For Seventh Time: The Princeton Review Names AUC Among the World’s Top Green Universities for 2026

The American University in Cairo (AUC) announced that The Princeton Review has selected AUC as the only university in Egypt and one of the few universities from Africa to be included in the 2026 edition of its annual Guide to Green Colleges, an international resource for applicants interested in the top schools that practice and promote environmental responsibility. Featured for the seventh time since 2016, AUC received a score of 90 out of 99, reflecting the University’s global leadership in integrating sustainability practices across all aspects of campus life.

Commenting on the announcement, Yasmin Mansour, AUC’s director of sustainability, said, “AUC is recognized once again for its continued and enhanced sustainability initiatives across operations, academics and community engagement.” She added, “The 2026 list includes only 33 universities from 16 countries outside North America, and we are proud to be the only institution in Egypt and among the few universities selected from Africa.”

Mansour explained that AUC was recognized for its strong performance across several evaluation categories, including sustainability planning and governance, active campus operations aimed at reducing environmental impact, and a campus culture that promotes sustainability. The University was also highlighted for its academic programs that prepare students for careers in sustainability and clean-energy fields.

The announcement comes as a recognition of AUC’s major sustainability initiatives, including its biennial Carbon Footprint Report, which tracks and measures greenhouse gas emissions from University operations and helps identify priority areas for reductions. 

Beyond institutional commitments, best sustainability practices are embedded across AUC’s campus operations, academic offerings, and research agenda. The University operates a resource-efficient campus recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme as a global model for low-carbon higher education, incorporating energy-efficient systems, comprehensive recycling and waste-reduction programs, and the use of treated wastewater for landscape irrigation. 

Academically, AUC has expanded sustainability-focused majors and minors and offers a master’s program in sustainable development, supported by a dedicated center advancing applied research on climate, the environment, and sustainability. Through its Climate Change Initiative, AUC integrates research, education, and policy engagement to advance mitigation and adaptation efforts in line with its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
To compile the guide and determine each institution’s score, The Princeton Review analyzes detailed data across 25 indicators, drawing on specialized survey responses from university administrators and feedback from students about their campus experiences, including the extent of administrative and student support for environmental awareness and conservation efforts. The scores provide a benchmark for how effectively academic institutions operate as environmentally responsible organizations.

“Since we debuted our Green Guide in 2010, we have seen dramatic growth in the number of colleges committing to sustainability practices,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “We applaud each one of the colleges that made our Guide’s 2026 edition, and we highly recommend these schools to students who want their ‘best-fit’ college to also be a green one.”

Franek also noted the growing interest that The Princeton Review has seen among college applicants in attending green colleges. “Of more than 7,000 students who participated in our 2025 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 59 percent said that information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend the school.”