Higher education in Egypt since World War II: development and challenges

Abstract

This article aims to analyse the policy shifts in higher education (HE) in Egypt since World War II in terms of the key policies, ideologies, competing policies and consequences of these policies over four policy eras: (1944-1952), (1952- 1970), (1970-1981) and (1981-present). The analytical policy framework used in this article is adapted from the work of Hodgson and Spours (2006). The policy documents referred to in the analysis, where appropriate, are Acts of parliament, influential reports and strategic decisions driven by political and international agendas. Despite the policy shifts in these policy eras, i.e. from ‘education of the elite’, ‘education for all’ to ‘privatisation of education’, the analysis seems to suggest that none of these shifts has been a complete success. This might be the result of the underlying challenges for HE, which the article attempts to unpack. It concludes with a number of suggestions to develop HE in Egypt.