Celebrating Eight More Years of Accreditation

AUC recently celebrated its reaffirmation of accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education through the 2026 -2027 academic year. Reaffirmation of accreditation signifies that AUC adheres to the highest educational standards, equivalent to those of other highly ranked institutions worldwide.  AUC is currently the only MSCHE-accredited University in Egypt. Out of 523 institutions worldwide accredited by MSCHE, only 17, including AUC, are outside of the United States, including four in the Middle East. The University received the top level of MSCHE's reaffirmation of accreditation, without any requirements and noting a number of significant accomplishments. Universities accredited by MSCHE include Columbia University, Cornell University and New York University.

"We seek the highest international benchmarks," explained AUC President Francis Ricciardone at the opening of the celebration. "Egypt doesn't need to look abroad for excellence in education," he exclaimed.

More than 100 staff and faculty members were involved in preparing AUC for the reaffirmation of accreditation process. In celebration of the accreditation, a panel was held featuring Minister of Higher Education and Scientif Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, NAQAEE President Youhansen Eid, AUC President Francis Ricciardone, AUC Counselor Ashraf Hatem, and AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman. The celebration was also attended by presidents of public and private universities, cultural attaches, members of the Specialized Presidential Council for Education and Research, members of the advisory council of Egypt’s scientists and experts, and a number of experts of higher education at Egyptian universities.

Minister Abdel Ghaffar shared what this accomplishment means for the University and Egypt as a whole. "This accreditation proves [AUC's] persistence of excellence and distinction," he said. "The American University in Cairo has been a successful component of Egypt’s educational system for nearly 100 years –– one that we are proud of. When we want to highlight the quality of education in Egypt to our foreign visitors, we invite them to visit AUC, given the significance of its international accreditations.

He added, "We have cooperated together with determination to engage many Egyptian universities to share this experience for the prosperity of higher education."

Ghaffar then discussed the ministry's new Vision 2030 plan, a ministry proposal that aims to overhaul the current education system. "We see that access to education is one of the demands of our youth," he said. "Their desire is that this should be to international standards and that universities should be internationally engaged and accredited. The Vision 2030 pillars are interlinked: Education, research and innovation are some of the main pillars of this vision. That is why Egypt is about to adopt a serious reform policy whose results will affect the growing confidence of the world that we are moving forward on high ground with persistence and determination."

MSCHE is one of seven U.S.-based regional accreditors that accredit entire institutions, not individual programs, units or locations. It is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.