The US Government pledged an additional $25m to expand the University Centers for Career Development to all public universities and select other higher education institutions in Egypt.
The fund will be allocated through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in cooperation with the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
The $25m expansion brings total US investments in the career centres program to $63m. These career centres prepare Egyptian youth for—and connect them to—today’s job market, providing a vital link between higher education and the private sector in Egypt.
Together, USAID, the Ministry of Higher Education, and AUC will expand the career centre model to 46 centres that will operate at 27 public universities, three technological universities, and four not-for-profit universities across Egypt.
Speaking at the ceremony, USAID Deputy Mission Director Margaret Sancho said, “The $63m University Centers for Career Development program reflects the strength of the US-Egypt partnership in higher education, as well as the US Government’s commitment to expanding education and career opportunities for all Egyptians due to our belief in the limitless potential of Egyptian youth.”
Through these career centres, the US Government has brought the concept of career guidance and counselling to public university scholars and graduates for the first time in Egypt.
Since 2017, 22 centres at 15 public universities have opened and served more than 300,000 students, resulting in over 25,000 job and internship opportunities. The University Centers for Career Development provide students with career mentoring and training in skills such as leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship. The centres also track evolving labour market needs to inform university curricula and establish key networks and linkages between Egyptian universities and the private sector.
