Bahrain

New University for Women Opens

A new university for women has opened in Bahrain. Classes at Bahrain’s Royal University for Women (RUW) began Oct. 15. The programs that RUW is offering include: foundation in art design, bachelor of education, bachelor of commerce and bachelor of computing science.

— AME Info
Oct. 9, 2005

Egypt

Canadian, British-style Universities Commence Classes

Classes began in September at two new and internationally backed universities on the outskirts of Cairo. The British University of Egypt, located in Sherouk City, offers classes through three faculties: engineering; economics, political science and business administration; and computer science, information systems and computer networks. A majority of the academic faculty and the direction and quality-assurance measures being used come from a consortium of British universities, which is being led by Loughborough University. According to the university’s Web site, degree programs are fully accredited by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and “will be validated by a UK university to demonstrate equivalence to UK standards.”

Located in Sixth of October City, Al-Ahram Canadian University began classes in business, pharmacy, computer science and information technology and mass communications. The private school is working with Carleton University, McMaster University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dalhousie University, University of Winnipeg and Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal — as well as with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

Each university enrolled approximately 500 students.

— AMIDEAST
Oct. 25, 2005

Beni Suef Campus of Cairo University now Autonomous University

As of August 1, 2005, the Beni Suef Campus of Cairo University has been operating as an independent university under the name of Beni Suef University.

— Correspondence from Beni Suef University
Dec. 1, 2005

Jordan

JUST, Washington State to Offer Joint Degrees

Jordan University for Science and Technology in September signed an agreement with Washington State University to offer joint doctoral-level programs in the fields of water conservation and the environment.

— The Jordan Times
Sept. 15, 2005

Saudi Arabia

Georgetown Joint Venture to Help Women

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business has signed an agreement with Effat College to help design and upgrade undergraduate-level business studies at the Jeddah-based college. The new bachelor’s degree program in business administration will be offered to groom young Saudi women as future business leaders, according to Arab News. The agreement with Effat College marks Georgetown’s second foray into the region in recent months after the commencement of classes in August at Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in Doha, Qatar.

— Arab News
Oct. 28, 2005

Syria

Iraqi University Opens Near Damascus

An Iraqi-owned, Iraqi-run private university opened in October. The Syrian International University for Sciences and Technology, located just outside Damascus in Sahnya, has the approval of the Syrian government in the form of a legislative decree launching the university. An October 2004 Associated Press report said 86 professors and teachers, mostly Iraqis, would be at the university, and the majority of students were expected to be “non-Syrian Arabs.”

Syria first approved the establishment of private universities in February 2001. The approval was part of a string of moves by President Bashar Assad designed to gradually introduce reforms to improve the stagnating economy and help modernize and soften Syria’s hard-line image abroad.

Another private university — Private International University for Sciences and Technology in the Ghabagheb region — opened in November. It offers degrees in business administration, engineering, technology, information technology, art, science, dentistry and pharmacy. ‏

— Arabic News
Oct. 4, 2005
— Associated Press
October 11, 2004
— Syria Live
Nov. 14, 2005

Syrian-German Private University Opens

Syrian-German Private University of al-Wadi, in the central city of Homs, opened in September. The institution is offering degrees in science and engineering in partnership with four German universities and the English Canada World Organization, which specializes in English-language instruction. Germany’s ambassador to Syria said the university will enhance relations between the two countries, while the Canadian ambassador in Damascus, who was also on hand for the opening, indicated that Canadian Institute of Halifax will also partner with the university. A governmental decree was issued in July licensing the university.

In related news, another internationally backed private institution began classes in September. Arab-European University, which has affiliations with 10 institutions from Germany and France, is located in Deraa.

— Arabic News
Oct. 14, 2005