Alexandria University

Egypt first knew higher education in the 19th century after the shock it received following the French Military Campaign. It happened to pass that Mohammed Ali -who was the Ottoman ruler of Egypt at that time - was so impressed by the Western Civilization and the French trials at reformation, so he decided to copy from the west to raise Egypt above the stillness and retardation of the east to the vitality and progress of the west.

In the Time of the British Colonization (1882-1922), higher education was restricted to the rich.However, the national movement opposing the colonization found its chance to stop that cultural trend and asked for education in Arabic and foundation of an Egyptian university. In 1908, the lectures actually began in the Egyptian university in four branches only: the history of Ancient Eastern
Civilization, the history of Islamic Civilization, the history of French Literature and the history of English Literature. It was first located in “Nestor Palace” in Gianaclis then, in 1915; it was translocated to the palace of Mohammed Sedki Pasha in Falaki Street. It was transformed into a governmental university in 1925.

Due to these changes, the Ministry of Education decided to establish a university, which includes high schools. A decree-law, which went into effect in the eleventh of March 1925, ordered the foundation of the Egyptian University. It was named “The University of Fouad the First” and consisted of the faculties of Arts, Science, Medicine and Law. While the number of students was increasing in the lecture halls in Cairo University, the students of Alexandria were asking for their share in higher education without having to travel.

So, a decree- given by the council of the University of Fouad the First- ordered the establishment of two branches of the faculties of Arts and Law in Alexandria. In 1942, a Royal decree was given ordering the establishment of “The University of Farouk the First” in Alexandria. It was decided to use the Abbasseya secondary school in Moharem bey as a seat for the faculties of Arts, Law,Commerce and Science, while the faculty of Engineering remained in Mohammed Ali industrial school in Shatby, the faculty of Medicine in the Amiri Hospital in Ramleh Station and the faculty of
Agriculture in Damanhour outside Alexandria. This university carried the name of “The University of Farouk the First” until 1952 when it was named “The University of Alexandria”.

Now, the university includes the following faculties: Arts, Law, Science, Engineering, Agriculture,Commerce, Pharmacy, Education, High Institution of Public Health, Dentistry, Institution of Medical Research, Institution of Higher Studies and Research, Veterinary Medicine, Hotel and Tourism,Agriculture (in Saba Pasha), Physical Education for boys, Physical Education for girls, Fine Arts