Harvard Partners with AUC's Department of Egyptology

After years of remote study and intermittent contact, AUC successfully signed an agreement with Harvard University to establish long-term relations and increased cooperation, especially between Harvard and AUC's Department of Egyptology. As part of this new partnership, AUC will be hosting a Harvard PhD student in Spring 2019.

During his career, Egyptologist and Harvard Professor George A. Reisner led the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition and excavated 23 sites in Egypt and Sudan. Today, Harvard carries on Reisner's legacy, strengthening its contact with Egypt through AUC. 

"Its good for Harvard to have this relationship with AUC, as we complement each other wonderfully," explained Salima Ikram, distinguished University professor and Egyptology unit head. "AUC has the on-the-ground research and presence, and Harvard has the professor at the forefront of digital Egyptology,"

Ikram refers to Peter Der Manuelian, Philip J. King professor of Egyptology in the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is also director of the Harvard Semitic Museum and founding director of The Giza Project, an international collaboration based at Harvard, serving as a free database for research materials and archaeological records pertaining to the Pyramids and Egypt's Giza Plateau. This digital teaching tool is an important resource for the field. 

"Bringing back Americans and others to study, teach and do research in Egypt and at AUC is a top priority in our quest for excellence as 'Egypt's global University,'" said President Francis Ricciardone. "Our current students, faculty and staff know the many unique attractions of this great country and our fine University.  I invite all to join in re-acquainting the outside world with Egypt, and with AUC.   And, as AUC and Harvard have just agreed -- what better field to advance this precise purpose than Egyptology?"

Manuelian believes the new agreement will enhance Harvard's Egyptology studies and will be an opportunity for Harvard students to study with AUC's distinguished Egyptology Department and gain field experience.

"We are very excited about this new collaborative exchange agreement between Harvard and AUC, and look forward to increased 'traffic' on this two-way street between Cairo and Cambridge," said Manuelian. "Where else to gain additional experience in Egyptology but in Egypt itself?"