Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green announced a $90 million investment in three leading universities in Egypt, which will form partnerships with American universities to create Centers of Excellence in energy, water, and agriculture.

The three Centers of Excellence will establish linkages between Egyptian universities and leading counterparts in the United States, help forge relationships between Egyptian and American researchers and experts, and drive research and innovation in sectors that are key to Egypt's future economic growth. The three partnerships will be the following:

• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology will partner with Ain Shams University to establish a Center of Excellence in Energy;
• Cornell University in New York will partner with Cairo University to create a Center of Excellence in Agriculture; and
• The American University in Cairo will partner with Alexandria University to develop a Center of Excellence in Water.

Through the establishment of the Centers of Excellence, USAID and the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, will increase the capacity of Egypt's higher-education institutions and create linkages between research and the public and private sectors in the areas of agriculture, water, and energy. Each Center of Excellence will use applied research to drive innovation and competitiveness in the public and private sectors, strengthen Egyptian Government policy to stimulate economic growth, and contribute solutions to Egypt's development challenges. The three Centers of Excellence are a part of the investment by the American people in Egypt's human and economic development.

The Centers of Excellence will align with the current needs of Egypt's commercial, academic, and public sectors by solving local problems, driving innovation, and leading to lower unemployment and improved performance in the private and public sector.

The main activities of the partnership will include the following:

• Creating lasting partnerships between Egyptian public universities and U.S. universities;
• Updating university curricula and teaching methods to align Egyptian university education with the needs of local industry; and
• Establishing undergraduate-and graduate-level scholarships for students with high financial need; and
• Implement exchange programs to foster cross-border learning.

Since 1978, the American people have invested $30 billion to further Egypt's human and economic development based on our shared ideals and interests.