Most Prominent Achievements: 

• A historic increase in several universities—from 56 to 129—reflects a comprehensive transformation in the education and innovation system. 

• Higher education is achieving global recognition in international rankings and research partnerships. 

• An unprecedented expansion of branches, programs, and international agreements is strengthening the internationalization of education in Egypt. 

• Egypt is solidifying its position as an educational destination with 198,000 international students from 119 countries. 

• A major development is strengthening the healthcare system and treatment services... University hospitals in Egypt increased from 88 to 147. 

• Egyptian universities support social inclusion by empowering disabled students and promoting equality. 

• A boom in student activities and university sports reflects the strength of infrastructure and international confidence. 

• Egyptian scientific research surges globally, ranking 25th in international publications. 

• Egypt establishes a national genetic database through the Reference Genome Project for Egyptians and Ancient Egyptians. 

Egypt’s higher education and scientific research system has received unprecedented support under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which has contributed to remarkable progress, including the expansion of university establishment, the development of scientific research and university hospitals, and the strengthening of international partnerships and Egypt’s standing in global rankings, thereby supporting the state’s vision to build an economy based on knowledge and innovation. 

Moreover, Dr. Abdulaziz Qanswa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, praised the qualitative achievements and unprecedented developments made by the higher education and scientific research system in recent years, emphasizing that these successes were made possible by the significant and ongoing support from the political leadership, which has contributed to the implementation of ambitious projects to develop the higher education and scientific research system, expand access to educational opportunities, improve the quality of academic and research services, and enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian educational and research institutions at the regional and international levels. 

Furthermore, Qanswa noted that the future vision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is centered on building an educational and research system that is more closely aligned with the requirements of national development and global changes. It would be achieved by developing academic programs and linking them to the needs of the labor market, promoting the internationalization of education by expanding international partnerships, joint degree programs, and international university branches. In addition to supporting scientific research and innovation and linking their outcomes to industry, localizing technology, encouraging entrepreneurship, and developing the skills of students and researchers. All of which contribute to establishing a knowledge-based economy and enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy. 

In addition, Dr. Adel Abdel Ghaffar, media advisor and official spokesperson for the ministry, stated that local and international statistics reflect the unprecedented growth that the higher education and scientific research system experienced from 2013 to 2026, during which the total number of universities and higher education institutions rose from 56 to 129 universities; public universities from 23 to 28, private universities from 23 to 36, and national universities from 4 to 32. Technological universities were also established for the first time, reaching a total of 14 universities by 2026. They have seen growing demand, reflected in a doubling of their student enrollment, thereby strengthening their role in preparing qualified professionals to meet the needs of the labor market. 

Meanwhile, the spokesperson added that the system has seen an expansion in the internationalization of higher education through the establishment of nine branches of foreign universities and an increase in the number of universities established under international agreements from two to six, thereby strengthening Egypt’s position as a regional hub for higher education. The state has also prioritized advanced technical education, with the number of private higher education institutes reaching 208, spanning the engineering, business, media, health, agriculture, tourism, and service sectors, thereby enhancing the diversity of higher education pathways. 

As part of efforts to strengthen Egypt’s position as a regional and international destination for higher education, the number of international students has risen to 198,000, including 138,000 international students from nearly 119 countries around the world. The medical sector was among the most attractive fields of study for international students, followed by engineering, while the country continued to expand its efforts to attract students from Arab, African, Asian, and European countries, reflecting the growing international confidence in Egyptian higher education. 

On his part, the spokesperson noted that Egyptian universities and research institutions have continued to achieve tangible results in international rankings, reflecting ongoing improvements in the quality of education and scientific research and enhancing the global competitiveness of Egyptian academic institutions. In this context, about 45 Egyptian universities were ranked in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The 2025 Clarivate report on international journals also included 60 Egyptian scientific journals, and the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings featured 18 Egyptian universities and higher education institutions, while the U.S. News World University Rankings included 29 Egyptian universities in its results for the 2026–2027 academic year. This underscores the growing prominence of Egyptian higher education and scientific research institutions on the international stage.  

In the field of international cooperation, the higher education and scientific research system has witnessed a remarkable surge through the launch of “Horizon Europe,” the expansion of participation in the “PRIMA” program, and the signing of dozens of agreements with several countries, including France, Germany, South Korea, and Russia. This has resulted in the implementation of 80 joint academic projects and reflects the growing international confidence in the Egyptian higher education system. 

Hence, Abdul Ghaffar noted that the university hospital sector saw significant growth between 2013 and 2026, with the number of hospitals rising from 88 to 147 and their budget increasing from 10 billion to 28 billion pounds, while providing services to more than 32 million patients in a single year and performing hundreds of thousands of surgical procedures, thereby cementing its role as one of the cornerstones of Egypt’s healthcare system. 

As part of efforts to promote social inclusion, Egyptian universities have made remarkable progress in supporting disabled students by establishing 20 specialized centers, launching the presidential “Tamkeen” initiative, and providing various forms of academic and support services, thereby ensuring their full integration into university life and enabling them to achieve success and excellence. 

Therefore, the official spokesperson emphasized that student activities have seen a qualitative leap in recent years, with expanded participation in sports and cultural activities. About 100,000 students took part in the “1 As part of the “100 Days of Sports” initiative. Egyptian universities have achieved numerous successes in international, African, and Arab championships, in addition to preparing to host the Cairo 2026 African University Games and several international sporting events, reflecting the development of sports infrastructure and international confidence in Egypt’s organizational capabilities. 

In the field of scientific research, Egypt has made remarkable international progress. It has strengthened its research collaboration with 213 countries, publishing more than 116,000 international papers from 2019 to 2024. While the number of Egyptian researchers registered on the Scopus database exceeded 140,000 researchers, about 78% of Egyptian research is published in prestigious international journals Q1)) and Q2)), 1,106 Egyptian scientists were included among the top 2% of the world's scientists according to the Stanford University classification. The annual international publishing rate rose to more than 45,000 research papers compared to about 16,000 research papers previously, making Egypt ranked 25th globally in international publishing. 

Egypt also achieved a strategic scientific milestone with the announcement of the results of the “Reference Genome of Egyptians and Ancient Egyptians” project, which involved the analysis of more than 1,024 samples from 21 governorates and the identification of approximately 17 million genetic variations, along with a plan to expand the study to 25,000 Egyptian genomes and establish the National Genome Center, thereby supporting the creation of a national genetic reference and advancing the applications of precision medicine and cutting-edge scientific research. 

Then, the official spokesperson explained that within the framework of supporting the innovation system, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology achieved more than 78 accomplishments in one year and organized more than 45 international scientific events with the participation of more than 80 countries, which strengthened Egypt's position as a regional center for research and innovation. Egypt also ranked 86th globally in the Global Innovation Index and among the top 50 countries globally in the index of the most influential countries in creative fields according to the US News 2026 classification, reflecting its growing capabilities in innovation, intellectual property, and scientific creativity. 

Finally, linking scientific research with industry has contributed to achieving several important, applied outputs, including the production of the first locally made electric cars, the manufacture of international-standard respirators, the production of silymarin ore to treat liver diseases locally, and the development of new agricultural varieties of garlic and cowpeas to support food security. In addition, implementing smart agriculture and fish farming projects and investing in scientific research outputs to support sustainable development and a knowledge-based economy.