Legacy of Excellence: AUC Celebrates Naming of Onsi Sawiris School of Business

Along with the Sawiris family, AUC celebrated the naming of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business in a special ceremony on the New Cairo campus on January 6. 

The school was named in honor of the late Onsi Sawiris, a titan of business in the Middle East, founder of the Orascom Group and patriarch of the family, in appreciation and recognition of a transformative gift from the Sawiris family. The single largest philanthropic gift in the institution’s history, it provides funding to support excellence in business education.

“For the first time, a school at the University is to be named, and it is fitting that it honors Onsi Sawiris — a man who embodied a deep love for Egypt, visionary business acumen and an unwavering commitment to education,” said Mark Turnage (ALU ’82), chair of AUC’s Board of Trustees, at the ceremony. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend our deepest admiration and appreciation to the Sawiris family: We thank you for your extraordinary generosity, your trust and your partnership.”

“For the first time, a school at the University is to be named, and it is fitting that it honors Onsi Sawiris — a man who embodied a deep love for Egypt, visionary business acumen and an unwavering commitment to education."

AUC President Ahmad Dallal also paid tribute to the enduring Sawiris legacy. “We are here to honor the late Onsi Sawiris — a visionary leader of industry and business whose legacy is carried forward by his three sons, grandchildren and the thousands of people who have been touched by the Sawiris family. Onsi Sawiris was not merely a businessman; he was a pioneer who transformed the way we think about business, leadership and innovation. Despite the many obstacles that lay in his path, Onsi saw opportunities where others saw only barriers.”

The funding will impact the school and its different stakeholders in several ways. It will provide scholarships for students, facilitate interdisciplinary research for faculty, establish a professorship in artificial intelligence and data science, and support visiting faculty and student exchange programs with several leading U.S. business schools and universities, including the University of Chicago –– one of the top worldwide. These collaborations will enable AUC and partner institutions to tackle pressing global issues, such as climate change and economic fluctuations, through multidisciplinary research and best practices, producing graduates who are globally informed, culturally sensitive and driven by innovation. 

“Our partnerships with leading American universities will create pathways for students of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business to develop a global mindset, a nuanced regional understanding and interdisciplinary skills essential to tackling the challenges of the future,” said Dallal.

"Bonds with AUC have also served to reinforce and extend the historic connection between Egypt and UChicago."

Melina Hale, dean of the College at the University of Chicago, highlighted the transformative impact of the Sawiris Scholars Program at UChicago and other U.S. universities: "The University of Chicago has been fortunate to witness while we are celebrating here today the extraordinary and long-standing commitment of the Sawiris family to the cause of education," she said. 

Hale also commeded the University of Chicago's well-established ties with AUC: "The American University in Cairo has played an important part in the Sawiris Scholars program from the start. With two successful students from AUC in its first year., the program was soon opened to other universities and increased numbers of students. Bonds with AUC have also served to reinforce and extend the historic connection between Egypt and UChicago. With your prestigious institution, we look forward to supporting The American University in Cairo and the Onsi Sawiris School of Business in its bright and impactful future."

“Our partnerships with leading American universities will create pathways for students of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business to develop a global mindset, a nuanced regional understanding and interdisciplinary skills essential to tackling the challenges of the future.”

This gift is made possible through the generosity of the NNS Foundation, the Naguib Sawiris Charitable Fund, Naguib Samih Sawiris, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Orascom Construction. 

Nassef Sawiris, executive chair of OCI Global, reflected on his father’s belief in the importance of education for future generations. “Not only did my father believe in the value of education for his children, but he also recognized the benefits of providing similar opportunities to talented and deserving students across Egypt and the capacity for bolstering Egypt's economic competitors in so doing,” he said. “As a result, 25 years ago, my father established the Onsi Sawiris Scholarship Program, which was unprecedented at the time, to promote academic excellence and achievement.” 

“Seeing the potential within the AUC community –– the tenacity, curiosity, creativity and drive to succeed within the student body. Our family looks forward to continuing the support to AUC and its mission to be a global leader in education and excellence.”

The program has thus far provided full-tuition scholarships to 99 Egyptian students to pursue bachelor's or master's degree at prestigious U.S. universities, including the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Stanford and MIT. “The only stipulation my father made in return was that recipients returned to Egypt upon graduation to immediately begin reinvesting their talent and entrepreneurial skills to advance Egypt's economic standards for future generations,” said Nassef Sawiris.

So why is the Sawiris family creating new educational opportunities through the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at AUC? “Seeing the potential within the AUC community –– the tenacity, curiosity, creativity and drive to succeed within the student body,” said Nassef Sawiris. “Our family looks forward to continuing the support to AUC and its mission to be a global leader in education and excellence.”

“Today’s school naming honors the past and inspires the future."

Through scholarships, research, professorships and exchange programs, the Onsi Sawiris School of Business will continue on its path to driving educational excellence in Egypt, the region and worldwide. “Today’s school naming honors the past and inspires the future. It celebrates our shared vision to create a learning environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking and ethical leadership,” said Sherif Kamel ’88, ’90, ’13, dean of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business. “Here’s to the future, the endless possibilities that lie ahead and the enduring spirit of our beloved school of business.”

Photo caption: The Sawiris family, including Engineer Naguib Sawiris, Engineer Samih Sawiris and Mr. Nassef Sawiris; AUC President Ahmad Dallal; Board of Trustees Chair Mark Turnage; Dean Sherif Kamel; Dean of the College Melina Hale at the University of Chicago; Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahmen as well as senior AUC leadership, ministers, ambassadors and other notable figures at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business celebration