Minister of Higher Education Chaired Urgent Meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities to Discuss the Status of USAID Scholarship Students

Minister of Higher Education: Resolving the Issues of All Egyptian Students Enrolled in USAID Scholarships
Prof. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, chaired an urgent meeting of the Supreme Council of Universities on Tuesday evening, attended by Prof. Mostafa Rifat, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, council members, and Prof. Ihab Abdel-Rahman, Academic Affairs Officer at the American University in Cairo, conducted online.
The meeting discussed the situation of students enrolled in Egyptian universities on scholarships provided by the USAID, following the decision to suspend all USAID programs worldwide for 90 days.
Key Points Discussed
• The status of 1,077 undergraduate students on USAID scholarships distributed across public, private, and national universities in Egypt (877 students) and the American University in Cairo (200 students).
• Prof. Ayman Ashour emphasized the Ministry's commitment to supporting students on these scholarships across various universities in Egypt, highlighting the close cooperation between the ministry and universities to serve student's interests in continuing their academic journeys.
• Education is viewed as a fundamental pillar for building a bright future for students and the nation.
Official Statements
Prof. Adel Abdel-Ghaffar, the ministry's spokesperson, stated that the meeting concluded with the necessity to remove any obstacles facing scholarship students as follows:
• Ensuring the future of scholarship students in all Egyptian universities (public, private, and national) under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Universities is safeguarded from the repercussions of this temporary decision.
• In this context, universities will adhere to all allocations and tuition fees previously designated by USAID for students until the end of the second semester. The ministry and universities will continue to support these students to face any future challenges.
Additionally, the council was informed that the American University would cover the expenses of the Egyptian students enrolled in the scholarship (200 students) during the second semester, with continued coordination with the ministry on this matter.