The American University in Cairo (AUC) has received a $30m donation, the largest philanthropic gift in its history, to bolster its business school. In recognition of the gift from the Sawiris family, AUC will rename the school the Onsi Sawiris School of Business.
The donation, facilitated by the NNS Foundation, the Naguib Sawiris Charitable Fund, Naguib Samih Sawiris, the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, and Orascom Construction, will fund scholarships, research initiatives, and a professorship in artificial intelligence/data science. It will also support exchange programs with leading US universities, including the University of Chicago.
“With this visionary gift, AUC’s business school will continue to be at the forefront of global business education in the Middle East,” said AUC President Ahmad Dallal. “The Onsi Sawiris School of Business is another legacy of Sawiris family philanthropy that has done so much to promote education and development in Egypt for decades. Thanks to their generous support, our students will have an unparalleled, globally relevant educational experience.”
The gift honours Onsi Sawiris, the late founder of the Orascom Group, and his significant contributions to business in the Middle East.
“By supporting AUC and exchange programs with top universities in the United States, we are bringing exceptional students together to benefit from intellectually rigorous and truly global programs,” said Nassef Sawiris, executive chair of OCI Global. “Preparing future business leaders at AUC with the skills to adapt and innovate is the best way to honour our father’s work ethic, values and commitment to advancing Egypt.”
Naguib Sawiris, executive Chairperson of Orascom Investment Holding, added, “Our parents instilled in us the value of education and opening doors that create opportunities for youth to excel. Graduates of AUC play a key role in our companies and many of them are in leadership positions. This school will build the capacity of future generations for our businesses, our communities and our country.”
Naguib Samih Sawiris, Chairperson of Orascom Development Holding AG, stated, “Onsi Sawiris’s legacy will remain a lasting inspiration for us to continue to invest in Egypt’s most valuable resource: its human capital.”
Sherif Kamel, dean of the School of Business, highlighted the school’s Triple Crown accreditation, placing it among the top 1% globally. “This is a landmark development in the school’s history, and we look forward to a new chapter where we continue to raise the bar as a destination for business education,” Kamel said. “I am confident that this gift, the academic exchanges and collaboration with faculty of leading American universities will ensure the Onsi Sawiris School of Business is at the forefront of global business education and on par with the best in the world.”
Mark Turnage, Chairperson of the AUC’s Board of Trustees, noted the Sawiris family’s long history of supporting the university. “This gift is one of the many examples of impactful philanthropy from the Sawiris family,” Turnage said. “It reinforces AUC’s position as an institution that produces global-ready graduates with the career and life skills to make a positive difference in their communities and around the world.”
The Sawiris family’s longstanding relationship with AUC includes Yousriya Loza Sawiris, Onsi Sawiris’ wife, an Honorary Doctor of AUC, MBA alumna (’82), former member of the Egyptian Parliament, businesswoman, and philanthropist. The family has previously supported scholarships for students from Upper Egypt, students with disabilities, women’s empowerment initiatives, and the renovation of AUC’s historic Tahrir Square campus. AUC first offered economics courses in 1947.
