By A’laa Koddous Allah
Education is emerging as a new arena of competition for influence across Africa.
This comes as Egypt increasingly positions its universities at the centre of this shift, turning higher education into a strategic tool for regional engagement.
Recent statements by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdel Aziz Qansouh outline a clear plan to expand Egyptian universities abroad, with Africa as the primary focus of this outreach.
This push comes at a critical moment. According to UNESCO, Africa will need to accommodate nearly 100 million additional higher education students by 2030, while tertiary enrolment rates in Sub-Saharan Africa remain below 10 per cent, compared with more than 40 per cent globally.
This widening gap highlights both a structural challenge and a strategic opportunity for countries capable of offering accessible and cost-effective education models.
Egypt is seeking to position itself within this space. With more than 3.6 million students enrolled in its universities and a growing mix of public, private, and internationally affiliated institutions, the country offers a relatively affordable alternative to Western education systems.
The strategy, specialists said, focuses on exporting this model through branch campuses, joint degrees, and dual-certification programmes targeting African students both within Egypt and across the continent.
“This expansion represents a form of educational tourism capable of generating new national income streams,” Hassan Shehata, a professor of curricula at Ain Shams University, to The Egyptian Gazette.
Globally, international education is valued at more than $200 billion annually, a market largely dominated by traditional destinations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
By leveraging geographic proximity, cultural familiarity, and lower costs, Egypt is attempting to capture a regional share of this market.
However, the strategy extends beyond economic gains. Africa is becoming an increasingly competitive space for higher education, with countries, such as China and Turkey expanding their academic footprint through scholarships, university branches, and training programmes.
In this context, Egypt’s move reflects a broader effort to sustain and deepen its regional influence.
Shehata emphasised the long-term dimension of this approach, noting that students educated within Egyptian institutions — or through Egyptian-led programmes abroad — are likely to form lasting professional and cultural ties.
Over time, these connections can translate into networks of influence across key sectors in African economies, he said.
Initial steps are already underway. Alexandria University has launched international branches, while partnerships with global institutions continue to expand.
Flexible study models, allowing students to split their education between Egypt and host countries, are also being introduced to improve access and reduce costs.
For Egypt, the success of this strategy will depend on execution as much as ambition, experts said. Maintaining academic quality, securing international accreditation, and ensuring sustainable funding will be essential to building credibility, they added.
If effectively implemented, this expansion could position Egypt not only as an education provider, but as a long-term partner in shaping Africa’s human capital and future leadership, the same experts opined.
