General Information about the Higher Education System in Egypt
Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), established in 1961, is the national authority responsible for formulating, coordinating, and monitoring higher education policy. The Ministry oversees universities and higher institutes across the country, including public, private, national, and technological institutions. It also supervises the Academy of the Arabic Language, the National UNESCO Committee, and a number of international cultural and educational bureaus abroad. Higher education institutions also participate in international cooperation programmes, including Erasmus+, supporting academic mobility, joint initiatives, and institutional capacity building.
Egypt’s higher education landscape consists of:
28 public universities
28 private universities
20 national universities
10 technological universities
7 branches of international universities
More than 164 higher institutes
The Ministry also oversees university hospitals, career centres, and research activities carried out by universities and national research bodies.
Structure and Ecosystem
MOHESR organises its work around three interconnected domains:
1. Education System
This encompasses all universities and higher institutes, including their programmes, regional distribution, student services, infrastructure, and digital transformation initiatives. Human resources—such as academic staff, researchers, and international students—are central to this track. Digitalisation is a system-wide priority, with increasing integration of digital tools and learning environments across higher education.
2. Research, Innovation, and Impact
This domain supports scientific research and innovation through entities such as the Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), and the Innovators Support Fund (ISF). These bodies provide funding, infrastructure, and opportunities for research and innovation.
3. Community Engagement
This involves activities that link higher education with society and the economy, including entrepreneurship, innovation support, and industry collaboration. University hospitals, technology transfer offices, and career development structures play a key role in delivering public services and supporting local and national development.
Higher Education Strategy and Policy Priorities
Egypt’s higher education strategy is aligned with the national Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) 2030. It seeks to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education by:
Adopting international quality standards - this is supported by national accreditation and evaluation mechanisms that monitor institutional performance and ensure alignment with international benchmarks)
Developing student and researcher skills for innovation and employability
Strengthening links between education and labour market needs as a key objective for improving graduate employability and workforce readiness
Expanding access to higher education across all regions
Encouraging institutional engagement with economic and social development priorities
The strategy is guided by seven priority principles that support the development of strong, innovative higher education institutions and promote alignment between institutional missions and national development priorities. These principles emphasise geographic equity in educational provision, responsiveness to labour market needs, capacity building within institutions, and enhanced national and international partnerships.
A key element of the strategy is to encourage educational institutions to become more autonomous, innovative, and financially sustainable—including through legislation that allows universities to establish private companies to support science, technology, and innovation.