholarship and exchange programs for Egyptian students at The American University in Cairo or U.S. partner universities and provide internship opportunities in American and Egyptian industries; scholarships will focus on women, financially disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities
• Develop training opportunities for Egyptian faculty at The American University in Cairo or in the United States; support training of Egyptian faculty by visiting American scholars
• Convene Egyptian and American water experts from academia and the public and private sectors to share best practices and breakthroughs in research; organize symposia to share water research being conducted in Egypt and the United States
• Expand connections between the private sector and universities from diverse regions of the United States and Egypt to increase sustainability in water research, address Egypt’s water needs, and foster innovations and technologies in the water sector that may be suitable for commercialization
• Build the capacity of partner universities to respond to disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic by designing courses and adapting online tools to both deploy new teaching and learning techniques and prepare for an extended period of online learning

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Provide academic training in hydrology and water-related fields that aligns with the current needs of Egypt’s commercial and public sectors and that leads to lower unemployment and improved private- and public-sector performance
• Support applied research projects that address imminent challenges in Egypt’s water sector to increase entrepreneurial solutions to water sector issues with the potential for wider international applications
• Increase effective government policy-making for water infrastructure, water resilience, and sector governance informed by high-caliber, collaborative research