AUC establishes School of Business, names Sherif Kamel as its new Dean

Moataz Al Alfi, Vice Chairman of AUC's Board of Trustees, said that the school is being established to "Develop and enhance the capacity of individuals, firms and communities to build value and create prosperity in Egypt and around the world, as well as to meet the challenges of a new world of information and communication technologies."

According to Al Alfi, firms and corporations in Egypt and the Arab Region recognize the necessity of having a workforce that is knowledgeable about global business issues and who have the expertise to provide leadership in the business community.

"For the past several decades," Al Alfi said, "AUC has been the regional leader in business education and research and has made a significant contribution to shaping the future generation of business leaders in Egypt and the region. With its new School of Business it will now be in a position to provide the knowledge, expertise and skills required to meet the challenges of today's globalized business world."

The new School of Business will consist of three departments: accounting, economics and management, which is the only program of its kind in Egypt and one of only 85 business schools outside the United States accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

Kamel, the Dean of AUC's new School of Business, received his BA and MBA from AUC and his PhD at the London School of Economics.

"With the establishment of the new School of Business, it is important to recognize the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead and to use the human capital and state-of-the-art resources and facilities at AUC to equip our students with the business skills and knowledge needed to excel in an increasing global competitive market,"

says Kamel.

Kamel also noted that the business community is "Hungry for leaders and change agents who can make a difference to their organizations and to the community at large. AUC's new School of Business. Is well positioned to be the primary market supplier of people of this caliber who can adapt to market changes and transform their organizations so that they are able to compete at the highest levels through sharing experiences as well as disseminating knowledge and intellectual content," Kamel said.

Kamel joined AUC in 2001 as an assistant professor of management information systems. In 2002, he was appointed director of AUC's Management Center. In 2005, he was named an Eisenhower Fellow and was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the Information Technology Institute.

In 2006, Kamel was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sadat Academy for Management Sciences; from 2004 to 2009, he was the chairman of the Chevening Association in Egypt. He is a founding member of the Internet Society of Egypt. Prior to joining AUC and since 1987, Kamel worked for the Cabinet of Egypt Information and Decision Support Centre.

Several of AUC's executive education, services and research centers will be housed in the School of Business. These include:

• Citadel Capital Financial Services Center, which offers students, researchers and professionals a state-of-the-art instructional facility that integrates hands-on financial services practice into classroom financial concepts.

• El Khazindar Business Research and Case Center, which provides world-class case studies and other educational services connecting businesses and students in the region.

• International Executive Education Institute, which provides executive development by providing intellectual stimulation and cutting-edge knowledge in an academic setting together with valuable networking among business leaders in the region.

• Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center, which is part of a global initiative providing 10,000 underserved women with a business, management and leadership education, supported by Goldman Sachs and in collaboration with the Wharton School.

• Management Center, which is one of the region's principal professional development training institutions. It provides local and regional markets with the latest techniques in management and business development to develop leaders capable of competing in a growing and changing global marketplace. In addition, it plays a vital role in improving the quality of private, public and government organizations in Egypt and the region through practical professional training and applied market knowledge and experience.

The American University in Cairo (AUC) was founded 90 years ago and is major contributor to the social, political and cultural life of the Arab Region. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions, and study abroad programs. An independent, nonprofit, apolitical, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.