GERMANY-EGYPT: Joint urban management programme

Germany and Egypt have launched a joint masters course in ecological urban management and energy-efficient construction. The course, sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), is aimed at students from Germany as well as countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

The joint programme is to be run by Cairo's Ain Shams University and the University of Stuttgart in southern Germany. It will train specialists and executive staff for ecological urban management. Egypt already has sizable training capacities in this field that are to be optimally concentrated to tackle regional development and even global issues.

From mid- 2011 on, up to 10 students a year will be admitted from Germany, the Middle East and North Africa. The scheme is expected to promote both German-Egyptian and German Arab exchange as well as inner-Arab academic dialogue.

DAAD also hopes that the programme will create valuable synergies with two other, already existing Arab-German courses: focusing on renewable energies and energy efficiency, involving the University of Cairo and the University of Cassel, and international education management, run by the University of Helwan and the Ludwigsburg Teachers' Training College.

michael.gardner@uw-news.com