Sherif Aly First from Region to Join Prestigious Accreditation Executive Committee

Sherif Aly ‘96, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has become the first person from the MENA region to join the executive committee of the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

ABET is the world’s leading accreditation body for college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology, according to the American Society for Engineering Education. 

Elected in 2022, Aly will begin his three-year term on the executive committee in July, during which he will oversee the activities of 12 to 15 accreditation teams per year, providing them with guidance and leadership. He will also play an active role in leading the commission, along with other members of the executive committee.

“I am very honored to have been selected, and I look forward to representing AUC and my professional discipline in the best possible way,” he said.

Aly is no stranger to accreditation nor ABET, however. He joined the commission a decade ago, jumping the ranks from team member to commissioner of the organization’s computing accreditation commission — also the first from the region to do so.

Changing Chairs

Aly first set foot on AUC’s Tahrir Square campus as an undergraduate student, choosing to major in computer science and minor in business administration and electronics. “A computer scientist, by definition, has to be interdisciplinary,” he explained. “Understanding the business side of things afforded me a number of insights into how things happen in electronics, all which gave me depth and breadth.”

After completing his doctoral degree in computer science at George Washington University, Aly returned to AUC as a part-time faculty member in 2002, soon after joining full time and eventually becoming chair of the department.

It was at AUC that he fell in love with teaching.

“First and foremost, teaching is a two-way learning experience; I learn from the students just as they learn from me,” he said, adding: “It’s a privilege to be part of the system that transforms students into successful professionals.”

When he isn’t wearing one of his many professional hats, Aly enjoys unwinding in his garden, where he grows heirloom tomatoes and vegetables. He has also been experimenting with blueberries, a tough crop to grow in Egypt’s harsh climate.

“As a child, I took care of plants, watched them grow and propagated them,” he said. “I love the outdoors and the peace that gardening provides me.”

A staunch AUCian, Aly is proud of his alma mater and his department. “AUC recently passed with flying colors accreditation for its computer science and computer engineering programs. Almost every time accreditors show up, they tell us how strong our programs are,” he said. “We want to maintain our place in the lead.”