CAIRO – Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli participated Tuesday in the inauguration and launch of the International Academy of Architecture and Urbanism (IAAU), at its headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.
The event was also attended by a number of ministers, Ibrahim Saber, Cairo governor, Stefania Giannini UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, along with several ambassadors, presidents of Egyptian and foreign universities, heads of research centers and partner institutions, and representatives of UNESCO.
Upon his arrival at the academy, the premier was received by Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Omar El-Husseiny, Chairman of the Academy’s Preparatory Committee.
Madbouli listened to speeches from several key officials, including Italian ambassador to Cairo Michael Caron, French ambassador to Egypt Éric Chevallier, and the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education.
Ashour delivered a speech in which he stated that this event marks a milestone in the scientific and academic cooperation between Egypt and the world, with the launch of the IAAU in collaboration with UNESCO, and the participation of a group of prestigious international universities and institutions, including the International School of Architecture in Grenoble, France, the Faculty of Architecture at Sapienza University, Rome, Italy, the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The minister said the goal of launching the IAAU is to establish a central hub of enlightenment in Egypt that acts as a driving force for a qualitative leap in education and learning in the fields of architecture and urban planning.
It also aims to connect different specializations and interests across these fields at the national, regional, and international levels, he said, noting that this step helps enrich the labor market by providing highly qualified architects and urban planners, trained according to the latest international standards.
The academy will also work on honing the skills of professionals currently working in this field through specialized, internationally accredited certificates. In addition, it will foster local collaboration between educational and training institutions within Egypt, in partnership with well-known international partners.
Ashour explained that the academy is distinguished by its ability to offer dual degrees in collaboration with top-ranked international architecture and urbanism schools, particularly in Europe. These partnerships reflect the unique strengths of each institution in specific areas such as architecture, landscape coordination, urban design, planning, and related disciplines.
He added that the academy’s mission goes beyond just graduating excellent architects and urban planners — but also aims to provide continuous and specialized training for working graduates.
