Outstanding Participation at COP27
November 21, 2022
Dear AUC Community,
Over the past two weeks, our faculty, students and alumni traveled to Sharm El Sheikh, where AUC’s pavilion at COP27 stood out among all others in the Green Zone open to members of the public. Complete with an aquaponics station with live fish, a virtual reality experience to model the impacts of climate change and a zero-energy sewage treatment prototype for rural areas, the pavilion showcased more than 160 projects, research papers, art installations, a play and policy papers that represent AUC’s contributions to one humanity’s greatest existential challenges. This video provides a quick overview of the pavilion and captures the enthusiasm for AUC’s role, which generated significant positive media coverage and a tremendous sense of pride among our community.
I offer my sincere appreciation to the more than 150 strong delegation of faculty, students and staff at COP27, the task force responsible for overseeing the University’s participation and the dozens of groups working behind the scenes for their creativity and dedication that made AUC stand out as a leading educational institution in the fight against climate change.
In addition to our students and the important work of the faculty, AUC’s alumni carry forward the University’s mission of service and impact through their own inspiring contributions. More than 60 alumni, some traveling from other countries, let us know of their participation at COP27 and many stopped by for an alumni reception. Their work and outsized influence on issues of critical importance is a testament to AUC’s role and its reach through alumni in Egypt and around the world.
We welcomed thousands of visitors, several >Egyptian ministers and officials, international government delegations, university collaborators and journalists. We also met several US government representatives, including more than a dozen US members of congress, many stopping by the AUC pavilion to learn more about our faculty’s contributions.
USAID Egyptian Pioneers
During COP27, we also participated in USAID’s formal announcement of its $86 million grant for the Egyptian Pioneers program. The largest competitive grant in AUC’s history and one of the biggest USAID awards ever made to an educational institution in Egypt, this is a resounding vote of confidence in AUC and the leading role it plays at the forefront of education and capacity building in support of Egypt’s advancement.
Our Office of Sponsored Programs worked tirelessly and collaboratively to secure this grant that will see AUC lead a consortium of local and international partners, bringing together the public sector, industry and academia to develop a more inclusive and capable workforce that elevates sectors critical to Egypt's economic growth. The consortium includes 11 Egyptian universities, 35 private-sector companies and associations, and 22 prominent US universities that will offer degree programs and study-abroad opportunities.
The program, which will be delivered by AUC and partner universities, provides 110 master’s and post-doc fellowships to mid-career government professionals, as well as technical training for 500 professionals. It also includes 700 undergraduate scholarships for talented Egyptian youth from underserved backgrounds, some specifically designated for students with disabilities, in degree programs that are relevant to Egypt’s economic development.
AUC’s successful participation in COP27 and the launch of the Egyptian Pioneers program are indicative of the University’s preeminent position and precursors to sustained, transformative contributions in critically important areas in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Ahmad Dallal
AUC President