In a ceremony held on its New Cairo campus, the American University in Cairo (AUC) launched its new School of Global Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) and the School of Business (BUS) – the first schools of their kind in Egypt and the Middle East. The event was attended by Egyptian and international dignitaries and public figures, and included speeches by AUC President David D. Arnold, Ambassador Nabil Fahmy and Dean Sherif Kamel. The event also featured a panel discussion, “Public Private Partnerships: Opportunities and Challenges in the Global World,” with panelists Rachid Mohamed Rachid, minister of trade and industry; Ismail Serageldin, director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Ali Faramawy, vice president-Microsoft International, Middle East and Africa; Ghassan Salame, professor of international relations at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques, Paris, and senior adviser to the United Nations secretary general; Dipak C. Jain, former dean and professor of marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Soumitra Dutta, Roland Berger professor of business and technology and academic director, eLab, INSEAD, France; and Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development, University of Maryland.
Explaining the role of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, its dean Ambassador Fahmy, noted that private citizens, public figures, government officials and organizations are all direct stakeholders in the policies that will guide the world in the years to come and that partnerships will be vital in addressing the opportunities and challenges of that will emerge. “The School of Global Affairs and Public Policy will contribute proactively, constructively and inclusively to the international, regional and domestic debate in the public domain. Through its multidisciplinary yet rigorous disciplines, it will provide its graduates with the best possible tools to participate in developing the policies of the future and will enable them to be thoughtful leaders in their chosen professions," Fahmy said.
With three main academic departments in law, public policy and administration, and journalism and mass communication, GAPP offers students unique opportunities to develop a comprehensive overview of the strategic issues that are of great concern to world citizens today. “We live in a world of vast opportunities, stark contradictions and grave challenges. Passivism and apathy are not options or choices that we can afford or condone. Nor can the world community respond appropriately if it does not empower itself with inclusive multidisciplinary thinking, tolerance for others and a global outlook to the policy issues it faces,” Fahmy said.
“It is from this perspective that the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy will address the policy issues related to the rule of law, sustainable development, communication and media, health, environment and climate change, gender, refugees, Middle East studies, American studies, international and urban governance, international security and nuclear proliferation, and many others we will be dealing with in the months and years to come,” Fahmy added.
Building on its success as the regional leader in business education and research, AUC established the first School of Business in the region. It will develop and enhance the capacity of individuals, firms and communities to build value and create prosperity in Egypt and around the world. It is also designed to help students meet the challenges of a new world of information and communication technologies.
Dean Sherif Kamel pointed to the school’s three primary areas: entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership. “With the restructuring of the School of Business, it is important to recognize the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead and to use the human, social and intellectual capital and state-of-the-art resources and facilities at AUC to equip our students with the business skills and knowledge needed to excel in an increasingly global competitive marketplace,” Kamel said.
“The world is changing fast and there is an invaluable need for leaders and change agents who can make a difference to their organizations and to the community and we at the School of Business are well positioned to be the primary market supplier of people of this caliber who can adapt to market changes and transform their organizations so that they are able to compete at the highest levels through sharing experiences as well as disseminating knowledge and intellectual content,” Kamel added.
The School of Business includes three departments: economics, management and accounting. In 2006, AUC’s School of Business received accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). It is one of just 5 percent of all business schools in the world that meet the rigorous standards for accreditation by the AACSB, the world’s most widely recognized and sought-after endorsement for business programs. Moreover, it houses several of AUC’s executive education, services and research centers, including Citadel Capital Financial Services Center, El Khazindar Business Research and Case Center, International Executive Education Institute, Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center, and Management Center.
The American University in Cairo (AUC) was founded 90 years ago and is major contributor to the social, political and cultural life of the Arab Region. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions, and study abroad programs. An independent, nonprofit, apolitical, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.
