AIC continues to expand its international reach by signing a new cooperative agreement with Badr University (BUC) in Cairo, Egypt. The agreement was signed by President Hubert Benitez, DDS, PhD, and Chief Operating Officer Nicolle Cestero on behalf of AIC, and by Chairman Dr. Hassan El-Kalla and President Professor Dawzy Torkey, on behalf of Badr University.
The signing marks the fourth international partnership agreement for AIC since October 2022. In that time, the College has signed similar compacts with Universidad Andres Bello Santiago de Chile (UNAB), which ranks among the top fifty academic institutions in Latin America, Universidad Catolica de El Salvador (UNICAES), and St. Paul University in the Philippines (SPUP).
These partnerships represent the College’s continuing commitment to increasing its international presence and creating opportunities for student and faculty exchange and student mobility. “AIC is pleased to enter into this agreement with Badr University in Cairo,” said President Benitez. “As the College builds on its strategic initiative of continuing to internationalize the AIC campus, it welcomes the opportunity to explore innovative approaches related to education and expanding the institution’s academic offerings, sharing faculty expertise, engaging in collaborative research, in creating opportunities for faculty and student exchange, and very importantly, on continuing to understand and appreciate cultural and personal values from different communities.”
BUC Chairman El-Kalla is equally enthusiastic about the partnership’s opportunities. “The cooperation between AIC and Badr University in Cairo, Egypt, brings students, scholars, academic leaders, and university professionals together across borders to forge fruitful and mutually beneficial partnerships with far-reaching impacts on the quality of education.” El Kalla added, “It represents a unique and promising venue for communities at educational institutions, as it involves two countries with differing histories, educational systems, and cultural diversities. This cooperation will serve the communities of the two nations for more understanding and respect of cultural diversity and appreciation for humanity and peace, which is aligned with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.”
BUC was established in 2014 as the largest private university in Egypt. The university contains sixteen schools, including business and economics, dentistry, engineering and technology, medicine, and political sciences. In addition, it houses the Science Academy, an interdisciplinary scientific research center established to provide solutions to global challenges related to health, science, and the humanities.