The reform of higher education in Egypt

Abstract

The historical background of higher education in Egypt, the present organizational structure, as well as current challenges and constraints are described to anchor an assessment of the strategies for educational reform which are presently underway. Higher education in Egypt witnessed uncontrolled growth throughout the decade of the 1970s until 1983 when several reforms were initiated. Three broad goals have been targeted: containing enrollments through new admissions policies and testing practices; improving program quality by updating curriculum and focusing on important learning outcomes; and promoting responsible fiscal management by developing management information systems, training administrators in their use, and exploring cost recovery from various sources. This article addresses the progress of these reforms to date, makes recommendations for their fuller development and implementation, and offers comments on their significance to other developing nations.